Search Documents

By Charles Fried

The Coal Mine Health and Safety Act passed by Congress in 1969, called for research to alleviate the occupational stresses and hazards of coal miners. Spurred by a series of recent mine disasters the Congress directed the Bureau of Mines to increase its attention to the welfare of miners and to develop better working conditions and personal equipment for use in the mines. As one of the early steps in carrying out the provisions of the Act, the Bureau of Mines commissioned the Behavioral Sciences Group at the National Bureau of Standards to conduct a survey of the state of the art in ergonomics (human factors) as it has been applied to mining.

Jan 1, 1972

By Jeffrey S. Newman

This report establishes a methodology for the evaluation of gas detection devices and is the result of a critical investigation into the basic principles defining gas detector performance. A scheme is presented to evaluate the performance of a test sample of gas detectors based on the detector type and intended application. Test procedures, worksheets, test apparatus, glossary and statistical methods for handling test data arc given. In addition, evaluation standards and test parameters are identified. It is intended that this report serve as a comprehensive framework for the eventual certification of all gas detectors for mine applications. A plan is proposed and recommended for the quantification and implementation of evaluation standards for gas detection device certification.

Jan 1, 1980

By Catherine C. Kilgore

The Bureau of Mines investigated the availability of lead and zinc from 104 domestic mines and deposits. Fourteen primary lead and fifty-three primary zinc operations with in situ demonstrated resources containing 27.3 million metric tons (t) of lead and 53 million t of zinc were subsequently evaluated. Potentially 17.5 million t of lead and 2.4 million t of byproduct zinc could be recovered from 14 primary lead operations. Economic evaluations performed in constant January 1982 dollars determined a long-run total cost per pound of recoverable commodity. Including a 15-pct discounted-cash-flow rate of return (DCFROR), 59 pct of primary lead was potentially available at or below $0.32 per pound of lead. Potentially 40 million t of zinc and 5.6 million t of byproduct lead could be recovered from 53 primary zinc operations. Ninety percent of the recoverable zinc is potentially available from currently nonproducing mines and deposits, and a weighted average of their long-run total costs was determined at $0.98 per pound of zinc. At a breakeven (0-pct) DCFROR, these non producing operations had a weighted average long-run total cost of $0.58 per pound of zinc. Sensitivity analyses illustrated that operations that recover byproducts were most sensitive to fluctuating metal prices, producing operations were more sensitive to increased smelter treatment charges, and nonproducing operations were impacted most by the DCFROR.

Jan 1, 1983

By Brian M. Harney

The technique of remote sensing, used for many years by earth scientists, is being applied to the detection and monitoring of air pollution. Instrumentation being developed is of a very diverse nature and is effective, Fn varying degrees, at ranges from 1,000 meters to the altitude of a space satellite. This paper describes a number of the recent developments in this new field. Instruments based on spectroscopic, laser, and photographic systems are discussed. Sensors are being developed which utilize correlation spectrometry, interferometry, Raman scattering, Mie scattering, laser line absorption, and simple photographic detection.

Jan 1, 1973

By John J. Sammarco

This U.S. Bureau of Mines report describes the research effort and results for a computer-assisted appendage control system of a Joy 14CM continuous mining machine. The cutter head (shear), gathering head, conveyor, and stabilizer jack are the appendages. Positional control of each appendage is accomplished by specifying the desired position to the appendage control computer, which uses appendage position sensor data. Appendage movement is actuated until the desired position is attained as determined by control algorithms. A description of the sensors, mechanical and electrical interfaces, data acquisition and control (DAC) system, experimental method to determine appendage response characteristics (range of motion, start and stop delay times, and movement rates), and their application to the position control loop algorithms are presented. Also, the test results for the shear in an unloaded (free space) and loaded (cutting) condition of the shear are presented.

Jan 1, 1991

By J. H. East

THE RIFLE, COLO., oil-shale project of the Bureau of Mines was a facet of the re-search and development activities conducted under the Synthetic Liquid Fuels Act (Public Law 78-290) of April 5, 1944. The principal objectives were to devise efficient methods to mine and retort oil shale and to refine shale oil into usable products, at a total cost low enough that shale oil could supplement the domestic supply of petroleum at competitive prices. The Rifle project included three major divisions: (1) Mining, (2) retorting, and (3) refining. The major functions of the mining program were to supply oil shale to the retorts, to devise mining procedures, and to develop an under-ground-mining method by which oil shale could be produced safely at an unusually low cost per ton. The selected mining procedures and direct mining costs were demonstrated by sustained test runs.

Jan 1, 1964

By Will H. Coghill

This paper on milling methods and costs at a flat river (Mo.), mill is one of a series of information circulars on milling methods and costs which is being prepared by the United States Bureau of Mines, The mill under consideration treats 5,000 tons of load ore daily by table concentration and flotation. It is 25 years old, and yet it is a new mill. Research has been in continual progress at the plant since its beginning, and accordingly a day never passes without a record of change for advancement. The changes have been so orderly that no evidence of obsolete equipment remains.

Jan 1, 1932

Maps To Accompany Bulletin 418

Jan 1, 1941

By L. Nahai

In two decades Turkey has emerged from the debacle of the Ottoman Empire to become one of the most modern nations in the Middle East. The numerous achievements of this period were remarkable in that they affected human and social, as well as economic, fields. Most of this progress was achieved by Turkey's unaided efforts and the utilization of domestic resources; however, since 1948 various United States aid programs3/ have made significant contributions to increased agricultural and industrial output. Turkey's singleness of purpose in favor of a strong, independent, and prosperous republic has evoked universal admiration and encouraged the hope of stability in the Middle East. Much of the development of the Turkish economy to date has been fostered by the State; however, with growing strength the leaders in 1950 considered the time appro¬priate to relax the nationalistic economic policy and permit private enterprise to play a larger role in increasing domestic output and raising the tempo of industrialization. In pursuance! Of this policy, laws encouraging investment of foreign capital in Turkey and others stimulating development of mining and petroleum enterprises were enacted in 1954. This new legislation, plus the cooperative attitude of the Turkish Government, have encouraged wide interest in the mineral resources of the country.

Jan 1, 1958

1. Domestic Production and Use: In 1982, 13 companies operated 30 primary aluminum reduction plants, with 3 firms accounting for 55% of production. Washington, Oregon, and Montana accounted for 34% of the production; Texas, Louisiana, Missouri, and Arkansas 18%; Tennessee, Alabama, South Carolina, and North Carolina 14%; other central and eastern States 34%. Based on published producer prices, output of primary metal in 1982 was valued at over $5.5 billion. Aluminum consumption by 25,000 firms was centered in the East Central United States. Packaging accounted for an estimated 39% of domestic consumption in 1982, transportation 20%, building 14%, electrical 8%, consumer durables 8%, and other uses 11%.

Jan 1, 1983

By Douglas D. Reynolds

Intense vibration can be transmitted to the hands and arms of workers who use hand-held percussive or vibrating devices, tools, and work pieces. Continued habitual exposure to vibration directed to the hands can cause patterns of various symptoms associated with hand-arm vibration syndrome (HVAS). The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) first published ISO 5349 in 1986.3 This standard specified methods for measuring and evaluating vibration directed into the hands from hand-held vibrating devices, tools, and work pieces. The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) published ANSI S3.34 the same year.1 This standard was modeled after ISO 5349-1986 and specified methods for assessing exposure to hand-arm vibration. The Parliament of the European Union has issued the European Union Human Vibration Directive-2002/44/EC, which specifies vibration daily exposure action values (DEAV) of 2.5 m/s2 and daily exposure limit values (DELV) of 5.0 m/s2. These values have generally been accepted by medical experts, scientists, and engineers in governmental agencies, research institutions, and industry in the USA and other countries.2 When they are achieved, they will reduce the potential for the development of symptoms related to HAVS among workers exposed to hand-arm vibration. Significant improvements in measurement and analysis instrumentation, miniature and subminiature accelerometers, and medical diagnostic and assessment protocols have being introduced since 1986 when ANSI S3.34 was first published. In response to these improvements and the introduction of the EU Human Vibration Directive, ANSI Working Group S2.39 developed the revision to ANSI S3.34, which has now been published as ANSI S2.70-2006.2 Method ANSI S2.70 specifies the use of the hand-arm vibration measurement procedures outlined in ISO 5349, Parts 1 and 2.2,4,5 It requires the measurement of ISO frequency-weighted acceleration values in three mutually orthogonal axes of vibration. These values are then vectorially added to obtain the vibration total value, ahv: [ ] where ahwx, ahwy, and ahwz are the measured r.m.s. ISO frequency-weighted acceleration values in the x, y, and z directions, respectively. If multiple vibration exposure events are experienced during a work day, the overall vibration total value is obtained from: [ ] where ahvi is the vibration total value of the ith operation, Ti is time duration in hours of the ith operation, n is the total number of operations, and T is total time in hours associated with the n

Jan 6, 2006

By F. M. Goodwin, John Campbell, G. W. Jones

"INTRODUCTION The investigation of the general hazards of combustible gases and vapors in manholes owned by the Edison Electric Illuminating Co. and the study of methods for eliminating these hazards, conducted by the Bureau of Mines, the Edison Electric Illuminating Co. of Boston, and the Boston Consolidated Gas Co. since 1929, was continued during 1933.From May and through December 1933 these tests were supplemented by a study of the manholes of the New England Telephone & Telegraph Co. The test crew was under the direct supervision of John Campbell, superintendent of the Special Service Department of the Edison Electric Illuminating Co., and F. M. Goodwin, vice president of the Boston Consol¬idated Gas Co.The procedure of sampling manhole atmospheres and of shipping the samples to Pittsburgh was the same as that used heretofore. In previous reports the relative explosibility of the samples was calculated by adding the percentages of the illuminants, hydrogen, carbon monoxide, methane, and ethane, dividing the total by 6.5, and multiplying by 100. Experience has shown that the factor 6.0 is more nearly correct; therefore, this has been used in calculating the relative explosibility of all the samples listed in appendix A and B of this report. If gasoline vapor is present a smaller factor must be used.ACKNOWLEDGMENTSThe cooperative investigation was arranged through the interest and effort of W. C. Bayliss, president of the Edison Electric Illuminating Co. of Boston; W. C. Beckjord, vice president and general manager of the Boston Consolidated Gas Co., and A. C. Fieldner, chief engineer, Experiment Stations Division, United States Bureau of Mines. Thomas H. Haines, superintendent, Distribution Department of the Edison Electric Illuminating Co., cooperated heartily in furnishing both men and information for the work."

Oct 1, 1934

By Richard D. Miller

This Bureau of Mines publication contains analyses and related source data for 224 natural as samples from 18 States. Of the total, 191 sam¬ples were collected during calendar year 1981. The remaining 33 samples were collected during previous years, but releases, granting permission to publish were not received until 1981. All samples were obtained and analyzed as part of Bureau of Mines investigations of the occurrences of helium in natural gases of countries with free market economies. This survey has been conducted since 1917. The analyses published herein were made by the mass spectrometer and special helium apparatus described previously (1-2).3 The results of the investigation of the occurrences of helium are published annually to make the information available as soon as possible to the gas industry and the general public. Twenty-five publications have presented the results of 12,827 gas analyses made prior to 1981. The first three bulletins (1-3) contain analyses and related data on 5,218 gas samples collected from 1917 through 1960; these bulletins have been supplemented annually by information circulars (4-17, 19-24) containing 7,609 analyses of samples collected since 1960.

Jan 1, 1982

By E. D. Gardner

This paper is the third of a series of three on placer mining in the western United States. The first paper4 discusses the history of placer mining in the Western States and the production of placer gold, geology of placer deposits, location of placer claims on public lands, sampling and estimation of gold placers, and classification of placer-mining methods, together with hand-shoveling and ground-sluicing. The second papers deals with hydraulicking, sluice boxes and riffles, recovery of gold and platinum from placer concentrates, treatment of amalgam, and marketing of placer gold. The discussion of sluice boxes and subsequent subjects in the second paper applies to all forms of placer mining. The present paper treats of dredging and other forms of mechanical handling of placer gravels, and drift mining.

Jan 1, 1934

By C. T. Baroch

As part of a general program for investigating all phases of titanium production, argon was substituted for helium in the reduction step at the Bureau of Mines pilot plant, which employed a modification of the Kroll, or magnesium-reduction, process. Argon was substituted for helium in 108 of the 140 batches of sponge made during 1 month's reduction operations for July 1954. Argon was substituted for helium satisfactorily, with only slight modifications in technique. Metal quality, feed rate of TiC14, magnesium efficiency, and average production per batch were closely comparable with either gas. Argon runs were slightly more troublesome because of the formation of condensable chloride complexes, which tended to plug feed and vent lines and to entrap deposits of lower titanium chlorides on the reactor-pot lids. These lower chlorides were objection-able because they were pyrophoric and created obnoxious fumes when pots were opened. When feed and vent lines became plugged care was required in poking or unplugging these lines to prevent air from entering the reactor. These problems were relatively minor, and continued development of reactors and techniques for the use of argon should further minimize objectionable side reactions obtained when argon is used.

Jan 1, 1956

By T. F. Anstett

The Bureau of Mines estimated the potential availability of rare-earth oxides (EtEO), including yttrium, and thorium, which is also contained in the rare-earth bearing minerals monazite and bastnasite, from 38 'properties in market economy countries (MEC's). Only nine of the properties evaluated produce or would produce REO as the primary product; the others contain REO as a byproduct, chiefly from mineral sands operations recovering rutile, ilmenite, and zircon. Nearly 77% (2,578,000 mt) of the total 3,355,000 mt of recoverable RE0 evaluated is from producing properties. It is estimated that 21% (705,000 mt) of this total is from properties that could not realize a positive rate of return at the January 1984 market prices for the recovered commodities. At production capacities assumed for this evaluation, the amount of RE0 potentially available from producers ranges from an estimated 46,500 mt in 1986, to a peak of 50,900 mt in 1992, to 49,900 mt by the year 2000. Total MEG production in 1984 was estimated at 40,700 mt. Assuming demand does not increase sharply, producing properties can continue to fulfill overall REO demand through at least the end of this century.

Jan 1, 1986

Commodities statistics and other information are available through the following three systems: Internet Access: To acccess the USBM Gopher server on Internet, connect to: gopher.usbm.gov port 70, using gopher client software. Or contact the Systems Administrator for technical questions: Matt Klevemann, 412-892-6499 (klevemmc@miner.usbm.gov) These USBM materials are available on Internet, with more to come in the future: Publications and other research findings, including this bimonthly publications list, newsletters, tech transfer updates, enviromental technology research, health and safety information. USBM software products Media materials and speeches. Mines Data: Computer bulletin board. Log on via modem through 202/501-0373, or call 202/501-0406 for technical assistance. Mines FaxBack. Return fax service. 1. Use the touch-tone handset attached to your fax machine's telephone jack. (ISDN [digital] telephones cannot be used with fax machines.) 2. Dial 202/219-3644. 3. Listen to the menu options and punch in the number of your selection, using the touch-tone telephone. 4. After completing your selection, press the start button on your fax machine.

Jan 1, 1995

By A. J. Kauffman

The alluvial deposits of the Pacific Northwest have been investigated and worked with varying degrees of intensity since about the middle of the 19th century. Earlier efforts, of course, were centered about the placer-gold content of the deposits; later, the Oregon beach sands were exploited for their chrome content, and, still more recently, deposits in Idaho were worked for their content of monazite, a rare-earth mineral which also contains significant quantities of thorium. The composition of alluvial deposits seems to depend mainly upon the nature of the source rock from which the detrital material was derived and upon the resistance of the individual mineral grains to the agencies of weathering and transportation. The processes of crushing and concentration used in ore dressing are applied in a leisurely but nonetheless effective manner when exposed rock masses are eroded by natural forces. Weathering effects a continuous disintegration and chemical decomposition, wherein resistant minerals are set free as individual grains and new minerals are formed. Erosion carries these detrital products down the slopes into natural waterways, where a mechanical separation of heavy particles from light is accomplished by the running water. The accumulation of such resistant, heavy particles through the ages has resulted in formation of the black-sand deposits. In addition to the associated gangue minerals, heavy sand deposits in the Pacific Northwest may contain the following constituents of possible economic value: Gold, platinum, chromite, ilmenite, magnetite, garnet, zircon, monazite, columbite-tantalite, and radioactive blacks.

Jan 1, 1956

By Jr. Gabler

World resources of cobalt appear ample for the foreseeable future; however, political and economic events have caused concern over the availability and reliability of an uninterrupted supply. Because of this concern, the U.S. Congress requested that the U.S. Bureau of Mines initiate a study of the flow of cobalt in the economy that would delineate and quantify the production areas where metal values are lost. As a result, the Bureau has developed a computerized commodity flow model. A major attribute of this model is that it is amenable to updating as supply, demand, and/or production data change. This report follows the flow of cobalt through its metallurgical and chemical applications and highlights areas where significant losses occur due to downgrading, export, or disposal. The study indicates that about 4,300,000 lb of cobalt-bearing materials are lost each year, representing 24 pct of U.S. domestic demand.

Jan 1, 1990

1. Proposals were submitted to the Western Administrative Center of the US Bureau of Mines, Denver, Colorado on 30th December, 1974 and Contract No J 0255003 was awarded, the effective date being 8th May, 1975. Dames and Moore, Denver, are associated with PD-NCB Consultants in regard to environ-mental problems, surface mining practice and legislation in US. BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY 2. Under the threefold pressures of -increased domestic fossil fuel demand -increased value of domestic energy resources -increased demand for environmental protection and safety

Jan 1, 1976