Search Documents

By Ernest L. Corp

The natural marine environment can be divided into four basic categories: the air-sea interface, the water zone, the seafloor, and the subbottom. Efforts are being made to accumulate data to delineate the conditions in each of these areas and to conduct engineering studies which will determine how these environmental parameters affect the mining process. Laboratory facilities have been constructed and equipment and techniques for scientific data collection and laboratory research have been developed. Major emphasis is being placed on studying the subbottom material. The objective of this emphasis is to study the engineering properties of marine placer deposits in order to assess their influence on the design and performance of the various mining subsystems involving penetration, excavation, transportation, and disposal. Presented are the results of engineering properties tests on a placer simulant which is currently being used for model and prototype testing of coring tools. The effect of these engineering properties on penetrability, core recovery, and sample recovery is discussed.

Jan 1, 1970

By A. J. Kraemer

"Introduction In 1925 the Bureau of Mines published as Technical Paper 346 a discussion of typical crude oils of the Western Hemisphere. That paper was one of a series of surveys of typical crude oils, and was the first of these to deal with properties of crude oils from countries other than the United States. The paper contains comments, tabulated data, and individual analyses of crudes typical of the producing districts of Canada, Mexico, Trinidad, Venezuela, Argentina, Colombia, and Peru; for comparison, it also has analyses of typical crudes from the chief producing districts of the United States.The Bureau of Mines undertook a study of foreign crude oils for two reasons: First, foreign fields are potential sources of supply for the United States; in fact, considerable quantities of some foreign crudes have already been imported. Second, these oils are very similar in physical and chemical properties to oils found in the United States, and a study of these resemblances has scientific value.After the publication of Technical Paper 346, the attention of the Bureau was called to the fact that the two analyses of crude oil from Venezuela which appeared in that paper were not completely representative of the production of that country. Samples of other types of oil were procured through the cooperation of Mr. R. Ogarrio, manager of the Texas Petroleum. Co., Huston, Texas, and officials of the following companies operating in Venezuela; British Controlled Oilfields, Ltd., Venezuelan Oil Concessions, Ltd., Creole Syndicate, and Venezuelan Gulf Oil Co.. Samples were collected and dispatched by Mr. D. 3. Park, representative in Maracaibo, Venezuela, of the Texas Petroleum Co. The value of the interest and cooperation of these agencies in obtaining the samples is gratefully acknowledged."

May 1, 1927

By Compiled by Staff

"The Bureau of Mines was established in the public interest to conduct inquiries and scientific and technologic investigations concerning mining and the preparation, treatment, and utilization of mineral substances; to promote health and safety in the mineral industries; to conserve material resources and prevent their waste; to further economic development; to increase efficiency in the mining, metallurgical, quarrying, and other mineral industries; and to inquire into the economic conditions affecting those industries. The organic act of the Bureau, as amended by Congress and· approved February 25, 1913, made it the province, and duty of the Bureau of Mines to ""disseminate· information concerning these subjects in such manner as will best carry out the purposes of this Act.""In accordance with this directive, the Bureau reports the findings of its research and investigations in its own series of publications and also in articles that appear in scientific, technical, and trade journals; in proceedings of conventions and seminars; in reference books; and in other non Bureau publications. The number of these reports, the wide range of subjects they cover, and the variety of mediums in which they appear make the kind of list and index presented in this special publication both necessary and valuable. This issue of the Bureau of Mines List of Publications and Articles describes reports and articles published during the period January 1, 1990, to December 31,1991. It, supplements the 50-year list of Bureau publications issued from July 1, 1910, to January 1, 1960;1 the 50-year list of articles by Bureau authors published outside the Bureau from July 1, 1910, to January 1, 1960;2 and the 5-year lists of publications and articles from January 1, 1960, to December 31, 1964,3from January 1, 1965, to December 31, 1969,4 from January 1, 1970, to December 31, 1974,5 from January 1, 1975, to December 31,1979,6 from January 1, 1980, to December 31, 1984,7 and from January 1, 1985, to December 31, 1989.8"

Jan 1, 1992

By Jacqueline A. McClaskey

The U.S. Bureau of Mines Information and Analysis Directorate collects worldwide data on virtually every commercially important non fuel mineral commodity. These data form the base for tracking and assessing the health of the minerals sector of the U.S. economy. The Bureau's data collection activity was instituted by the 47th Congress in an appropriations act of August 7, 1882 (22 Stat. 329), which placed the collection of mineral statistics on an annual basis. The most recent authority for the U.S. Bureau of Mines survey activity is the National Materials and Minerals Policy, Research and Development Act of 1980 (Public Law 96-479, 96th Congress). This act strengthens protection for proprietary data provided to the U.S. Department of the Interior by persons or firms engaged in any phase of mineral or mineral-material production or consumption.

Jan 1, 1993

By Jacqueline A. McClaskey

The U.S. Bureau of Mines Information and Analysis Directorate collects world-wide data on virtually every commercially important nonfuel mineral commodity. These data form the base for tracking and assessing the health of the minerals sector of the U.S. economy. The Bureau's data collection activity was instituted by the 47th Congress in an appropriations act of August 7, 1882 (22 Stat. 329), which placed the collection of mineral statistics on an annual basis. The most recent authority for the U.S. Bureau of Mines survey activity is the National Materials and Minerals Policy, Research and Development Act of 1980 (Public Law 96-479, 96th Congress). This act strengthens protection for proprietary data provided to the U.S. Department of the Interior by persons or firms engaged in any phase of mineral or mineral-material production or consumption.

Jan 1, 1992

By Laurence A. Dahners

As part of the strategic minerals program, the Bureau of Mines conducted a diamond-drilling project on three barite properties in eastern Tennessee and western North Carolina during the summer and fall of 1944. These properties, the Moccasin Gap prospect and the Krebs property in Cocke County, Tenn., and the Sandy Bottom mine of the Stackhouse group in Madison County, N. C. (fig. 1), are known to have produced some barite. The Bureau of' Mines project was planned to prospect for extensions of the ore bodies. A total of 3,169 feet of diamond drilling was done in 15 holes on the three properties. Tabulations of sample analyses and drill-hole logs are presented in this report. Two other mines of interest in the area are the McCoy and the Williams in Cocke County, Tenn. The Williams adjoins the Krebs. No drilling was done by the bureau in either of these properties.

Jan 1, 1949

By Roy L. Soderberg

Ground support for metal, nonmetal, and coal mines was examined through fill placement with a pneumatic stower to increase extraction, reduce ground pressures, and improve general mine safety. Several pneumatically stowed stope-fill products were tested to determine the effects of specific gravity, gradation, moisture, and impact velocity on the in-place density of the stowed fill. Hydraulic sand filling has now served the mining industry for several decades but because of the low density does not always provide ample support to the hanging wall; therefore, the sill and crown pillars sometimes build up excessive stresses that are detrimental to mining. Cementation of a dense fill adjacent to a pillar to allow 100-pct extraction of the pillar, or a fill that can be placed without the use of water and where water is a detriment to rubber-tired mining equipment, was found to be a possible use of pneumatic fill. Placing of coal mine washery products into abandoned underground workings is another possibility in order to completely eliminate surface impoundments.

Jan 1, 1976

By Travis Q. Lyday

Australia was one of the world's principal producers of minerals and metals, and its minerals industry was a leading catalyst in promoting growth of the country. Australia was the world's largest producer of alumina, bauxite, diamond, ilmenite, monazite, opal, rutile, sapphire, and zircon. It was the premier exporter of alumina, coal, ilmenite, refined lead, monazite, rutile, and zircon, and was the second leading exporter of iron ore, after Brazil. Ranking behind China, the United States, the U.S.S.R., the German Democratic Republic, Poland, and the Federal Re-public of Germany, Australia was the seventh largest producer of coal (all grades) in the world. Australia was the fourth largest gold producer in 1988, after the Republic of South Africa, the Soviet Union, and the United States. It was the second largest producer of zinc, the third largest producer of nickel, the fourth largest producer of uranium, and the seventh largest producer of copper. 2 The country's mineral wealth was so extraordinary that it was virtually self-sufficient in most mineral commodities. Endowed with abundant resources of coal, natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas, and uranium, Australia was one of the few market economy countries that was a net exporter of mineral fuels. About 90% of Australia's consumption of crude oil was supplied by domestic production; this was expected to decline significantly about 1990, unless significant new oilfields were discovered.

Jan 1, 1990

By H. L. Burmeister

These properties were examined by a Bureau of Mines engineer in 1949. During 1950, these mines were studied by the Bureau to determine the possibility of increasing the production and augmenting the supply of fluorspar. As a result of this study, it was decided to core-drill the Knox-Yingling vein to test the continuation of fluorspar to a greater depth than that reached by mine workings. It also was desired to relate the present deposit with the Rosiclare formation. Development work by the Bureau of Mines was performed from February to May inclusive in 1951. Four diamond-drill holes aggregating 2,733 feet were drilled in the hanging wall of the vein.

Jan 1, 1952

By E. J. HOFFMAN, J. c. W. FRAZER

The apparatus and methods described in the following pages were devised and used by the writers in connection with certain investiga- tions of the technologic branch of the United States Geological Sur- vey, especially those bearing on the improvement of furnace condi- tions and on efficiency in the use of fuel. The Bureau of Mines, which has charge of such analyses and tests of fuels as were formerly made by the technologic branch of the Sur- vey, is using the same apparatus and methods in connection with similar investigations that are being carried on at the testing plant of the bureau at Pittsburg, Pa. The furnace conditions prevailing both in small plants and in large industrial establishments in this country are frequently far from satisfactory. If such conditions are to be improved, they must be more thoroughly understood, and means must be found to insure complete combustion of the fuel, and yet to permit operation with such an excess of air as will result in the greatest efficiency. In this work the services of the chemist are indispensable. A very important problem is the determination of the small percentage of unburned combustible matter that escapes from the furnace in the flue gases. Under ordinary circumstances so little as 0.1 per cent of unburned combustible matter in a furnace gas is equivalent to about 1 per cent of the fuel used; and for the determination of such small percentages of gas more accurate and refined methods are required than have ordinarily been available heretofore. It is the purpose of this paper to describe some apparatus and methods which have proved satisfactory to those engaged in the chemical work of the investigations mentioned. While these methods and apparatus have been designed more particularly with regard to analysis of furnace gases, their use is by no means limited to that purpose. The reader will readily see their applicability to other uses in which the sampling and analysis of gases are involved.

Jan 1, 1911

By Alfred R. Powell

In another paper the writer has described an investigation in which the forms of sulphur in coke were determined and described. Coke was found to contain four characteristic forms of sulphur- namely, ferrous sulphide, sulphates, ad- sorbed free sulphur, and sulphur held in solid solution in the carbon. While the coke is still in the oven, only two forms of sulphur are present namely, the ferrous sulphide and the sulphur in solid solution in the carbon. During the quenching, however, the sulphur of the coke is subjected to considerable oxidation, a portion of the ferrous sulphide being oxidized to free sulphur and sulphates, while the solid solution form remains unchanged. The coke, however, loses no sulphur during this process, since the free sulphur which is formed ie retained by the coke in an adsorbed form. Since this oxidation of the ferrous sulphide took place so easily, an inves- tigation was undertaken to determine whether this property could not be taken ad- vantage of in some industrial process for the desulphurization of coke. Although it is true that such a roasting process would not touch the solid-solution form of sul- phur, still the removal of the ferrous sulphide sulphur would undoubtedly benefit the coke from the standpoint of the metallurgist. This improvement in the coke would result not only from the decrease in total sulphur, but also from the large decrease in the ferrous sulphide, which is responsible for the contamination of the iron in the upper part of the blast-furnace. The de sulphurization of coke by roasting in air it a new idea, but dates back to the earliest days of coke manufacture. In 1871, Philipparts published the results of some work done by him on the de sulphurization of coke by air, as well as a review of the results of earlier investigators. In the se earlier experiments, nothing was known of the forms in which the sulphur existed in the coke, while the temperature measurements were only approximate, so that altogether the results were not very conclusive nor complete. The de sulphurisation figures given by the se early investigators generally showed a low efficiency for the process, but some extraordinary results were claimed by certain inventors. In the light of our new knowledge concerning the coke sulphur, it seemed to be important enough to warrant investigation.

Apr 1, 1923

By L. B. Pankratz

Heat content measurements were conducted for GaPo.996 and InPo.986 over the temperature range from 298° to 1,100° K, and for In2S2.897 over the range from 298° to 1,200° K. Both the actual experimental data and values adjusted to conform with the stoichiometric compositions (GaP, InP, and In2S3) were reported. Entropy increments above 298.15° K were calculated for the stoichiometric compounds, and heat content and heat capacity equations were derived.

Jan 1, 1965

By C. M. K. Boldt

This report summarizes five separate Bureau of Mines contract studies on the use of aerial photogrammetry, satellite transmission of in situ instrumentation information, and satellite imagery to monitor and update mine waste embankment data. The equipment used, methods applied, results, recommendations, and cost analyses are presented along with a bibliography of related investigations.

Jan 1, 1987

By J. D. Davis

"Introduction.Sixty years ago, M. Berthelot found that ethylene could be selectively absorbed from gaseous mixtures by concentrated sulphuric acid, and that the compound formed by the chemical union of the gas and acid was readily decomposed by heating with water, yielding ethyl alcohol. Only within the last few years has there been any attempt to make use of this discovery technically.Bury*, working in England at the Skinningrove Iron Works and on a commercial scale, developed a technical method for converting, the ethylene of coke-oven as into alcohol. With a gas containing less than 3 per cent of ethylene, he obtained a yield of 1.6 gallons of alcohol per ton of coal carbonized.De Loisy** perfected a technical method for treatment of coke-oven as for alcohol. Evidently this work was carried out on a semi-commercial scale. His method is based on the use of catalytic agents for hastening the absorption of ethylene by sulphuric acid. He uses part of the spent acid for drying the gases and pact for the manufacture of ammonium sulphate. Excess acid is reconcentrated by waste heat. Others have worked on the problem, but so far there has been no large recovery of ethylene from coke-oven gases. The chief difficulty seems to lie in the low efficiency (about 50% of methods and tae relatively low concentrations of ethylene in the gases treated. Gas from Trent amalgam*** contains much larger percantages of ethylene than does coke-oven gas, as Will presently be shown, and if it should ever prove practIcal to treat industrial ;as for alcohol, this gas would offer attractive possibilities,* Bury, Ernest, Ethylene as Alcohol from Coke-Oven Gas: Gas Journal' Vol. 148, D. 30, 1919, pp. 718.** DC Loisy, M.E., Sur un procede' industrial de fabrication syntlotique de l'alcool et de l'ether a partir des gaz de distillation de la houil Comp Rend, vol. 170, Jan. 1920, p. 50-3.*** A paste consisting of approximately part oil such as that obtained as for cleaning coal. See Perrott. in cleaning coal, Chem 3 parts finely pulvarized coal and 1 final product in the Trent, process StJ, and Kinney, S.P. The use of oil Vol. 35 August 3, 1921, p, 183.. & Met."

Nov 1, 1922

By Ernest F. Burchard, J. R. Thoenen

"INTRODUCTION Technically speaking, bauxite is not a definite mineral but a mixture of several minerals belonging to a group of partly consolidated material known as laterite, which have been formed by surface weathering of rocks.The term bauxite is applied to the ore of aluminum, although a substantial amount is used for other purposes, such as a base in certain chemical industries and in the manufacture of artificial abrasives, refractories, and certain cements. Although bauxite has not been classed as strategic it now appears that the domestic supply may be insufficient for expanded defense requirements.Until recently, domestic production of metallic aluminum has been ample to meet requirements, but estimates of pyramiding future needs of the defense program have caused serious attention to be directed to the self-sufficiency of this country, both as to the supply of the raw material, bauxite, and the metallurgical capacity available to convert the ore to metallic aluminum.At the request of the Secretary of the interior, representatives of the Bureau of Mines and the Geological Survey recently investigated domestic resources of bauxite.A preliminary study of published literature and a field investigation disclosed that"

Nov 1, 1941

By Robert Hall

The Lynch Creek beryllium-tungsten prospect was investigated as part of the domestic beryllium resource studies by the Bureau of Mines. This prospect is in the Birch Creek mining district, Lander County, Nev., 9 airline miles south of Austin. A tungsten mine was operated intermittently from 1952 to 1957. Beryl was identified in the pegmatite dikes in 1960, and the lode claims were relocated. No beryl has been produced. Rocks in the area are Paleozoic sediments2 cut by pegmatite and aplite dikes and quartz stringers. Beryl occurs in random pockets, as disseminations throughout the dikes, and in occasional pockets in the quartz stringers.

Jan 1, 1962

By Richard F. Hewlett

Use of digital computers makes possible a more efficient and complete analysis of data from a mineral deposit . This computer program was written and used during an investigation into the efficiency of methods of computing grade and tonnage of ore , wherein it was necessary to make repeated computations involving different combinations of data . This investigation was part of a continuing program of sampling methods research at the Bureau's Denver Mining Research Center.2-4 This program is designed to compute tonnage and average grade for 40 cutoff grades using either the statistical or polygonal methods . tational rate is from 200 ( input bound ) to 1,400 assays per minute , depending on the use of either individual ( one assay per card ) assay- interval length or

Jan 1, 1963

By F. E. Wormser

"Arsenic has been recently quoted at 10 1/2 - 11 cents per pound, an increase over the prevailing price of last fall, when arsenic was cents, as against pre-war prices around 4 cents is evidently a sustained demand for this material. The following statements are intended to summarize briefly some particulars regarding arsenic.Commercial arsenic is the white arsenious oxide (As203). This is the form in which it is generally marketed, as the uses of arsenic demand its industrial application in this form. Arsenic as an element finds rather restricted use in the hardening of lead shot, ere it is to some extent replacing the use of antimony, while white arsenic is employed in a variety of manufacturing processes, chief of which is the manufacture of insecticides and sprays. The poisonous nature of most arsenic compounds, the commonly known ones being paris green and lead arsenate, and its relative cheapness, make arsenic a material suitable for this purpose. The stimulation of agriculture during the war greatly increased the demand for arsenical insecticide. Glass making consumes a large amount of arsenic as it has been impart increased brilliancy to the glass. Crude commercial arsenic is often used to kill weeds along railroad tracks. Arsenious oxide is used also for preserving hides, while the disulphide, AS2S2), finds an application in dehairing hides for the finest grade leather, as it least affects the product. Orpiment (As233), is used in textile dyeing. Wall paints and wall paper formerly consumed considerable arsenic in the form of paris green, but this use has been largely,given up due to the poisonous nature of the dust from the product. Sodium arsenate for a similar reason, is now little used in printing where it had found application. The great objection to arsenical yes and paints is the risk of poisoning from use of the manufactured article. Sodium arsenite is the principal poisonous in¬gredient of many cattle and sheep dips. Arsenic compounds are also used medicinally."

Jan 1, 1920

By W. L. Cooley

A significantly different method of evaluating mine ground system safety is investigated. The method measures touch and step potentials around ground beds and grounded equipment resulting from a series of extremely small simulated faults. The values are then scaled for a full-scale fault. The method should be particularly useful for large ground beds and under conditions where the ground bed cannot be isolated from the rest of the ground system in order to make traditional ground bed resistance measurements. Instrumentation for making the alternative measurements is evaluated under rigorous field conditions. A step-by-step procedure is proposed for evaluating a surface mine ground system. This procedure was subject to several field tests at eastern metal/non-metal mines. The final evaluation procedure is written as a stand-alone document for use by MSHA inspectors and mine operating personnel, and is included as an appendix to the report. The authors conclude that the procedure is effective in evaluating ground system safety and recommend that it be further evaluated in the field.

Jan 1, 1985

By Ivor Hawkes

This report describes how longitudinal and bending stress waves in' percussive drill rods generate noise. It is shown that in practical drills the largest noise source is the bending waves, which are mainly generated because of imperfections in the piston, chuck, and drill rod alignment. Equations are presented which enable the noise spectra generated by the bending and longitudinal waves to be precisely predicted. Means for reducing the amplitude of the bending waves are discussed.

Jan 1, 1977