Search Documents

By E. M. SEELEY, F. S. LOTT

The total capacity of the natural-gasoline industry to produce light hydrocarbon products increased to 21,322,000 gallons ( 507,670 barrels ) daily on January 1 , 1948 , from 17,928,000 gallons ( 426,860 barrels ) daily on January 1 , 1946. Expansion of the industry in the first two post -war years , 1946 end 1947 , thus averaged 9 percent annually , compared with 6 percent annually in the last two war years , 1944 and 1945 . The number of cycle plants increased only from 37 to 39 in the years 1946 and 1947 , and total capacity of these plants gained 21 percent to 5,857,000 gallons de ily on January 1 , 1948 , represent ing 27.5 percent of the total capacity of the industry , compared with 27.0 percent on January 1 , 1946. All other plants decreased in number in the two-year period from 589 to 510 on January 1 , 1948 , but their total daily capacity increased 18 percent to 15,465,000 gallons . The daily capacity of the average plant in the industry was enlarged from 28,600 gallons on January 1 , 1946 , to 38,800 gallons on January 1 , 1948 , continuing the long -established trend to producing units of greater size and efficiency . The average cycle plant capacity increased from 131,000 gallons daily to 150,200 gallons daily on the same dates as the average capacity of all other natural -gasoline plants increased from 22,200 gallons to 30,300 gallons . Owing to the elimination of small , obsolescent plants in Illinois , Oklahoma , and Pennsylvania , these States experienced the greatest reductions in numbers of plants in 1946 and 1947. In Oklahoma and Texas , several consolidations of two or more plants into a single operating unit were reported . Louisiana and Mississippi were the only States in which the number of plants increased , but daily capacity to produce light products was larger in eleven States on January 1 , 1948, than two years earlier . Added facilities in California and Texas accounted for 41 and 36 percent , respectively, of the national gain in capacity .

Sep 1, 1948

By John W. Kopp

Stemming is used in blasting operations to help contain explosive gases as long as possible. Stemming can reduce airblast, improve fragmentation, and reduce the chances of hot explosive gases igniting methane and dust explosions in underground mines. Stemming is required in underground coal mines but is generally not used in underground metal and nonmetal mines. Some underground metal and nonmetal mines are classified as gassy and can require special blasting procedures such as the use of stemming to minsure the safety of miners. The types and amounts of stemming material that are desirable in underground metal and nonmetal mine blasting to ensure good or improved fragmentation while containing the hot gases are largely unknown. This Bureau of Mines research examined the effectiveness of differing lengths of stemming by measuring stemming ejection times as related to burden movement. With properly stemmed blasts, stemming is contained until some burden movement has occurred. Test blasts at two surface limestone quarries were evaluated using high-speed photography. For the conditions of these tests, a stemming length of at least 26 charge diameters was found to prevent premature stemming ejection. In tests with stemming lengths of 16 charge diameters, the stemming was effective but there was early venting of hot gases through fractures in the rock. Further testing with other rock types, hole diameters, explosive types, and stemming materials as they affect incendivity is recommended.

Jan 1, 1987

By David K. Hylbert

This study investigated stratigraphic and structural causes of roof falls in room-and-pillar drift coal mines in nine mines in eastern Kentucky. A contract modification provided for remote sensing studies in the Dunkard Basin of West Virginia and Pennsylvania. Results of stratigraphic and structural studies of an earlier contract (H0133018) were applied to several new mines. It was found that similar rock sequences contributed to unstable roof conditions. Structure contour and isopach maps were found useful In projecting these trends together with fence diagrams. Using Landsat imagery, a direct relationship was found between lineament direction and the trends of rock jointing, roof fall zones, "snap top" zones and sandstone channels in the examples cited. It was found that, by analyzing lineament intersections, from 50 percent to 65 percent coincided with roof falls.

Jan 1, 1980

By Ralph Husack

The Bureau of Mines investigated the effect of gamma radiation on reactions between Pennsylvania anthracite and fluorine and chlorine. In the tests with fluorine about 90 percent of the coal reacted at 350° C to form volatile products whether or not irradiation was employed. Up to 0.8 ml of liquid products per gram of anthracite was collected. Among the 25 com-pounds indicated by gas chromatography, fluoroform and l,l-difluoroethylene were tentatively identified from their relative retention times and perfluoro-cyclopentane from its infrared spectrum. In addition, a clear, hard, wax, probably a fluorocarbon, was formed at 45° C in both the presence and absence of radiation. With chlorine there was no significant difference due to radiation, and preliminary tests indicated that the chlorine reacted more with the organic matter of anthracite at 200° C than with inorganic matter. At 400° C the results were inconclusive because of excessive corrosion in the reaction vessel.

Jan 1, 1966

By Robert H. Bedford

The Rogan-Mallery tin property is in the foothills on the south slope of the Tehachapi Mountains, Kern County, Calif. It was first visited by the senior author in August 1942, and exploration by means of trenching and diamond drilling began in May 1944 and was concluded in August of the same year. Cassiterite, associated with iron-rich gossan, occurs in a limestone roof pendant at places near or at its contact with the underlying granitic rocks. The cassiterite grain sizes range from 20 mesh to 150 mesh. Surface and diamond-drill samples showed tin ranging from traces up to 122.6 pounds per ton. Exploration by the Bureau of Mines included 2,100 cubic yards of trenching and the drilling of 11 diamond drill holes totaling 1,000 feet. Dana Hogan, president of the Rogan Petroleum Co. of Los Angeles, Calif.) brought these projects to the attention of the Bureau of Mines in July 1942, and the following month a Bureau engineer made a preliminary examination in company with Hillard Mallery, of 408 Ruby Street, Redondo Beach, Calif., the man who discovered them.

Jan 1, 1949

By W. G. Hopkins

The development of systems for location of miners who have become entrapped following a mine disaster has been one of the major research goals in the Bureau of Mines. This study details the preliminary development of such a system. Current technologies for locating trapped miners from the surface are either simple direction finders or time difference pulse systems that have accuracy limitations. Developing technologies using full vector field measurements at several receiving points are currently being studied. The necessity of measuring field strength with great accuracy can be a drawback in these systems. A system that operates with continuous wave radio signals, whose phase differences can be measured accurately even in weak signal conditions, greatly improves the location accuracy. A microcomputer would be used in conjunction with the system, to gather and manipulate the data to automatically pinpoint the location of the trapped miner. Comparison of this system with existing technology indicates a favorable accuracy/complexity ratio for the phase difference of arrival technique.

Jan 1, 2011

By J. H. East

"INTRODUCTION .Very little information regarding coal mining in Spain has been published in the American technical press, and few people realize the extent of this industry or the conditions under which coal is mined. The information in this publication was collected in 1945 and consists of personal observations in Spain, statistics, and other data of a, general nature obtained from official sources.Spain produces bituminous coal, lignite and anthracite, but the total tonnage mined is less than the national requirements. Before the war, an appreciable tonnages coal was imported from Great Britain under the Anglo-Spanish treaty, which rebated import duties and effectually prevented competition from any other foreign source. The war stopped the major part of the important of British coal and caused rapid expansion of the domestic sources, but this was not sufficient to supply the industrial demand. Coal that formerly was not acceptable to industry because of quality is now mined and marketed. The Government, allocates the better-grade bituininous coal to the various industries in accordance with the national importance of the work in which they are engaged; for example, the railroads are allotted 100 percent of their requirements, but cement companies can obtain only 25 percent.The Government offered to inducements to increase the production of coal of any class, but the larger part of the increased tonnage obtained was in inferior grades; as a result, the lignite production was taxed, while a bonus was paid for bituminous-coal production in excess of the 1942 tonnage.The anthracite and bituminous-coal areas were severely damaged during the Civil War and many experienced miners migrated to the lignite mines in eastern Spain. This has resulted in an acute shortage, particularly the Province of Oviedo where the most important bituminous-coal deposits are located."

Jan 1, 1947

By Robert W. Geehan

The Bureau of Mines has been developing deposits of critical and essential minerals in the United States since 1939. A preliminary examination of the Union lead mine was made in November 1944 and January 1945 by W. T. Benson, a Bureau of Mines engineer, who recommended development by diamond drilling. The Bureau conducted a drilling project at the mine from February 12 to May 16, 1947. The property is in sec.12, T. 17'N., R. 19 E., Mount Diablo Base and Meridian, in. southern Washoe County, Nev., about 15 miles south of Reno. The Union lead mane, also known 4s the Commonwealth mine, has been an intermittent producer of zinc-lead-silver ore since 1860. During World War II, ore was shipped to smelter& near: salt Lake City, Utah. The Bureau drilled 21 diamond-drill holes having a total length of 1,549 feet and 20 long percussion-drill holes with a total length of 359 feet. The program was designed to test for horizontal and vertical extensions of the ore body and to prospect for parallel ore bodies. As a result of this program, extensions of the ore zone were established, but no parallel ore-bearing structures were found. The areas drilled were limited by drill sites available.

Jan 1, 1950

By J. A. Cavallaro

This Bureau of Mines report describes the preparation characteristics of 10 coal samples collected from the significant coal-producing mines of Lucas, Mahaska, Marion, Monroe, and Wapello Counties in Iowa, with special emphasis on physical desulfurization. All 10 samples were of high sulfur content as received, ranging from 4.2 to 10.4 percent; the organic sulfur content ranged from 0.8 to 3.8 percent. The pyritic sulfur content of the samples could be appreciably reduced by crushing and washing and provided pyritic sulfur reductions ranging from 36 to 75 percent. Crushing to 3/8-inch top size and removing the sink 1.60 specific gravity material would provide float coal products containing 3.5 to 6.0 percent sulfur. However, these coals could be burned at utility plants utilizing SO2 removal processes with efficiencies ranging from 70 to 88 percent and still be in compliance with the current Federal SO2 emission regulations for stationary sources.

Jan 1, 1973

By E. D. Gardner

The American petroleum industry is supplying the present domestic demand for liquid fuels. Known reserves of petroleum in the ground, however, are limited, and the .cost per barrel of finding new oil pools is increasing. Any deficiencies of domestic production in the near future doubtlessly could be made up by imports: Dependence upon foreign oil for part of our industrial requirements is not necessarily cause for alarm, but in time of war an adequate, dependable, domestic source of liquid fuels is vital to the defense of the country. As a national defense measure, and to insure a future continuous oil supply for our economic machine, it would appear logical to take steps now to develop methods for producing petroleum substitutes within our own borders. This undoubtedly was in the mind of Congress when it passed the Synthetic Liquid Fuels Act (58 stat.190; 30 U. S. C. Sup. Secs. 321-325), Approved April 5, 1944.The title' of the Law reads: An Act authorizing the construction and operation of demonstration plants to produce synthetic liquid fuels from coal, oil shales, agricultural and forestry products, and other substances, in order to aid the prosecution of the war, to conserve and increase the oil resources of the Nation, and for other purposes. Congress authorized $30,000,000 for a 5-year program and directed the Bureau of Mines to carry it out. The part of the program pertaining to oil shale is being conducted on Naval Oil-Shale Reserves Nos. 1 and 3 (fig. 1) at Anvil Points, near Rifle, Colo.

Jan 1, 1948

By Charles B. Carpenter

For many years, studies of ground movement and subsidence accompanying subsurface mining operations have been part of the research program of the Bureau of Mines. Periodic observations by engineers of the Mining Division of the Bureau of man-built structures beneath which mining operations are conducted offer indisputable evidence of subsidence in the form of creeks in masonry structures and fractures and depressions in the surface of the earth. As the removal of subsurface rock and earth material by mining, especially by the room-and-pillar method, is equivalent to withdrawing some of the foundation of a building, subsidence of the formations above, the mining levels in certain areas is easily understood as a gravitational adjustment of the overlying earth formations.

Jan 1, 1940

By Charles B. Carpenter

For many years, studies of ground movement and subsidence accompanying subsurface mining operations have been part of the research program of the Bureau of Mines. Periodic observations by engineers of the Mining Division of the Bureau of man-built structures beneath which mining operations are conducted offer indisputable evidence of subsidence in the form of creeks in masonry structures and fractures and depressions in tie surface of the earth. As the removal of subsurface rock and earth material by mining, especially by the room-and-pillar method, is equivalent to withdrawing some of the foundation of a building, subsidence of the formations above, the mining levels in certain air-as is easily understood as a gravitational adjustment of the overlying earth formations.

Jan 1, 1940

By Fremont T. Johnson

Credited with production of more than 164,000 flasks Of quicksilver from 1876 to 1944, the Oat Hill mine has ranked third in output in the United States. During World War II, when the demand for mercury was high, this property was selected for diamond drill with the purpose of increasing ore reserves so that production could be maintained or, if necessary, increased. Although the existence of marginal-grade ore (fill material) left in the stapes and possibly of virgin ore of good grade had suspected in certain parts of the Oat Hill mine, no factual information to tonnage, grade, or location was available. In close cooperation with the Federal Geological Survey, the Bureau of Mines studied old records and the few available incomplete maps. Diamond drilling began in November 1943 and was completed in December 1944. Twenty-eight holes aggregating 8,121 feet were drilled, in only parts of the promising areas disclosed by the study of the data available. Detailed data on the work done by the Bureau as well as a brief history of the property and some operating details are described in this report.

Jan 1, 1949

By P. R. Thomas

The Bureau of Mines determined the costs associated with the production of chromium, in the form of chromite and high-carbon ferrochomium, from the demonstated resources of 10 market economy nations. The analyses evaluated the relative geologic and economic position of these chromite resources contained within 80 producing or potential mining operations. This report presents cost evaluations of a demonstrated resource of chromite, contained within the nations studied, of appoximately 1.2 billion metric tons (t). Of this total, 70 pct is contained within the southern African nations of Zimbabwe and the Republic of South Africa. The majority of current chromium mining and smelting capacity is contained within these two countries as well. India and the Philippines have recently demonstrated greatly increased chromite resources and hold the most promise for expanding both chomite and ferrochromium production outside southern Africa. Their demonstrated resources represent approximately 7 and 16 pet, respectively, of the cost evaluated total tonnage. Chromite resources, on an identified or hypothetical basis worldwide, are highly concentrated within Zimbabwe and South Africa, with these two nations containing in excess of 95 pet of the total. Given the present market structure, a majority of chromium contained within the demonstrated chromite resources of the nations studied is economically recoverable; but from a long-term resource and economic perspective, South Africa should inceasingly dominate the markets for both chromite and high-carbon ferrochromium. In addition, it is anticipated that an increasing percentage of chromium traded on the world market in the future will be in the form of high-carbon ferrochromium as opposed to chromite, as this additional processing stage continues to relocate from the industrial nations that account for a majority of chromium consumption to those nations that mine chromite.

Jan 1, 1984

By Oliver Bowles

"Score of the Bureau's Investigations.There has been outlined in a previous report* the results obtained regarding the adaptability of pulverized waste slate as a filler in road asphalt mixtures. As pointed out in that report the percentage of waste at slate quarries is very high, and the Bureau of Mines has undertaken the problem of discovering new and enlarged outlets for the waste material.Many products such as paper, rubber, road asphalt, floor coverings, paints, etc., require as one of their important constituents a considerable percentage of finely pulverized inert mineral matter to give ""body"", to obtain the desired consistency, or to supply the necessary wearing or other qualities demanded. Such materials are known as ""fillers"". The possibility that slate flour might be used as a filler with advantage in several products other than road asphalt led the Bureau to undertake further investigation.The Importance of Discovering Advantageous UsesIt has been found that in some products slate may be substituted for materials now in use without any marked effect on the quality of the products. A wider use of slate in such products could result only from a definite price advantage as compared with other fillers. Mile it is probable that waste slate may be placed on the market at prices which will encourage its wider use, it is evident that a waste slate utilization industry can never attain sufficient magnitude to definitely assist the slate producers unless it is demonstrated that some definite advantage in quality may be gained when slate is substituted for fillers now in use. The main purpose kept in view throughout the inquiry has been, therefore, to find advantageous uses for waste slate in order that both producer and consumer may be benefited."

Sep 1, 1921

By E. M. Tignor

As a part of the program of promoting the conservation and efficient utilization of petroleum, studies are being made by engineers of the Bureau of Mines on secondary oil-recovery projects throughout the United States. In furthering that aim, engineering data concerning the reservoirs, methods of stimulating the production of oil, and other pertinent facts are collected, studied, and subsequently published so that others may profit by the experience gained. This report presents the results of a study made by engineers of the Franklin, Pa., office of the Bureau of Mines of secondary oil-recovery operations in the Boggs field, Spencer district, Roane County, W. Va., whore natural gas is injected into the reservoir to stimulate the production of oil from a so-called stripper field. The Boggs field, like most others in the Appalachian region, is one in which the major part of the natural energy that caused oil to flow through the reservoir to the producing wells during the primary stage of oil production has been dissipated. For all practical purposes, most of the oil produced in the Appalachian region at the present time can be considered to be from stripper fields. Consequently, secondary recovery methods are being used extensively in the oil-producing areas of New York, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio, and Kentucky for recovering some of the oil that was not produced by primary production methods.

Jan 1, 1949

By Albert L. Toenges

The Grundy coal field is in process of development, and this circular was written to describe the mining methods and practices in use in the mines now being worked in this field. In lieu of man-hour labor data for individual mines a consolidated sheet of mine costs, which includes expenses for labor, material, and power, is given for all mines. The costs are for a working day only, based on average daily production. Because the demand for coal is seasonal, the costs for idle days, which vary at each mine, have not been estimated. Approximate reserves of coal seams have been estimated from data and maps taken from Bulletin XVIII of the Virginia Geological Survey4/.

Jan 1, 1936

By C. C. Merrill

Columbium, tantalum, titanium, and zirconium are present in solid waste products generated by the chlorination of rutile used for production of titanium tetrachloride (TiC14). The columbium and tantalum were separated from titanium and zirconium by liquid-liquid extraction techniques using a secondary amine. Salts of these elements are in a leach liquor produced by water leaching of mineral waste from the chlorination of rutile. This waste, produced at the rate of approximately 50,000 tons per year, is about 40 wt pct water soluble. Leach liquors, separated by filtration, were further separated into a solid fraction and a liquid fraction by pressure hydrolysis, The solid fraction containing Cb, Ta, Ti, and Zr was dissolved in HC1-HF and used as a feed solution. Columbium and tantalum were removed from the organic extractant with 1 [N] HC1. A miniature 10-stage reactor showed that the columbium and tantalum present in solution could be separated with a continuous flow.

Jan 1, 1972

By H. G. Iverson

Solid state reactions of manganese with silica were investigated in high-temperature tests. Reactions of 0.5 to 4.0 moles manganese (Mn) with 1 mole silica (SiO2) at 1,100° C and of 2.0 Mn:SiO2 mole-ratio mixtures at 1,000° to 1,150° C yielded products consisting of a slag phase and a metallic phase. At 1,100° C, the slag phase from reactions of the low Mn:SiO2 mole-ratio mixtures was composed of SiO2 and rhodonite (MnSiO3), and the slag phase from the high Mn:SiO2 mixtures was composed of MnSiOs and tephroite (Mn2SiO4). The metallic phase from the corresponding low Mn:SiO2 mole-ratio reactants consisted of two manganese silicides, Mn5Si3 and Mn3Si; from the high Mn:SiOg mixtures, it was Mn and the manganese silicide (Mn5Si). For the higher mole ratios of MnSiO2 the manganese content in the metallic phase increased, while the manganese and silica contents of the slag phase remained nearly constant. The slags did not contain free or uncombined manganese oxide (MuO). For the 2.5 to 4.0 Mn:SiO2 mole-ratio mixtures reacted at 1,100° C, the maximum quantities of silica reduced and of the manganese in the slag appeared to become asymptotical at about 41 and 48 percent, respectively. A brominating procedure was developed that was highly selective in removing the metallic constituents from the reaction product, leaving the slag phase as residue. X-ray diffraction patterns were obtained on prepared silicides Mn5Si, Mn3Si, and MnSi.

Jan 1, 1967

By Parry. V. F., John B. Goodman

"INTRODUCTION The Denver region coal field, covering an area of approximately 7,640 square miles, extends from the Wyoming State line to the middle of El Paso County, Colo. The coal in this region is subbituminous in rank. Much of it is used as domestic fuel. During the last decade the production of coal in this field has remained fairly constant at an average of 2,600,000 tons per year. This production has come from 50 to 60 mines, 88 to 90 percent of the production being from the section of the field north of Denver.According to the Standard Specifications for Classification of Coal by Bank of the American Society for Testing Materials 4/ the coals in this region are classified in the Subbituminous B and C group. On the as—mined basis, they contain about 22 percent moisture and average 9,600 B.t.u. per pound. They are noncoking and slack to a variable extent when exposed to the weather. This is characteristic of subbituminous coals."

Aug 1, 1939