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By E. D. Gardner

Ore and concentrate are transported on, the surface at western mining districts by (1) railroads, (2) surface trams, (3) aerial trams, (4) trucks, and (5) wagons, and (6) on the backs of animals. The daily and ultimate tonnage to be moved is the principal factor governing the selection of the method of transportation. Railroads are preferred when large tonnages are to be hauled over relatively long distances. The mine-haulage system may be extended or surface trams built to the mill or shipping point if a practical track grade is possible and if the distance is relatively short. Aerial trams have a special field of usefulness for transportation over steep or excessively rough terrain.

Jan 1, 1936

By James J. Dowd

The investigation to evaluate the reserves of coking coal is being made by the Bureau of Mines in three parts: (1) To estimate known measured and indicated recoverable reserves of all coking coal; (2) to upgrade marginal coals through effective preparation; and (3) to study the carbonizing properties of coal and coal blends not now widely used for metallurgical coke making. This is the tenth of a series of reports giving the results of studies by counties under part (1) of the investigation. (See appendix.) This report covers Knott County, Ky., which comprises parts of the Salyersville, Prestonsburg, Troublesome, Hindman, Pikeville, Cornettsville, and Whitesburg quadrangles. (See fig. 1.) A base map for each bed in each quadrangle was made to the scale 1 inch equals 1,200 feet. Maps of mines, locations of drill holes, bed and total coal thicknesses, and the outcrop of the bed were plotted on the maps. With all available data plotted, isopach lines were drawn to limit areas of known unmined reserves in beds up to 14 inches thick, 14 to 28 inches thick, 28 to 42 inches thick, and over 42 inches thick. These areas of coal reserves also were divided into "measured" and "indicated" categories. All areas in each thickness range and category, mined-out areas, areas excluded from the estimate but which may contain reserves based only on geologic inference, and areas outside of the outcrop were measured by planimeter on the base maps. Estimates of total reserves 14 inches and more thick and maps for individual beds were prepared from these data.

Jan 1, 1952

By H. M. Smith

In studying the chemistry of lubricating-oil fractions from so-called ?paraffin-base? crudes, one of the first requisites is a method for the separation and removal of waxy material. A method utilizing solvents for this purpose is described in this report, together with preliminary experiments with solvents that led to its development. The solvents actually used are secondary butyl alcohol, acetone, and mixtures of these.. Isopropyl alcohol was also studied. Preliminary Experiments In previous work on "intermediate-base" crude oil, following the work of Wyant and Marsh acetone had been used for laboratory separations of oil and wax. Then acetone was tried for the separation of the waxes and oils of "paraffin-base" crude, the volume of acetone required (80 parts to 1 part of oil) was found to be too great for large-scale work. For this reason the effectiveness of other solvents was studied; the separation by acetone, however, was used as a standard.

Jan 1, 1927

By H. N. Dunning

A comprehensive research program designed to aid development of new and improved methods for more complete production of petroleum from partly depleted reservoirs is being conducted at the Bureau of Mines Petroleum Experiment Station, Bartlesville, Okla. Water flooding has accounted for much of the petroleum produced by secondary-recovery methods; however, a considerable portion of the crude oil commonly remains in place after water flooding has been terminated. In recent years the possibility of increasing the efficiency of water flooding by using surface-active additives has received wide attention. In general, the results of laboratory research have shown that use of detergents as water-flooding additives will reduce the residual petroleum in porous media (1).3/ Some less extensive field tests have supported this conclusion but have not been entirely conclusive (2). Later studies (3, 4) have given conflicting evidence as to the relative worth of detergent additives for water floods in water-wet (hydrophilic) or oil-wet (hydrophobic or lipophilic) reservoir materials. The results of these studies emphasize the need for a more complete understanding of the fundamental principles involved in displacing petroleum from reservoir surfaces by injected fluids. Accordingly, a comprehensive research program was initiated to investigate the practical and fundamental aspects of detergency in petroleum production.

Jan 1, 1953

By T. L. Marchewka

As part of its program to conserve the Nation's natural resources by developing improved performance materials, the Bureau of Mines, U.S. Department of the Interior, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Energy, has conducted an investigation of materials of construction able to withstand the high temperature and hostile environments encountered in coal gasification units. Refractory pipe liners are required when extremely hot gases or abrasive solids are transported between processing units in the gasification plants. One promising technique for producing refractory pipe (or refractory pipe liners) is centrifugal casting. For this study, the effect of processing variables such as workability, additives, reinforcement and spinning time, and centrifugal force were evaluated using four commercial refractory concretes. In addition, data on characteristics such as strength, density, abrasion, and spalling resistance of 5-inch-diam refractory pipe were developed. Techniques for forming large-diameter (19-inch) refractory pipe also were evaluated. The test results indicated that all four refractory concretes could be made into strong, homogeneous pipe, but that optimum casting parameters had to be determined for each specific composition. The investigation revealed that the major controlling factor in the production of the centrifugally cast pipe was the workability of the refractory concrete.

Jan 1, 1979

By Bernard M. Larsen, Clyde F. Williams, Edward P. Barrett

"Introduction.The Bureau of Mines at its Northwest Experiment station has been studying the production of sponge iron for the past four years, and during 1923 progress advanced to the point industrial applications can be safely considered. A furnace was operated commercially at silver City, Utah, producing about three tons of sponge iron daily.The Bureau was led to undertake this work by the interest in the use of sponge iron for copper precipitation and for conversion to iron and steel in the electric furnace.If a piece of iron oxide is completely reduced at such a low temperature (850 to 900° C) that no sintering or fusion takes place, then the piece of metallic iron formed has the same size and shape as the original piece of oxide on account of the removal of oxygen, the structure is finely porous, exposing a large surface of iron, and the apparent density is less than that of the original piece of iron oxide. This material is called ""sponge iron"". Chemically, it is a very reactive material."

Nov 1, 1924

This report presents the results of a study for the Bureau of Mines to compare loan terms for non-fuel mineral projects in developing countries, from various International Financial Institutions (IFIs), and from private sector commercial sources. The study compares IFI and commercial loan terms for seven mineral projects in developing countries. The International Financial Institutions represented are: ? International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (World Bank) ? International Finance Corporation (IFC) ? Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) ? Asian Development Bank (ADB) ? International Monetary Fund (IMF) In addition, the costs of financing for these mineral projects were compared with the costs of long-term debt to the five largest U.S. mineral producers.

Jan 1, 1986

By H. B. Salisbury

As a part of a research program designed to help minimize national requirements for new mineral commodities by maximizing recovery of metals from domestic secondary resources, the Bureau of Mines investigated the development of economic methods for recovering copper and associated metals from complex electronic scrap. Three types were selected for research: (1) multiple-pin plugs and connectors, (2) obsolete aircraft radio assemblies, and (3) the magnetic fraction of shredded electronic scrap furnished by the Bureau's Avondale Research Center. The plugs and connectors, after incineration to remove plastic components and melting, yielded a brittle ingot, as did the internal portion of the radio assemblies. The brittle ingots were ground to minus 35-mesh for processing, and the magnetic material was used in the as-received condition. A process using pretreated or raw scrap as a copper precipitant in various concentrations of acidulated copper sulfate solution was developed as a means of effecting an initial separation and upgrading in the form of high-grade cement copper containing all or most of the precious metals.

Jan 1, 1981

By D. B. Taliaferro

An accurate knowledge of the water content of oil-bearing sands4/ now is recognized as an important factor in calculations of the flow of oil through the sands to producing wells and in the estimation of oil reserves. To this end the Bureau of Mines laboratories are using a method that is an adaptation of the A. S. T. M. method of determining the water content of petroleum products (1).5/ However, the apparatus and technique have been altered slightly, as described in this report, to increase the precision of the method without affecting the simplicity of procedure or speed with which determinations may be made. Until recently petroleum engineers, when estimating reserves assumed that the entire pore volume of the oil-saturated parts of producing sands was filled with oil, as it was generally thought that the oil, water, and gas in any formation had separated completely during geologic time into distinct layers because of their difference in density. In 1929 Lindthrop and Nickolaeff (12) reported experimental results from which they concluded that 22 to 30 percent of the pore volume of producing sands in the Grozay district, Russia, was filled with water when the fields were discovered. Since that time numerous investigators (5, 7, 8, 10) have found evidence of water in the sands of now oil-producing fields and old fields that never produced water with the oil.

Jan 1, 1940

By Oliver C. Ralston, Foster Fraas

The electrostatic separation of solids utilizes the forces exerted when electrically charged particles of the solids are present in an electric field . The charges may be acquired by various means (5) , and when the acquisition or loss of charge depends on the property of the particle , separation can be obtained between particles having different properties . A property commonly utilized in present - day separators in conductance . Charging also may be accomplished by bringing the particles into intimate contact with various surfaces . This is sometimes described as a " frictional electrical effect. The charge , or specifically the polarity of the charge , in this latter case evidently depends on the property known as the contact potential , as has been explained in the discussion of a paper (7) and in several other papers (10) . Separation by this method is accomplished in two steps - a charging step , in which the particles are brought into intimate contact with an electrification surface , and a separation step , in which the charged particles are separated in an intense electric field . Descriptions of such methods may be found in the literature (2) , (7) , ( 8) . Even as early as 1909 , Blake and Morscher (2) described the charging of particles by intimate contact followed by separation in an electric field . They also state that the polarity of the electrical charge acquired by the particles depends on their composition . O'Brien ( 8) presented several designs of apparatus . He obtained electrification by means of a wiping action , either on inclined plates or in rotating cups , in which a centrifugal force was imparted to the particles .

Nov 1, 1942

By E. P. Youngman

In the absence of any subsequent enactment of mining legislation, the Turkish mining law in effect in 1914, when Iraq became a British mandate, is still operative. The Constitution, or Organic Law, of Iraq, adopted by the Constituent Assembly on July 10, 1924, in articles 113 and 114, provides that:3 Ottoman en laws date and thao remained and lave pub- lished on or after that date and which have remained in force in Iraq u to the time of the publication of this law shall remain in force in Iraq' so far as circumstances permit, subject to any modi- fication or repeal in conformity with the proclamations, regula- tions, and laws referred to in the following article, and until they are altered or repealed by the legislative power or the High Court issues a decision rendering them null and void in accordance with the provisions of article 86. (Art. 113.) All proclamations, regulations, and laws by the Commander-in- Chief of His Britannic Majesty's Forces in Iraq, the Civil Commis- sioner, and the High Commissioner, and those issued by the Govern- ment of His Majesty King. Faisal, during the period between Novem- ber 5, 1914, and the date of the coming into force of this Consti- tution, shall be considered to be valid as from the date on which they came into force... (Art. 114.) 4 According to a German authority, it is the Turkish law of March 26, 1906, that, with a few modifications, is still in force. This law (similar to the French law of 1810) is discussed in a separate section of this paper.

Jan 1, 1933

By A. B. Hooker, P. G. Guest, E. J. Gleim

"From time to time the United States Bureau of Mines has received reports of gas explosions alleged to have been caused by correctly assembled flame safety lamps. In most of the mines where the explosions occurred the lamp was in use at a working face where the velocity of the ventilating current would be relatively low. The inference has been that the lamp was correctly assembled but that the gauze became sufficiently overheated to ignite the surrounding atmosphere.As part of its routine investigation of flame safety lamps the Bureau of Mines subjects each lamp to a test in still and moving atmospheres to determine its safety. Heretofore, as long as the lam, successfully passed this and other tests no determinations as to the margin between success and failure were made; hence, in attempting to answer inquiries concerning the reported explosions it was found desirable to be able to give actual gauze temperatures as a measure of the comparative safety of lamps under various conditions. The previous laboratory tests of flame lamps in still mixtures were made in a chamber or ""gallery"" of relatively small volume where the lamps might have been subject more or less to the smothering effect of the combustion products. It was therefore decided to make a special series of tests to obtain the gauze temperatures of both bonneted and unbonneted lamps in still and low velocity mixtures, using a larger gallery to offset any smothering effect.These tests are believed to represent the first attempt at measuring gauze temperatures by means of themocouples. The results will not only be of interest but will also be helpful to many in determining the status of flame safety lamps relative to gas ignitions in mines."

Feb 1, 1929

By F. E. Spencer

Calculated equilibrium data are presented for three phases in the flue gas stream from a hypothetical open cycle MHD generator. A typical coal is "burned" with 1.0 gram-mole K2O seed per kilogram coal and with 101 percent of stoichiometric air. Tables of composition and the overt thermodynamic properties, enthalpy and entropy, are given for the temperatures 2200 (-100) 1100 kelvins, pressures 1.0 and 1.5 atmospheres, and slag rejection figures of 90 and 75 percent.

Jan 1, 1973

By Jean M. Kenney

Frequencies of haulage-related accidents in metal and nonmetal surface mines for the years 1988 through 1990 were investigated and compared with those of non-haulage-related accidents. This study was part of the U.S. Bureau of Mines program to improve mining haulage safety. Data were obtained through the U.S. Bureau of Mines Accident Data Analysis (ADA) program. The chi-square test was used to compare frequencies of haulage-related and non-haulage-related accidents for each of the following variables: degree of injury, age, total number of years of mining experience, and shift time. Significance was determined for degree of injury between haulage-related and non-haulage-related accidents. Age of injured did not vary significantly between haulage-related and non-haulage-related accidents, but total number of years of mining experience was found to be significant. Shift time for the accident proved to vary significantly between haulage-and non-haulage-related accidents. Events causing injury for haulage-related accidents were tabulated, and the most frequent determinants of haulage-related accidents were identified. Accident descriptions for both fatalities and permanent disabilities were studied, and the primary causes of these accidents were identified. These findings suggest that haulage-related jobs are among the most dangerous when considering accidents experienced by all workers in the metal and nonmetal surface mining work force.

Jan 1, 1993

By W. D. Walker

The trend toward encouragement of worker participation in accident prevention in the coal mines of the United States is not new; however, it has been given added impetus in recent years and is now definitely progressing. It has been found by experience that, although there are many approaches to a mine-safety program that will include the workers themselves as well as their supervisors, no one way is suitable under all circumstances. It requires the concerted efforts of many agencies working along parallel lines toward a common goal. The following seven principal agencies, using somewhat different methods, are listed to illustrate how this problem is approached throughout the coal-mining industry 1. Federal Bureau of Mines. 2. State mining departments (in individual States where coal is produced). 3. Programs conducted by individual mine operators. 4. Programs conducted by mine workers' organizations (unions). 5. Institutes, societies, and other educational organizations. 6. Coal operators' associations (regional and national). 7. Universities, college, and high schools. Each of the seven approaches to safety are discussed briefly, and their methods end contributions, such as publications and other activities, are listed.

Jan 1, 1953

By T. F. Anstett

The Bureau of Mines evaluated the potential availability of chrysotile, amosite, and crocidolite asbestos from 42 properties in market economy countries. This resulted in the development of tonnage-cost relationships indicating the quantity of grades 3 through 7 asbestos at various average total costs of production at 0% and 15% rates of return on invested capital. The availability of grades 2 and 8 was also evaluated, but since each is produced at only one property, no analytical results were given. Total demonstrated recoverable chrysotile fiber potentially available of grades 3 through 7 from the 42 properties evaluated follow: 1.59 million t, 21.00 million t, 16.74 million t, 15.54 million t, and 19.27 million t, respectively. The total amount of crocidolite is 1.69 million t. Owing to the good potential for discovery and development of new deposits, long- term availability of fiber of all three types is not in jeopardy. However, many of the crocidolite properties evaluated in the northern Cape crocidolite field of South Africa have relatively small demonstrated resources, and new deposits will have to be exploited by the late 1990's to sustain projected levels of production.

Jan 1, 1985

By George C. Price

The Bureau of Mines conducted this study in the Roslyn No.5 coalbed in the State of Washington to determine the feasibility of mining hydraulically the portion of the coalbed that was steeply pitching. All of the experimental mining was done while advancing raises and rooms. A Bureau-developed hydraulic mining machine was used successfully in the pitching coalbed. It consisted of a remotely controlled monitor mounted on a self-advancing roof support unit of the type commonly used for roof support in longwall mining systems. The coal cutting rates averaged 0.73 and 0.54 ton per minute in raise and room mining, respectively, while using water volumes up to 230 gpm at a pressure of 4,000 psig. Productivity averaged 4.7 and 5.2 tons per man-shift for raise and room mining, respectively, compared with 7.5 and 8.5 tons per man-shift, respectively, by conventional hand mining methods.

Jan 1, 1965

By G. E. McElroy

[The purpose of this paper is to present type: of charts adapted to aid in the graphic solution of fan-performance problems of selection and operation, and to urge the adoption of similar charts by the National Association of Fan Manufactures as standard forms for presenting fan-performance data. As matters now stand, it is difficult for the average engineer to solve such problems because a large number of variables are involved, and performance data are not presented in a manner that permits their direct application to many problems encountered in practice. The performance of any centrifugal machine is determined not only by the machine itself but also by the fluid-flow system on which it operates. Actual performance of centrifugal fans is therefore a matter of the type, size, and speed of fan, on the one hand, anti of the relation of pressure to quantity of flow, as determined by the physical condition of the airway s: stem, on the other.]

Jan 1, 1936

By Lewis A. Smith

This circular presents a summary of the domestic chromium industry, and discusses the salient features of the world situation , reflecting the literature of the subject . The United States Bureau of Mines has in its files additional detailed information on many subjects briefly discussed in this paper and desires to assist the industries and the public by giving further data in response to individual inquiries . It will welcome comment and criticism and any contributions that would assist in making future editions of this circular more accurate . Unlike most common metals , chromium is rarely marketed as a pure metal . The chromium industry deals mainly with chromite , the principal ore of chromium , and with ferrochromium , the basic alloy in which chromium enters the metallurgical industry.

Apr 1, 1932

By K. E. Tame

The Bureau of Mines is studying possible modifications in conventional uranium ore-processing steps to confine and permit controlled disposal of radioactive wastes. Surveys of Ra226 contamination of liquid wastes from uranium mills indicated that the Vanadium Corporation of America plant at Durango, Colo., had one of the more urgent problems. A possible procedure for minimizing the waste disposal problem was to reuse the waste solution in the mill--in effect, erasing the need for disposal of liquid waste. In examining this possibility, interlocked bench-scale leaching and solvent extraction tests simulating the Durango flowsheet were made. The simulated reuse of barren raffinate for leaching and washing was carried through three separate campaigns of 9, 12, and 35 cycles each.

Jan 1, 1961