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By Arcy, D&apos Banister

The productive potential of the Nation's principal active and inactive silver mining districts has been evaluated, using 1964 economic conditions and assumed silver prices ranging up to $3 per ounce. On this basis, the United States has an estimated 5 billion ounces of unmined silver, excluding minor byproduct silver in gold deposits. Approximately 3.5 billion ounces are contained in deposits requiring higher silver prices to be economically minable, and about 1.3 billion ounces are in currently operating mines. An analysis of silver consumption trends since 1954 indicates that the free world industrial market will climb to nearly 800 million ounces annually by 1985. U.S. industrial silver consumption has been projected to increase at an annual rate of 4 percent from 1965 to 1985. Average annual increase for the remainder of the free world has been 8.1 percent since 1953; this is expected to level off with an estimated average increase of 5 percent to 1975 and 4 percent from 1976 to 1985. Foreign silver production has, in the past, exceeded consumption, but in 1960 the supply deficit was over 100 million ounces. U.S. production, also traditionally exceeding demand, was suddenly overtaken at the start of World War II. By 1964 the annual deficit, excluding coinage, was over 84 million ounces. World coinage requirements of silver are fast declining and expected to total only 25 million ounces annually by 1985. In fact, coins are already becoming major short-term source of silver to fill the large deficit between industrial demand and current production. The larger, long-term deficit (to 1985, the limit of this study) must be balanced by silver from the hoards and new production from silver deposits. Eventually all of the deficit must be met by new production or silver prices will rise until consumption is greatly curtailed. To balance free world supply and demand, it is estimated that the free world must produce an additional 85 million ounces by 1975 and 375 million ounces by 1985. The estimated proportion expected from U.S. deposits is 17 million ounces by 1975 and 74 million ounces by 1985.

Jan 1, 1969

By Fred N. Kissell

In This Chapter [Measuring the gas emission from the coal Methane at the top of the silo Methane at the load-out area and Actions taken after a silo explosion] Methane accumulations in coal silos have resulted in the occasional silo explosion. These can be quite violent and dangerous because coal dust adds to the strength of the blast. However, with the appropriate precautionary measures, methane accumulations in silos can be greatly reduced. Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) regulations at 30 CFR2 77.201 require that the methane content in the air of any coal silo be maintained below 1.0 vol %.3 Also, MSHA requires that methane tests be conducted before any electrical equipment is energized, unless a continuous monitor capable of deenergizing the electrical equipment is used.4 Measuring the gas emission from the coal. The first necessary step in dealing with silo methane issues is to measure the gas emission from the coal going into the silo. Such measure-ments allow one to estimate the silo ventilation needs and permit a comparison with the methane controls used at other mines that have similar gas levels. The gassiness of the coal can be measured by taking conveyor belt grab samples.5 Matta et al. [1978] measured the gas emission from conveyor belt grab samples using a simple desorption test. To conduct the test, they collected several grab samples of coal, weighing a few pounds each, from the conveyor belt entering the silo.6 They then sealed the coal into an airtight sample container that was equipped with a valve and short hose along with a pressure gauge. Every few hours they opened the valve and bled the emitted gas into a water-filled graduated cylinder that had been inverted and placed in a pan of water (Figure 11–1). The results are shown in Figure 11–2.

Jan 6, 2006

By H. P. Greenwald, G. E. McElrey

"Part IV.- The Resistance Caused by Right-Angle Bends. IntroductionThis paper deals with the fourth phase of an extensive research on coal-mine ventilation factors. A comprehensive report of the entire work is in course of preparation, but abstracts of the various chapters are being prepared in order to make the major results public as rapidly as possible. Parts I, II and III were issued as Serials Nos. 2621 (July 1924), 2647 (October 1904) and 2671 (March 1925) and dealt with the resistance of unobstructed entries, the resistance due to mine cars and, the resistance of timbered entries respectively.Description of the Tests With the last cutthrough between the two butt entries of the test section in the Experimental Mine open, the air flow was deflected, around two right-angle bends in the same direction, the butt entries being 50 feet center to center and approximately 6 by 9 feet in cross section. Each bend had a dead end opening off of it; that at the first bend was in the direction of flow and that at the second bond was at right angles to the flow. For a primary test condition the inner corner of each bend was trimmed square and the dead ends were closed off with board brattices set flush with the line of the cut-through.The two corners of the first band were, then modified both independently and in conjunction. Various modifications of both bends in conjunction were also tested with rather surprising results as to the effect of conditions at the first bend, upon the pressure losses at the second. To confirm the theory developed to fit these results a series of tests were made to give a direct comparison of the -pressure losses as between two bends with the air flow deflected in the some direction at each and with the air flow deflected in opposite directions. The former is designated ""double"" and the latter a ""reversed"" right-angle bend. This series of tests was conducted, however, on the bends at one of the intermediate cutthroughs at which the flow could be deflected us either direction at the second, bend. Here also the average cross-section was 6 by 9 feet and the bends were 50 feet apart."

Jan 1, 1928

By W. J. Fene

"The prevalence of accidents in the coal-mining industry has prompted a study of the workmen's compensation laws of the various States and the statistics of accident costs, for the purpose of explaining to operators how the compensation laws are regulated and to show the cost of accidents.The subject of compensation laws and accident costs is by no means new, but the prevalence of coal-mine accidents would indicate that the mine operator in general is not thoroughly conversant with their importance. Unquestionably, compensation laws are a large factor in promoting accident prevention, and it is believed that a greater measure of success would be accomplished in preventing accidents if all mine operators were fully aware of their important bearing on the cost of production.Many operators seem to be indifferent to accident occurrence; possibly they do not real¬ize the seriousness of the accident hazards that exist in their mines, even after the hazards are brought to their attention. There is no question that material financial advantages are to be gained by the prevention of accidents and it would appear that when these advantages are thoroughly understood, operators would be anxious to eliminate, insofar as is feasible, conditions likely to cause accidents.The unsettled state of the mineral industry and the irregular operation of mines during the past several years has probably been an important factor in influencing the apparently indifferent attitude of the operator. The chaotic conditions in the mining industry and especially in coal mining are unquestionably a factor that tends to increase accidents, just as mine idleness increases roof hazards and results in deterioration in mechanical, electrical, and haulage equipment, and promotes disorganization of the personnel. During such times greater efforts should be exerted toward the prevention of accidents because of these increased hazards and of the financial advantages brought about by the various savings to be effected when mine accidents are held to a minimum.This report on accidents in the coal mines of Pennsylvania was made possible largely through the cooperation of William J. Maguire, director, Bureau of Statistics, Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry, and Rush N. Hosier, superintendent, Coal Mine Section, Pennsylvania Compensation Rating and Inspection Bureau, who made available their records and extended much assistance and numerous courtesies during this study."

May 1, 1932

By Robert G. Gibson, Joel D. Gibbons

Measurements and analyses were conducted of whole-body vibration aboard seven commercially available passenger and/or recreational vehicles: sedan; sport-utility vehicle (SUV); pickup truck; moving truck; motorcycle; all-terrain vehicle (ATV); and boat. The purpose of the testing was to measure and assess whole-body vibration exposure in a range of typical vehicle environments in order to gain understanding of typical exposure levels characteristic of activities of daily living. Vehicle models tested (and model year) were: Ford Taurus (1995); Jeep Cherokee Sport (2000); Toyota Tundra SR5 (2002); Ford F-350 (1997); Harley-Davidson Electra Glide Classic (2004); Yamaha Kodiak 400 4x4; and Steiger Craft Model 21 Montauk. All vehicles were tested with their standard factory-installed seats and were operated under a range of normal operating conditions and speeds typical of intended vehicle use. Methods The measurement, processing, analysis, and exposure assessment methods follow the guidance of generally accepted, national and international consensus standards relevant to the evaluation of whole-body vibration, including ISO 2631-1 [1] and ANSI S3.18 [2]. Seats were instrumented with low-mass triaxial accelerometers mounted in seat pads. Accelerometers used in the test are specified to have flat frequency response over the frequency range of 0.5 to 80 Hz, and all accelerometers were recently calibrated traceable to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Seat pads were installed following guidance in the relevant standards [1, 2], with sensitive axes of the accelerometers following the standard coordinate system with respect to the seated occupant. (The x-axis represents fore-aft motion; the y-axis represents side-to-side motion; and the z-axis represents vertical motion with respect to the occupant.) Vibration data processing and analysis, including filtering, sampling, frequency-weighting, averaging, summation, and determination of basic and additional metrics followed procedures in the relevant standards [1, 2]. Digitized time series data were acquired and stored using a PC-based data acquisition system. Whole-body vibration exposure analyses were conducted via post-processing. During data processing, recorded periods of seat acceleration that were identified and verified as resulting from occupant-induced motion rather than vehicle motion were excluded prior to exposure analysis. The basic evaluation metric for whole-body vibration is the frequency-weighted root-mean-square (r.m.s.) acceleration, aw. The primary additional evaluation metric is the fourth-power

Jan 6, 2006

By A. B. Hooker, L. C. IlsLey

"Observation of the use of trailing cables in ""mines shows that the chief limiting factor in the life of the cables and their safe use is the smashing or crushing of the cables in service, together with the effects of consequent splicing.Trailing cables are crushed when run over by cars, mining machines; and locomotives or when hit by falls of roof. Crushing damages the insulation and may cause failure at once or in later use. Failure may be either by short circuit between the conductors or by grounding to the track. The failure of a live cable causes electric arcs capable of igniting explosive mixtures of methane and air. Every cable failure in a gassy or dusty mine is, therefore, a real or potential hazard.Some mine operators do not allow the splicing of trailing cables for use in gassy mines, bet require that a damaged cable be immediately replaced and if repaired that it be used only in nongassy mines. Other operators allow the making of temporary splices to permit completion of the shift but require that such splices be remade and vulcanized before the cable is used again.Still other operators allow the continued use of temporary splices, which in general means that a cable is used until the splices give trouble in reeling, or overheat, or pull apart. Then the spliced sections are either cut out or the whole cable is replaced.Splices often determine the useful life of a cable. A splice poorly made may pull apart ueder mechanical strain and cause arcing that burn* the surrounding cable or ignites as or coal-dust. If it has lower conductivity a splice is the first part of the cable to heat; it may become so hot under load that it will burn apart and damage other parts of the cable, or, if it be a soldered splice, the solder may melt and allow parting of the cable. A poorly made splice often has insufficient insulation which may alloy short-circuiting between conductors or permit external contacts capable of giving an electric shock to one handling the cable. The splice is sometimes bulky from too much insulation and takes up too much room on the reel, causing uneven reeling; also by catching on the spooling device the oversized splice may receive expressive pulls and wear. Splicing is therefore a very important factor in the use of trailing cables."

Mar 1, 1932

By C. H. Herty

"The work on the physical chemistry of steelmaking, as carried out at the Pittsburgh Experiment Station of the United States Bureau of Mines in cooperation with Carnegie Institute of Technology and, the Metallurgical Advisory Board, has covered a series of fundamental studies on the action of oxygen in liquid steel and the application of the findings to open-hearth operation. The staff has varied from 14 to 23 men per year, some of whom have been Bureau of Mines physical chemists and metallurgists, others research engineers of the Metallurgical Advisory Board, and the remainder graduate students employed as research fellows at the Carnegie Institute of Technology. The work on the laboratory studies, and particularly on slag systems, has been in charge of G. R. Fitterer, associate metallurgist, Bureau of Mines, while the plant work has been under the direction of C. F. Christopher, research engineer of the Metallurgical Advisory Board. In all, some 16 physical chemists and metallurgists and 24 research fellows have taken part in the experimental work. Advantage has been taken of the opportunity for cooperation with the University of Pittsburg to have certain phases of this program made the subject of graduate work, particularly the laboratory studies on the deoxidation of steel with manganese-silicon alloys.The general method of studying oxygen has been, first, to determine the solubility of the various oxides in liquid steel. To date the solubility of Fe0 in steel has been determined, over a wide temperature range.3 The straight-line relationship in the plot of solubility versus temperature indicated that under a slag of 100 per cent Fe0 the oxygen was present in the steel as dissolved FeO. A further conclusion drawn from this work was that the solubility of FeO in the metal was proportional at a given temperature to the mol fraction of Fe0 in the slag if the slag contained a large excess of basic constituents. This result was determined from a study of the solubility of Fe0 under slags containing lime and iron oxide in various proportions. These data have been used extensively in determining the saturation of a bath of open-hearth steel under any conditions of slag composition, and results to be given later showed that the solubility curves are consistent with the results obtained in practice."

Dec 1, 1930

By Charles Sabine

The U.S. Bureau of Mines studied mines and prospects in the Bristol/Granite Mountains Wilderness Study Area (WSA) in 1982. The 45,000 acre WSA, located in the eastern Mojave Desert of California, is underlain by Mesozoic plutonic rocks with scattered roof pendants of Paleozoic (?) metasedimentary rocks. Two mines and six prospects are identified; one mine, the Silver Lode Mine, and a prospect of unknown name are adjacent to the area. The Silver Lode Mine has occurrences of silver, lead and zinc. Within the study area, the Comanche Mine has occurrences of iron and copper and the Iron Victory Prospect has an occurrence of iron. None are large enough to constitute a resource. Occurrences of magnesian marble at the Comanche Mine, Iron Victory Prospect, and elsewhere in the area contain too much MgO for commercial use other than agricultural soil supplements or crushed stone. Transportation costs to markets would exceed the value of the rock. At the Comanche Mine, situated in a roof pendant of marble, about 10 tons remain of a 110-ton pod of magnetite which contained 42.5% iron, and less than 50 tons remain of a mineralized fault breccia which averaged 2.5% copper and 0.3 oz/ton silver. Magnesian marble contained 41 to 45% CaO and 14 to 16% MgO. Primary and secondary silver, lead, zinc, and copper minerals are disseminated along altered joints and in quartz veins in quartz monzonite at the Silver Lode Mine, adjacent to the WSA. Analytical data are sporadic; samples contained as much as 0.12 oz/ton gold, 1.8 oz/ton Silver, 1.1% lead, 3.8% zinc, and 0.3% copper. Mineralized zones in the workings are not resources, but they might indicate possible silver-lead-zinc resources at depth. At the Iron Victory Prospect, lenses of magnetite and hematite with some chalcopyrite occur in a skarn lone in a marble roof pendant. About 110,000 tons of iron-rich rock, averaging 47.2% iron, are present; the largest lens contains about 30,000 tons. About 150,000 tons of magnesian marble, averaging 41.0% CaO and 11.7% MgO, are also present. Deposits of stone, and sand and gravel in the WSA are too distant from markets to be resources. Occurrences of energy minerals were not identified.

Jan 1, 1984

By Terry J. Close

From 1981-84, Bureau of Mines personnel examined and evaluated mines and prospects in the highly mineralized 62,400 acre Inyo Mountains U. S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Wilderness Study Area (WSA), located east of Lone Pine, CA. The 62,400 acres studied is the part of the 87,145 acre WSA designated as suitable prior to February 28, 1983. The WSA is underlain principally by quartz monzonite and quartz diorite that have intruded sedimentary and volcanic rocks. Three types of mineral deposits are present: 1) gold in fissure veins, 2) silver in fissure and replacement veins, and 3) talc in metasomatic lenses. Of the 84 nines, mills, and prospects examined, 54 are significant: 1) 5 in the intrusive rocks total about 4.4 million tons of inferred marginal gold reserves averaging 0.24 oz gold and 0.74 oz silver/ton; 2) three associated with intrusive-sedimentary rock contact zones total about 280,000 tons of inferred subeconomic silver resources averaging 7 oz silver/ton; 3) 27 gold and silver occurrences in the intrusive and sedimentary rocks total about 1.2 million tons of material in poorly defined bodies too small or low grade to be resources; 4) 15 gold and silver occurrences in the intrusive and sedimentary rocks are too poorly exposed to estimate tonnage and grade; and 5) four talc deposits along intrusive-sedimentary contact zones have inferred marginal reserves totaling about 640,000 tons. The marginal gold reserves at $450/oz might be profitably mined (reserve) at a gold price of about $600/oz and the subeconomic silver resources at a silver price in excess of about $27/oz. The marginal talc reserves might become minable at prices of about $50/ton and $80/ton for unprocessed and processed talc, respectively, after present supply sources are depleted. At most of the 54 significant mines and prospects, additional reserves or resources would likely be disclosed by trenching or drilling. Present in the WSA are 13 gold mills, numerous small pits and cuts, 270 underground workings totaling about 36,000 ft, and 80 mining benches totaling about 11,000 ft. Gold, silver, or talc were produced from most of the workings. A total of 1,561 lode and 18 placer samples were taken.

Jan 1, 1985

By John R. Bartels

Remote operation of continuous mining machines has enhanced the health and safety of underground miners in many respects; however, numerous fatal and non-fatal continuous miner struck-by accidents have occurred. In an effort to prevent these injuries, NIOSH researchers at Pittsburgh Research Laboratory studied the workplace relationships between continuous miner operators and various tramming tasks of the equipment using motion capture data, operator response times, and field of view data to evaluate the factors influencing operator-machine struck-by events (contact with a solid object) in a virtual mine environment. It is not feasible (nor ethical) to use human subjects to directly evaluate factors that precipitate such injuries. However, use of motion analysis data and digital human models can facilitate analysis of struck-by accident risk by allowing investigators to manipulate factors that influence injury. Factors included in this study included machine speed, direction of escape, the direction the operator was facing relative to the machine, work posture, distance from machine, and operator anthropometry. Close proximity to the machine, high machine tramming speeds, a right-facing orientation and operator positioning near the tail all resulted in high risk of being struck.

Jan 1, 2008

Objective To develop and evaluate the effectiveness of safety training tools specific to underground metal/nonmetal mining. Background In a series of stakeholder meetings held in the western United States beginning in 1998, participants identified a critical lack of appropriate training materials applicable to metal/nonmetal mining. Participants in the meetings provided many insights into what types of training materials are most effective in dealing with both experienced and inexperienced miners. Most important was that the materials should be realistic and interesting and that some way should be found to capture the wisdom and expertise of older miners before they retired. In response, training videos that focus on safe practices during the mining cycle are being produced. Two videos one on handling explosives underground and one on identifying roof hazards and proper scaling techniques were completed during1999, and a third video is now available. This video, entitled “Ground Support...It’s Important, or Miner Mike Saves the Day,” presents information on why ground supports work and how to install them properly. Approach The new video, “Ground Support…It’s Important,” presents a scenario in which two young miners make a bad decision to leave some supports out in order to catch up in their mining cycle. An expert miner, “Miner Mike,” sees this potentially disastrous situation and educates the young miners about what could happen if they continued to leave supports out. He introduces the young miners to several expert miners, who explain how to install different types of supports correctly, as well as share what experience has taught them over the years. How It Works All footage was taken in operating, underground mines, using14 experts to provide the teaching. Because of the wide variety of supports used underground, it was necessary to focus on those types more common to hard-rock mining. While more complex support systems, such as shotcrete and cable bolts, are mentioned, detailed material is not included. In the course of educating young miners Jeff and Jason, Miner Mike provides information on— •Why supports are necessary in underground mines. •The main types of supports commonly used in underground hard-rock mines. •How supports work. •How holes for bolts are drilled correctly using jacklegs, drill jumbos, and bolting jumbos.• How wire mesh, wire panels, metal mats, and different types of bolts, including mechanical bolts, friction bolts, grouted bolts, and cable bolts, are installed properly. •How to recognize that supports have failed and what to do about it.

Jun 1, 2000

Homans [1950] offered a working definition of group that is useful for this research: "We mean by a group a number of persons who communicate with one another often over a span of time, and who are few enough so that each person is able to communicate with all the others, not at secondhand, through other people, but face-to-face." This chapter begins with a discussion of the group concept in reference to the hypothesized escape groups mentioned earlier. It then moves to an examination of analysis techniques used by the authors. Finally, the subjects themselves are profiled according to their demographic characteristics. The Nature of Groups Warriner [1956] took a realist approach to understanding groups: "(1) the group is just as real as the person, but (2) both are abstract, analytical units, not concrete entities, and (3) the group is understandable and explicable solely in terms of distinctly social processes and factors, not by reference to individual psychology." Warriner's realist position merely holds that "group" occupies a different domain in which it is no more or less concrete than "person." At this group level the unit of analysis will be those relations that indicate social rather than individual behavior. It is possible to investigate these group properties empirically-if a researcher avoids confusing conceptual entities with concrete ones. Most people seem to accept that group attributes must somehow be inferred, but think personal attributes will be directly manifested, requiring little or no interpretation [Snizek 1979]. In other words, nobody would equate physical components of an underground working section with the actual work group, yet social scientists (as well as laypeople) very often confuse real individuals with notions of the person. In actuality, neither groups nor persons are directly disclosed to the senses; both are inferred by experience and observation. One can "see" a group just as clearly as one can "see" a person, given the proper perspective from which to do so. It is necessary, in developing this perspective, to begin with a sound definition of the thing being examined. Besides communication, or more generally, social interaction, Homans [1950] included three other components of group makeup. "Sentiment" is characterized as the feelings people tend to form about one another when they interact often. These feelings include not only friendliness and dislike, but attitudes such as approval or disapproval. A "norm" is an idea, held in common by group members, that specifies how people ought to behave in given circumstances. In lay terms, norms are simply those informal rules individuals abide by in order to get along together in social situations. Finally, "activity" refers to those things persons do with others. In work groups, as an example, many of the activities are cooperative and goal-directed.

Jan 1, 2000

The production of harmful pollutants from coal mines and/or from coal and associated strata has been a recognizable fact in the United States for over two hundred and seventy years. In 1698, Gabriel Thomas observed(l) that the colored water flowing from streams in this country was similar to that which flowed from the coal mines in Wales. Hence, water pollutants such as acid were being produced before any known coal mines were operating in this country. The coal mining industry has contributed to the increase of pollution by exposing large amounts of sulfide materials that enable the reaction of water, oxygen and sulfur containing materials to form acid. A map of the United States coal fields can be seen on Figure 1. The anthracite regions of Pennsylvania, although small when compared to the total reserves, have produced some of the country's major water problems. The map indicates the extent of bituminous reserves of the Appalachian and midwest regions. Also evident are the bituminous, subbituminous and lignite coal reserves in the west which have recently come into greater demand. Acid mine pollution is encountered in numerous states, but the major problem is found in the Ohio, Susquehanna, and Potomac River basins.(2) Most coal beds contain some sulfur which may be in the inorganic, sulfate, or sulfide form, and thus have the potential to produce sulfuric acid. However, much of the strata that overlays the coal beds also contains acid neutralizing materials. Therefore, the amount of acid produced depends upon the amount of both acid and alkali materials that dissolve in the water in any given mine. The common sources of sulfurous material in the seam or surrounding rock are generally called sulfur balls or "nigger heads" by the miners. Sulfur balls that have been observed(3) seem to be equally divided between those containing sulphuritic iron capable of producing sulfuric acid upon oxidation and those that are primarily calcium carbonate. It has been observed in many instances that two types of water, acid and alkaline, are being produced in the same mine. A study of the geological strata and a survey of subsidence, faults and sulfur balls will usually give some indication of why this happens. The reaction of pyrite (FeS2) with oxygen and water to form ferrous sulfate (FeSO4) and sulfuric acid (H2SO4) by a series of complex chemical interactions is well documented but not well understood.(4,5) However, it is well known that the reactions to form the acid cannot occur unless all three constituents are present. Since pyrite is inherent in most coal seams and air is needed to sustain the miner, the most logical answer is to eliminate water infiltration into the mine, or to remove it from the mine before acids can form.

Jan 1, 1970

By H. B. Humphrey, J. J. Forbes

"In accident prevention, a study of statistical data is necessary to determine primary causes of accidents to devise means to eliminate causes at the original sources. Explosions in coal mines of the United States during the 10 years ending December 31, 1931, ranked third in the causes of fatal accidents; they constituted 16.2 per cent of all fatal accidents in bituminous mines and 8.4 per cent of all fatal accidents in anthracite mines. A study of coal-mine explosions in Pennsylvania, with approximately 160,000 men employed in anthracite mines and about 145,000 in bituminous mines or about 205,000 out of -the approximately 525,000 men employed in all coal mines of the United States, should give information of value to all persons endeavoring to reduce or eliminate coal-mine explosions. This circular reviews explosions of gas or dust or of both in the coal mines of Pennsylvania to show the hazard of gas and dust, to point out the influence of certain factors in causing explosions, and to emphasize the efficacy of explosion-preventive measures.The data published annually by the State Department of Mines and of the United States Bureau of Mines were used in compiling the tables of explosions. Through the cooperation of W. H. Glasgow, secretary, Department of Mines of Pennsylvania, and his assistants, many doubtful cases were clarified, so that as far as recorded the history is comparatively complete. Figures used in compiling some of the tables were furnished by W. W. Adams, chief statistician, demographical division, United States Bureau of Mines.Anthracite in the Wyoming Basin of Pennsylvania was used locally by gunsmiths in 1755, by blacksmiths in 1769, and as domestic fuel in 1808.Mining and shipments developed slowly between 1806 and 1812, but more rapidly after that.Early mining along the outcrops gave essentially no trouble from gas, but by 1870, when State inspection was established, explosions were frequent; ventilation was crude and accumulations of gas were generally ""brushed"" or burned out.Table 1 lists 1,232 ignitions and explosions of gas in anthracite mines from 1870 to 1932, inclusive, every one of which was accompanied by loss of life. Some details are given of 110 representative cases in which five or more lives were lost or in which it appeared that some violence was present.During the period 1870 to 1932, inclusive, gas explosions caused 2,213 fatalities, or an average of about two deaths for each ignition or explosion. Records are not available as to the number injured in these and in other explosions where no deaths occurred, but from a study of explosion reports it appears probable that the number injured exceeds the number killed. In the 110 cases described, 599 were killed and 294 were injured. As shown in Table 2, fatalities from gas explosions averaged 8.3 percent of the total fatalities in Pennsylvania anthracite mines from 1870 to 1931, varying from 6.0 percent in 1931 to 13.1 percent in 1927."

May 1, 1933

By Ryron O. Pickard

"The Berkeley safety station of the U. S. Bureau of Mines was recently informed that a geologist was killed through entering an abandoned 90-foot exploratory shaft without making a preliminary test of the shaft atmosphere. He was one of a geological party which was investigating coal lands in California. The only light that he carried into the shaft was an electric flash light. After he had descended a short distance, one of his associates on the surface heard him exclaim, ""This place is full of gas, I am coming up"", He had no more than finished the remark when he was seen to lose his grip on the ladder and fall down the shaft. He was apparently weakened from impure air in the shaft, and could no longer suppers himself on the ladder. When his body was recovered, it was found that his neck had been broken by the fall.This is the ;second recent accident that has been called to the writer's attention where a life has been lost in abandoned exploratory workings; the other fatality being in Minnesota where a mining engineer was overcome while sampling a shallow pit in iron-ore formations. This engineer was on the bottom of the shallow pit and died before help could reach him. It was generally supposed that each of these deaths were due to poisonous gases, but the writer believes, after reviewing the information available, that death in both instances may have been directly caused by deficiency in oxygen.Frequently in the daily press there are items relative to lives being lost through cleaning out old wells, and as a general rule such accidents are also caused by impure atmospheres.In every abandoned shaft or pit, or in fact, any old working where the air has been stagnant for a considerable time, there is always danger of oxygen deficiency, as the oxygen which originally comprised one-fifth of the atmosphere may be appreciably replaced by gases that do not support life, usually by carbon dioxide (black damp) or methane (fire damp). Much valuable information on the subject of mine atmospheres, mine gases, and the effect of oxygen deficiency onthe human system is contained in Miners' Circular 14, ""Gases Found in Coal Mines"" by G.F. Burrell and F. M. Seibert; Technical Paper 122, ""Effects of Oxygen Deficincy on Small Animals and Men"", by G. A. Burrell and G. G. Oberfell; and ''Chit of Properties of Mine Gees"" by G. A. Burrell. These publications of the Bureau of Mines should be rent by all who are interested in the subject of this paper."

Nov 1, 1921

By Thomas L. Chapman

The San Manuel is a deposit of low-grade disseminated copper ore. It was brought to the attention of the government in October 1942 through an application to the Reconstruction Finance Corporation for a development loan, supported by a report by Henry W. Nichols. Nichols' sampling of two outcrops containing copper silicate and his geologic map indicated that a minable body of copper ore might be developed. The Federal Geological Survey was requested to examine the property. The Survey mapped the geology in March 1943 and cut a few check samples, which substantially confirmed Nichols' sampling of the outcrops and a few shallow workings. The geologists of the Survey recommended some test drilling by the Bureau of Mines. The property was examined by the author and Wm. D. Hughes, associate engineer of the Bureau of Mines on March 22 and 26, 1943, and a preliminary drilling campaign was recommended. Five shallow churn-drill holes totaling 1,480 feet were put down under the supervision of Chas. A. Kumke, one of the Bureau's engineers, from November 23, 1943, to January 13, 1944. This work indicated that the deposit extended deeper than the 350-foot depth attained in the deepest hole and might have very considerable areal extent. Additional funds were allotted, and the drilling contract was extended twice to a final maximum of 17,000 feet with 2,000 feet maximum depth of hole. Drilling was continued by the Bureau of Mines until February 2, 1945, when 15,844 feet of hole had been drilled. The Magna Copper Co. took options on this and adjoining property in September 1944 and commenced drilling with two machines. It also engaged the two contract drills used by the Bureau after it stopped drilling. It exercised its options in August 1945 and organized the San Manuel Copper Corp. to operate the property. That company is continuing to explore the ore body with six churn drills. Thomas Lyon took options early in 1945 on holdings adjoining the San Manuel property on the east and is operating two churn drills. Exploration up to the completion of the last holes started by the Bureau of Mines indicated a block of ore 3,100 feet long, 400 to 800 feet wide, and 500 to 900 feet thick, and averaging about 0.8 percent copper. Subsequent drilling showed that the ore body extends considerably beyond this block. The axis of the ore body strikes about N. 61° E. Copper minerals are disseminated in hydrothermally altered quartz monzonite and monzonite porphyry. Ore outcrops in two small areas over the northeast part of the block. Elsewhere the copper-bearing rocks are capped by Gila conglomerate, which thickens toward the west and south. Drilling showed that the ore is in a thick, tabular body with a steep dip to the south. The ore body lies near the surface in the northeastern part of the block. The south side of the block is much farther below the surface than the north side. There the upper part of the copper-bearing rocks is lightly mineralized, so that the hanging wall of minable ore lies deeper than the base of the conglomerate cap, which thickens southward.

Aug 1, 1947

By Thoms L. Chapman

The San Manuel is a deposit of low-grade disseminated copper ore. It was brought to the attention of the government in October 1942 through an application to the Reconstruction Finance Corporation for a development loan, supported by a report by Henry W. Nichols. Nichols’ sampling of two outcrops containing copper silicate and his geologic map indicated that a minable body of copper ore might be developed. The Federal Geological Survey was requested to examine the property. The Survey mapped the geology in March 1943 and cut a few check samples, which substantially confirmed Nichols’ sampling of the outcrops and a few shallow workings. The geologists of the Survey recommended some test drilling by the Bureau of Mines. The property was examined by the author and W. D. Hughes, associate engineer of the Bureau of Mines on March 22 and 26, 1943, and a preliminary drilling campaign was recommended. Five shallow churn-drill holes totaling 1,480 feet were put down under the supervision of Chas. A. Kumke, one of the Bureau’s engineers, from November 23, 1943 to January 15, 1944. This work indicated that the deposit extended deeper than the 350-foot depth attained in the deepest hole and might have very considerable areal extent. Additional funds were allotted, and the drilling contract was extended twice to a final maximum of 17,000 feet with 2,000 foot maximum depth of hole. Drilling was continued by the Bureau of Mines until February 2, 1945, when 15,844 feet of hole had been drilled. The Magma Copper Co. took options on this and adjoining property in September 1944 and commenced drilling with two machines. It also engaged the two contract drills used by the Bureau after it stopped drilling. It exercised its options in August 1945 and organized the San Manuel Copper Corp. to operate the property. That company is continuing to explore the ore body with six churn drills. Thomas Lyon took options early in 1945 on holdings adjoining the San Manuel property on the east and is operating two churn drills. Exploration up to the completion of the last holes started by the Bureau of Mines indicated a block of ore 5,100 feet long, 400 to 800 feet wide, and 500 to 900 feet thick, and averaging about 0.8 percent copper. Subsequent drilling showed that the ore body extends considerably beyond this block. The axis of the ore body strikes about N. 61º E. Copper minerals are disseminated in hydrothermally altered quartz monzonite and monzonite porphyry. Ore outcrops in two small areas over the northeast part of the block. Elsewhere the copper-bearing rocks are capped by Gila conglomerate, which thickens toward the west and south. Drilling showed that the ore is in a thick, tabular body with a steep dip to the south. The ore body lies near the surface in the northeastern part of the block. The south side of the block is much farther below the surface than the north side. There the upper part of the copper-bearing rocks is lightly mineralized, so that the hanging wall of minable ore lies deeper than the base of the conglomerate cap, which thickens southward.

Aug 1, 1947

By D. Harrington, M. W. Von Bernewitz

"The erection of barricades by men who are shut off from escape in mines at time of fire or after an explosion has been consistently advocated by the United States Bureau of Mines. Largely through the publicity given by the bureau to this excellent type of emergency safety endeavor, several hundred lives have been saved during the past 20 years. One of the earliest instances of barricading in the United States of which there is fairly complete record was in connection with the Cherry mine fire in Illinois in 1909; in this fire 259 lives were lost, but 20 men were saved by two barricades and were brought safely to the surface after seven days. In another coal-mine fire, followed later. on by an explosion, at Delagua, Colo., in 1910, 79 lives were lost, but 18 men saved themselves by erecting canvas brattices or barricades; the miners in one barricade were removed safely after five hours and those in another after 21 hours. In 1911, after an explosion in a coal mine at Briceville, Tenn., in which 84 lives were lost, five persons were brought out alive after 58 hours behind a barricade. Twenty hours after an explosion in which 73 were killed at McCurtain, Okla., in 1912, 13 men were taken out alive and one dead from behind a barricade or partition constructed of canvas. In 1914, after an explosion at Eccles, W. Va., in which 181 were killed, 35 men barricaded themselves in one place and after four hours were brought to the surface alive; this barricade was also of canvas. In 1915, 112 men were killed in an explosion at Layland, W. Va., but two groups of men, 47 in all, were able to barricade themselves; after four days 46 men were rescued alive, but one man was dead. In 1915, an explosion at Boomer, W. Va., killed 23, but 27 others barricaded themselves in one place and after seven hours came out alive. All of the foregoing instances of barricading were in coal mines. In 1917 there were three cases of barricading in a Montana metal-mine fire (the North Butte) during which 163 lives were lost. One of the barricades, sheltering 19 men, failed because the region barricaded was in porous broken ground through which the poisonous gases seeped and killed the entire group. From another of the barricades, engineered by an assistant foreman, 8 men were taken out, 6 uncon¬scious and 2 dead, 50 hours after the fire started. The 6 unconscious men lived, out the assistant foreman who directed the men was one of the 2 who had died. In the third case of barricading in this metal-mine fire,,men, also led by an assistant foreman, kept themselves closed in for about b6 hours and then broke barricade or bulkhead, 25 oing in one direction to safety, and 4, including the assistant foreman, going in another direction to death from poisonous gases. There have been a number of other cases of barricading, some successful and others a failure. Probably the worst failure was that in the argonaut (gold) mine fire in California in 1922; all of a group of 46 miners behind a barricade were found dead when reached after 21 days."

Apr 1, 1933

By E. R. Maize, R. D. Currie

"Good ventilation is one of the first requisites in the safe and efficient operation of a coal mine. If a mine is gassy, the uninterrupted circulation of an adequate supply of fresh air is imperative if that mine is to operate with a relative degree of safety. That ventilation is not •only a safety consideration, but is an extremely important economic factor is shown by the fact that in many mines 50 per cent of the total power cost is for ventilation.The system used in the Graceton Coal & Coke Co. mine, Graceton, Pa., is believed to be unusual in many ways. Its application in this mine has re¬sulted in good ventilation of the working faces, no interruption to the venti¬lating current through the use of doors. a large- portion of the air circulated by the fan reaching the working places, low velocity air currents on traveling and haulage ways, low water gage and power consumption of the fan, and well-ventilated gob areas.This investigation was made possible through the courtesy of W. H. Robertson, mine superintendent. Fred Roberts, mining engineer, and Floyd Phillippi, mine foreman, assisted in the collection of information.The Graceton mine is a slope, opening the Upper Freeport or E bed, on the Pennsylvania Railroad about midway between Blairsville and Indiana at Graceton, Indiana County, Pa. The production is approximately 1,000 tons of coal per day and about 170 men are employed underground. The mine is considered gassy and was found to be liberating approximately 300,000 cubic feet of methane in 24 hours. The return airways terminate at a circular, concrete lined shaft 12 feet in diameter and about 115 feet deep at which is the exhaust fan.Mining is done by a block system with flat or level entries turned off the main slope at intervals of 1,350 feet, off which the butt headings are turned up the grade parallel to the slope. Rooms, which are about 225 feet long and 12 feet wide, are turned off the butt headings on 80-foot centers, leaving a block about 68 feet thick between rooms.Haulage on the main slope is by rope, with the hoist on the surface. This hoist is electrically driven through a 500-h.p., 2,300-volt motor. The rope used in this haulage is 1-1/8 inches in diameter. There are five electric trolley locomotives - one 10-ton and four 6-ton - which do all of the hauling in the flat and butt entries.Before it is blasted all of the solid coal and as much of the pillar coal as can be cut with safety is undercut by permissible mining machines. Shooting is done by shot firers who use permissible explosives, electric detonators, and dry-cell, nonpermissible batteries.In rooms where conditions are normal, timbering consists of two rows of posts on 4-foot centers. Posts are required to be within 6 feet of the face in machine-cut places and within 3 feet of the face in hand-mined places. Timbering on entries, where required, is of two types: a bar hitched into the ribs and supported by the coal, or 3-piece sets. The legs of the 3- piece sets used on the slope are set well back into the rib to prevent their being. knocked out by a wreck."

May 1, 1932

By R. V. Ramani, A. S. C. Owili-eger

System Size N,NX Number of blocks in x-direction M,NY Number of blocks in y-direction NTIMES Number of systems to be simulated LENGTH Length of medium WIDTH Width of medium THICK Thickness of medium NZONE Number of material zones Medium Properties XPERM(I,J) Permeability in x-direction at the point (i,j) YPERM(I,J) Permeability in y-direction at the point (i,j) PHI Medium porosity T Medium temperature Gas Properties PURL, VISCOG Gas viscosity Z Gas deviation factor BETAG Gas compressibility coefficient Initial and Boundary Conditions IBC Initial and boundary conditions NPRESS Number of specified pressures NQUAN Number of specified quantities FACEP Face pressure RESEP Reservoir pressure

Jan 1, 1974