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By John R. Dudo

The Bureau of Mines Morgantown Petroleum Research Laboratory, with the cooperation of the Penn York Oil Company, cored the Dewdrop, Bradford Third, Lewis Run, and Sartwell sands in the Sartwell oilfield, McKean County, Pa. This report contains a review of the geology and depositional history of the field and an evaluation of the feasibility of secondary recovery of oil from the Bradford Third and Sartwell sands by waterflood or gas drive. Core analysis, geologic data, and electrical and radioactivity logs were used to evaluate the reservoir characteristics. Reservoir geometry, rock properties, fluid characteristics and saturations, and relative permeability-saturation relationships were used to assess the floodability of these two sands. The results of this study indicate that between 53,000 and 61,000 barrels of oil can be recovered by water or gas injection. The success of a waterflood or gas drive will depend on the field injection rates of the reservoirs comprising this oilfield. Following an economic evaluation, additional field work is recommended to further test the floodability of the reservoir.

Jan 1, 1967

By H. W. Busch

In the course of examinations by representatives of the Bureau of Mines of several compressed-air systems in which explosions had occurred, samples were obtained of the carbon deposits that are formed normally in various parts of the systems by decomposition of the compressor lubricating oil. Experimentation with these carbon deposits has demonstrated that they contain a "carbon-oxygen complex" similar to that formed on coal and on other carbonaceous materials and generally recognized as being the cause of spontaneous heating of coal. The exothermic properties exhibited by such a complex are considered significant in relation to the possible initiation of combustion reactions that may lead to explosions or formation of carbon monoxide in compressed-air systems. This report discusses the occurrence of explosions and formation of carbon monoxide in the use of compressed air and presents results of experimentation conducted with carbon deposits from air compressors.

Jan 1, 1949

By A. C. Richardson

During the past two and a half years the U. S. Bureau of Mines and the University of Alabama, with the cooperation of the different coal operators, have been making an extensive study of coal preparation in the State of Alabama. Considerable time has been devoted to the study of the washing characteristics of the Mary Lee bed and the various methods used in preparing from it a low-ash coal suitable for the manufacture of metallurgical coke. One of the phases of this problem is the utilization of middlings products from the washing plants. This paper gives the results of treating jig middlings on a coal-washing table at the Bureau of Mines laboratory at Tuscaloosa, Ala. The sample used was secured from the Sayreton washery Of the Republic Steel Corporation, Sayreton, Ala.

Jan 1, 1931

By H. H. Schrenk

The safe use of a refrigerant or any substance depends on knowledge of its pertinent properties and conditions of use; therefore some of the properties of refrigerants that are related to life, fire, and explosion hazards are discussed herein. These data serve as a basis for suggested control measures in the use· of refrigerants. The properties of refrigerants may be broadly classified into three main groups: (1) Those important for refrigeration, (2) those significant from the standpoint of confining the refrigerant, and (3) those that become important if the refrigerant escapes from the :machine or container. The first group of properties, such as latent heat of vaporization, specific heat of vapor, specific heat of liquid, etc., is not considered to be directly related to safety and is not discussed here. The second group, those properties important in confining the refrigerants, has particular significance because· it relates to "built-in" safety. This group is emphasized because it is believed the soundest procedure in designing equipment is to give due consideration .to both the health and safety hazards likely to be associated with the equipment. Furthermore, the toxicity, fire, and explosion hazards are controlled as long as the refrigerant is confined. Some properties of this group are (1) stability, (2) corrosiveness, (3) boiling point, (4) pressure developed in the system, (5) warning odor or irritation, and (6) ease of detection. The third group includes such properties as toxicity (of compound and decomposition products), irritating action, and explosibility.

Feb 1, 1942

By S. R. Droes

The U.S. Bureau of Mines investigated calcium fluoride (CaF2) assisted sulfuric acid (H2S04) leaching as an alternative to the melting-quenching procedure to obtain Mn from domestic manganese silicate resources. Pyroxmangite [(Mn, Fe) Si03] ore containing, in percent, 34.4 Mn, 22.8 Si, 2.6 Ca, and 1.3 Fe was leached in a 500-mL resin kettle. Ninety-six percent of the Mn was extracted under conditions of 330 g/L ore, 245 g/L H2S04, 35 g/L CaF2, 90' C, and 2 h. To incorporate electrowinning in recovering Mn, the ore was leached with a simulated spent anolyte solution containing, in grams per liter, 12 Mn, 140 H2S04, 130 (NH4)2S04 (ammonium sulfate), and 5 CaF2. Manganese extraction of 92 pct was achieved from 130 giL ore leached at 90° C in 3 h. The Fe, silica (SiOJ, and other impurities were precipitated from the pregnant solution by neutralization with ammonia (NH3). Manganese of greater than 99-pct purity was deposited at a cathode current density of 50 mA/ cm2 at 30° C, with a current efficiency of 65 pet in a two-compartment cell. A flowsheet was proposed for the leaching and electrowinning procedure.

Jan 1, 1990

By J. R. Thoenen

In the summer of 1937 the authors began a series of time studies of the various processes employed in' the production of crashed stone. These studies, made at quarries situated in the eastern and southeastern parts of the United States, have not been completed, but to make results available to the industry as early as possible, it was decided to publish summarizes of the studies made to January 1, 1939, as a series of progress reports. The first of these dealt with power-shovel loading and was issued as Report of Investigations 3461 in September 1939. The second, issued in September 1939 as Report of Investigations 3467, dealt with quarry haulage. The present report discusses analyses of time studies of primary drilling a t the same group of quarries. OBJECT OF STUDY Pressure of business problems frequently requires the entire attention of quarry management, and in consequence internal plant economies often are neglected. Also, operating officials absorbed in their local problems are prone to overlook possible economies that would attract attention immediately were they critically examining another plant. The authors felt that technical studies at a number of plants, made by impartial engineers, might disclose opportunities to reduce costs or improve efficiency in internal plant processes.

Jan 1, 1940

By Ronald D. Hill, Elmore C. Grim

The United States is richly endowed with mineral resources. However, mineral recovery by its very nature, involves a destructive process, Figures 1 and 2. In the past, mining practices were all too often conducted with the purpose of removing minerals by the simplest and cheapest method possible, without plans for the preservation of land, water, and air, and with too little consideration for the rights of others. A mining company is in business to make a profit, but every company, regardless of the nature of its business, has moral obligations to reduce its undesirable effects on the environment and to safeguard the rights of others. The problem of environmental degradation caused by surface mining is widespread and serious. Minerals in some form occur in each of the 50 States and several States are extensively mined. Data on the acreage disturbed in the United States, by commodity and State are presented in Table 1. Thirty-one States have laws regulating surface mining, (Table 2). Briefly reviewed in Appendix A-1 are the basic provisions of State laws governing surface mining. It can be seen that these laws vary considerably from State to State owing largely to the mining conditions within that State. Of the 24 coal-producing States, only three (Alaska, Arizona, and Utah) do not regulate strip mining. Even the states that are often cited as models of comprehensive regulations still have problems minimizing environmental damages. Uncontrolled surface mining presents a situation as critical to the well-being of the society as any it has ever faced. Many mining activities have imposed huge social costs on the public at large. These costs are long-range and are in the form of stream pollution, floods, landslides, loss of fish and wildlife habitats, unreclaimed land, erosion, and the impairment of natural beauty. In a 1965 Department of Interior study,(1)it was estimated that of the 25,000 miles (1+0,225 kilometers) of contour bench in Appalachia, approximately 1,700 miles (2735 kilometers) are affected by massive landslides. Additionally, 1+800 miles (7723 kilometers) of streams and 29,000 surface acres (11,716 hectares) of impoundments and reservoirs have been seriously affected by coal strip mining operations in the United States.

Jan 1, 1974

By M. F. Koehler

[THE LITERATURE contains relatively few thermodynamic values for interoxidic compounds, and these often are unreliable. This is especially true of data for ferrites and aluminates for which heat of formation determinations may involve extreme experimental difficulties. This report contains the results of new experimental work for obtaining the heats of formation of five ferrites (Ca2Fe2O5, CaFe2O4, MgFe2O4,, NaFeO2, and LiFeO2) and one aluminate (CaAl4O7), and a review and revision of previous similar work of this laboratory on five aluminates (Ca3A12O6,, 12/7 CaO-Al2O3, CaAl2O4, NaA1O2, and LiAlO2), The results for the 11 compounds are combined with entropy and high-temperature heat content data to derive tables of heats and free energies of formation (both from the oxides and from the elements) for the temperature range 298° 1,800° K, The relative stabilities of the compounds are discussed. The presented data all have application to ceramic reactions, and those for the calcium and sodium aluminates are applicable in considering soda-lime sintering processes for extracting alumina from silicate minerals such as day and labradorite.]

Jan 1, 1961

By G. D. Coe

Float-and-sink tests indicate what results are obtainable by gravity separation and rare therefore an invaluable adjunct to most coal-cleaning processes. However, it is difficult to make a direct interpretation of float-and-sink data on coal, and several systems for interpreting them have been proposed. Of these, that developed and used extensively by Bird3/, Yancey4/, and Gandrud5/ is considered by the author to be the most satisfactory. It makes use of four interrelated curves (hereafter referred to as be "washability curves"). These curves were explained by Bird in a paper6/ published in 1923, but his explanation has been regarded by some as not sufficiently

Jan 1, 1938

Reduce fire warning time and avoid activation of false alarms in underground mines. Approach A heat activated stench/tracer gas system was developed which automatically releases the gas mixture into the mine ventilation air. How It Works A canister approximately 12 inches long and 3 inches in diameter is charged with 50 grams of ethyl mercaptan or other appropriate stench gas and 500 grams of instrument detectable Freon. The canister is then pressurized to 100 psi with nitrogen. A disc is used to seal the contents of the canister. A low-temperature alloy designed to melt at a predetermined temperature is used to restrain a spring loaded plunger. Upon exposure to heat, the alloy melts and the plunger is released. The plunger ruptures the disc and the mixture of stench and tracer gas is released from the canister. Canisters are mounted in areas of a mine which are susceptible to fire such as near

Jan 1, 1983

By R. L. Marovelli

ANTICIPATING the eventual use of the huge tonnages of nonmagnetic taconites of the Mesabi range of the United States, the Federal Bureau of Mines is classifying and evaluating these deposits in detail. This introductory report describes work begun in 1954 as part of a long-range program to sample, classify, and evaluate important occurrences of nonmagnetic taconite on the Mesabi, range. Included in this report are brief discussions of the geology, history, and potential of the Mesabi range district and mining industry, together with a more detailed presentation of the sampling and metallurgical evaluation of these nonmagnetic taconite deposits. A total of 898 field samples was collected. Most of these were taken in the region between Grand Rapids and Chisholm, Minn., but a few came from the area between Chisholm and Buhl, Minn. Of the total samples, 865 were from open pit bank faces where the greater vertical distances presented by the cherty members facilitated the taking of a large number of samples. Conversely, the narrow face presented by the slaty members confined and limited the areas from which samples were taken. In addition, 33 of the field samples were taken from rock dumps in order to determine, in a preliminary way, the characteristics of these materials.

Jan 1, 1961

By R. D. Brown

There are techniques for separating aluminum alloys from mixed scrap, but there are no efficient ways to separate wrought aluminum from cast aluminum. This Bureau of Mines report describes a novel technique for separating mixed aluminum alloy scrap into cast and wrought aluminum alloy fractions. The technique, which uses conventional heating, fragmentizing, and screening equipment, exploits differences in the mechanical properties of cast and wrought aluminum alloys at elevated temperatures. The cast alloys become brittle at high temperatures owing to intergranular melting of regions of eutectic composition. This melting begins to occur as the solidus temperature for each alloy is reached. Solidus temperatures for casting alloys generally range from 520° to 580° C, but are above 600° C for most wrought alloys. Thus, the casting alloys are easily fragmented while the wrought alloys remain ductile in the proper temperature range. Starting with a mixture containing approximately 80 pct cast and 20 pct wrought alloys, fractions of 100 pct cast and 98 pct wrought have been produced.

Jan 1, 1985

By R. L. Grant

The Bureau of Mines applied automatic computational methods to analyze the degree of correlation between sound transmission and atmospheric conditions. Statistical analysis of data collected over a 5-month period indicated that the following weather variables, listed in order of decreasing importance) have a significant effect on the transmission of sound in the atmosphere: 1. Wind velocity and wind direction. Winds in the direction of travel of the sound wave increase the sound intensity and duration. 2. Barometric pressure. High pressures are related to low sound intensities and durations. 3. Atmospheric temperature. High temperatures are related to low sound intensities and durations. Inversion of the atmospheric temperature did not appear to affect sound transmission under the conditions of this study.

Jan 1, 1967

By Walter D. Holland

This study was undertaken to determine miners' breathing zone concentrations of diesel exhaust components, to investigate any relationships between these concentrations and vehicle type, the presence of emission controls, vehicle usage, and ventilation conditions, and to make recommendations for monitoring and ventilation requirements. Twenty-four mines including two con l mines were surveyed. Sampling was done for CON, NON, SOx, PNA, aldehydes, and particulates. hi most mines, concentrations of at least one contaminant exceeded one half the standard or TLV. The concentrations of gases arc probably sufficiently reduced by a minimum air velocity of 50 fpm. A sufficient reduction of particulate concentrations may require as high as 400 fpm air velocity. Vehicle age, type, or usage appear to have little or no effect on contaminant concentrations. PNA levels were below detection limits in all but a very few samples. Minimum requirements for routine monitoring should include formaldehyde, COx, NO2. It is further recommended that better definition of the minimum ventilation requirement be obtained.

Jan 1, 1978

By David J. Kusler

This report describes a rapid, reliable, and relatively simple method developed by the Bureau of Mines Pyrometallurgy Laboratory at Bruceton, Pa., for determining lime (calcium oxide) and magnesia (magnesium oxide) in various materials containing these constituents in greater than trace amounts. Optionally, titania (titanium dioxide) may be determined for the same sample. The accuracy of the method, suitable for most purposes, is shown by comparing the Bureau results with those obtained by accepted procedures. The method has been applied satisfactorily to the routine analysis of blast-furnace slags, for which purpose it was primarily developed, and to other calcareous compositions. In the Pyrometallurgy Laboratory it has replaced the standard methods previously used to determine lime and magnesia, and has been in general use by that laboratory for the past several years. The analysis time, generally under 3 hours, is considerably less than required by standard methods.

Jan 1, 1960

By W. A. Dunkley

During the past year and a half the Western United Corporation of Aurora , Illinois , has been distributing carburetted water ges from its Lockport , Ill . , plant , to an extensive territory , under an initial pressure ranging up to 90 lb.. per sq. in . The most distant distributing point on the system is at Harvard , Ill . , about 35 miles from the plant.. The territory supplied is approximately 85 miles long and 35 miles wide , the total mileage of rains being 1223 , or approximately 24 per cent of all the gas trains in Illinois outside the city of Chicago .

Feb 1, 1923

By D. R. Torgoson, Th. G. Sahama

"This paper contains some new thermodynamic data for silicates in the series Mg2SiO4-Fe2siO4 and MgSiO3-FeSiO3 and gives the results of a thermodynamic attack on the problems of stability end parageneses.. Although some data are lacking satisfactory agreement with mineralogical and petrological observations is indicated.The use of thermodynamic methods in mineralogy and petrology has been rather limited, because accurate thermal data, especially for the more complicated and more important rock-forming minerals, have been too scanty to permit any systematic application to problems in those fields. It is, nevertheless, a fascinating task to investigate to what extent the mode of occurrence and the stability relations of the minerals and mineral parageneses, as revealed by petrological and mineralogical observations, agree with predictions of thermodynamics. At the present stage of development calorimetric data are needed for most of the abundant silicate minerals.Measurement of the heats of solution in hydrofluoric acid of minerals in the series Mg2SiO4-Fe2SiO4 and MgSiO3-FeSiO3 affords a ready means of obtaining their heats of formation from the oxides. Combination of such data with entropy and heat-capacity values gives a means of obtaining free energies of formation from the oxides, which, in turn, are connected di¬rectly with stability and paragenoses.The two silicates of magnesium, Mg2SiO4 and MgSi03, occur as rock-forming constituents as forsterite and clinoenstatite or enstatite. The orthosilicate (forsterite) forms a series of isomorphic mixtures with ferrous-orthosilicate (fayalite). The continuity of this series, suggested by petrological observations, has boon proved experimentally by Bowon and Shairer.4/ The present work shows that those minerals constitute a series of perfect solid solutions - that is, a series of solid solutions for which heats of formation from the individual pure silicates, Mg2Si04 and Fe2SiO4, aro negligibly small.The metasilicates of magnesium and iron also form an isomorphic series. However, this series differs from the forstorito-fayalite series in the fact that the most iron-rich mixtures, between about En10Fs90 and pure Fs, appear to be unstable with respect to the paragenesis iron-rich olivine plus quartz. The supposed instability of pure FeSiO3 as a crystalline compound, at least at high and at moderate temperatures, is remarkable, as no crystal struc¬tural reason for such instability is apparent. The present work indicates, also, that these minerals form a perfect series of solid solutions and throws additional light on the instability question.In the following, the samples used in this investigation will be described. For each of the natural olivines and orthopyroxenes, with the exception of sample L, a chemical analysis was made of the purified and actually used fraction. All the analytical work was carried cut by Oleg v. Knorring, and the specific gravity determinations, by moans of a pycnomctcr, by Oiva Joensuu, both of the University of Helsinki, Finland. The determinations of the optical properties were made by Mrs. Toini Mikkola, of the Geological Survey of Finland."

Feb 1, 1949

By Peter D. Lohn

The Bureau of Mines conducted both laboratory and field investigations to study the effectiveness of medium-pressure (up to 30,000 psi) water jets in controlling the generation of airborne respirable dust during the hydraulic fragmentation of coal. Laboratory studies were conducted at the Farmington High Energy Test Site of the Twin Cities Mining Research Center, and field studies were carried out at the Humphrey No. 7 mine, Mount Morris, Pa., in the Pittsburgh coalbed. The water jets were produced by commercially available triplex pumps. The dust samples were collected by midget impinger samplers, and analyzed by electronic and optical counting techniques. Respirable dust concentration for a full-scale production model was projected at below 2 mg/m3, the maximum exposure allowed by the Federal Coal Mine Health and Safety Act of 1969.

Jan 1, 1975

By O. C. Blade

This report on the properties of motor fuels sold through service stations in the United states was made in accordance with a cooperative agreement between the American Petroleum Institute and the Bureau of Mines of the United states Department of the Interior. This paper is a continuation of a series made in cooperation with the Coordinating Fuel Research (CFR) Committee of the Coordinating Research Council (CRC), Inc. The first of this series of reports presented data on motor gaso1ines sold during the winter of 1935-36, and succeeding reports described motor gasolines sold during the summers and winters to and including the summer of 1941.3/ No reports were made on motor gasolines sold during the winter of 1941-42 and during the summer of 1942. However, starting with the winter of 1942-43, the semiannual reports were resumed

Jan 1, 1948

By W. R. Hardwick

This paper describes open-pit mining methods and practices at Copper Cities Division of Miami Copper Co, in Gila County, Ariz. It is one of a series being prepared by the Burea of Mines on mining methods, practices, and costs in various mining districts of the United States. A similar program, conducted from 1928 to 1939, provided technological information on the development and conservation of our mineral resources and assisted operators and engineers in evaluating and developing new mineral deposits. This circular contains a brief history of the district and describes the Copper Cities deposit, with particular emphasis on a detailed description of those characteristics--physical, economic, or engineering--that affect the choice of mining method. Prospecting and exploration, sampling and estimation of tonnage and values, development, and mining (including breaking ground, loading, hauling, ore control, and auxiliary operations related to mining) are described, Percentage of extraction, production rate, safety, first aid, Eire prevention, mine organization, and processing plant are discussed briefly, The final section gives such costs, on a percentage basis, as are available for publication. Where relevant, some information on the Castle Dome mine is included.

Jan 1, 1960