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By James E. Bell, Clyde B. White

"INTRODUCTION The Friedensville district was one of the most important zinc-producing areas in the United States from 1859 to 1893. The ore minerals near the surface were principally calamine and smithsonite, but with depth sphalerite was found in increasing proportions. The ore bodies of the district are reported to have been in chimneys, occurring in folded and faulted beds of Beekmantown limestone of Ordovician age.The Correll was one of five mines near Friedensyille that were exten¬sively exploited. The high-grade ore shoots were mined to a depth of several hundred feet, but it is believed that inability to compete with lower-cost production elsewhere, rather than exhaustion of the ore bodies, compelled the mines to close.There is no record to indicate that any attempt was made during the period of operation to explore for additional ore in the limestone beds down the dip below the mine workings. The possibility that exploration might reveal additional ore in the limestone beds below the known ore shoots led the Bureau of Mines to diamond-drill the Correll property between September 1943 and January 1944."

Jan 1, 1948

By Kara A. Teacoach

Current regulations for fire suppression systems in underground coal mines to protect conveyor belt installations have been in place since the Coal Mine Health and Safety Act of 1969 was enacted. Over time, the coal conveyer equipment being used and ventilation conditions underground have changed significantly, particularly the width of the conveyor belts and the use of belt air at the face. The effect of these new conditions on the effectiveness of suppression systems during a fire is not known. The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) conducted a study to evaluate the effect of air velocity, water sprinkler activation temperature, and a limited water application time on the effectiveness of water sprinkler fire suppression systems to extinguish large-scale conveyor belt fires. The fire tests were conducted using both new and used 1.8-m-wide, fire-resistant rubber belt that met the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) flame resistant requirement specified in Title 30, Code of Federal Regulations, part 18, section 18.65 (also known as the 2G test). Tests were conducted using standard response sprinklers with activation temperatures of 68 °C and 141 °C at air velocities of 0.5 and 5.1 m/s. Two tests were conducted at both air velocities for each sprinkler activation temperature, one using a new belt and one with a used belt. The results showed that the suppression system was able to suppress the fires in ten minutes to the point that a miner could extinguish it with a fire hose. However, in several of the tests, the fire reestablished itself a few minutes after the sprinkler water supply was cut off and quickly grew out of control. This report discusses the large scale experimental configuration, the installation specifications of the fire suppression system, and the results and conclusions regarding the effect of air velocity, sprinkler activation temperature, and limited water application on the suppression system performance.

Jan 1, 2010

By J. M. Mutmansky, C. Lee

"IntroductionRecognition of Coal Workers' Pneumoconiosis (CWP) as a major occupational disease has affected various aspects of the coal mining industry in the United States as well as in almost all major coal producing countries, Regulations related to the control of coal mine dust forced mine operators to modify their mining and ventilation practices. As the coal production record of the last 15 years shows, this had both direct and indirect impacts on the productivity and production costs.To identify the causes of CWP, many research efforts have been made throughout the world. Most of these studies were epidemiological in nature, attempting to pinpoint exposure and seam variables that affected the incidence of the disease. Other studies have been oriented toward the elemental and mineralogical composition of the coal dust in the mine atmosphere and in the miners' lungs. These studies indicate that there may exist some relationships between the characteristics of the coal mine dust and the prevalence of the disease. Some of the variables that are thought to affect the occurrence of CWP are the mass of the dust in the working place, the rank of the coal, the existence of certain trace elements, the free silica content of the coal, and the existence of other minerals in the respirable dust. A more complete description of these previous research studies has appeared elsewhere (Mutmansky and Lee, 1984).The behavior of particles in the human lung is known to be governed by their aerodynamic diameter, which is defined as the diameter of a hypothetical spherical particle with unit density that exhibits the same settling velocity as the given particle. Because of this fact, the aerodynamic size distribution of coal mine dust is one of the parameters to be determined along with the other physical, elemental, and mineralogical characteristics. The objective of this paper is to establish a strategy for providing coal mine respirable dust samples for characterization purposes using instruments that classify according to the aerodynamic diameter. In addition, several findings concerning characterization methods will be presented"

Mar 1, 1989

By A. L. Murray, P. A. Surgeon

The Spring Canyon Mine Rescue Association is a cooperative association supported jointly by five coal-mining companies located in Spring Canyon, Utah. The properties of mining companies the Carbon Fuel Co, Rains , Utah, the Liberty Coal Co. , Latuda, Utah, the Standard Coal Co. , Standardville , Utan, the Spring Canyon Coal Co. , Storrs , Utah, and the Peerless Coal Co. , Peerless , Utah about a mile apart and normally employ a total of 915 men , 733 underground 182 on the surface . and The Association was organized on July 5, 1921 , and Rudolph Clark, fomerly first - aid miner on U. S. Bureau of Mines Rescue Car 11 , was placed in charge. as manager . A board of directors made up of a representative from each of the cooperating companies (usually the mine superintendent ) is the governing body of the Association and the expenses are prorated on a basis of the production of each of the five mines . The Association maintains eight sets of Gibbs rescue apparatus and a motor truck fitted up as a combined rescue truck and ambulance . Additional apparatus are to be purchased . Standardville is the central camp in the canyon and has been made the headquarters of the Association . The apparatus are now kept and the truck housed in a small station, but plans have been prepared for a large station which will be built this summer . This new station will have a large apparatus room , a test chamber, a suitable room. for training, and a garage on the first floor, while above will be the living quarters of the manager . There is a good road through the canyon and the other camps are all within two and one -half miles of Standardville .

May 1, 1922

By Richard A. Allwes

This U.S. Bureau of Mines report presents the results of structural analyses and full-scale physical tests conducted on a steel-set arch and tri-set. The purpose of the analyses and tests was to evaluate the suitability of these structures for use in roof-fall prone areas. The arch canopy test and design procedures previously developed by the Bureau were utilized in this evaluation. Theoretical resistance functions were established for the steel-set arch and tri-set and were representative of the experimental behavior of the structures. The resistance functions were used to determine the energy absorption capacity of the structures and to predict their dynamic response to impact loading. The dynamic tests demonstrated that the arch canopy design procedure is appropriate for tri-sets and yields conservative designs for both steel-set arches and tri-sets. As a result of this work, it is recommended that these two structures may be considered for use in roof-fall prone areas and for rehabilitation work, provided the arch canopy design procedure is utilized for each application and the principles underlying the design procedure are understood.

Jan 1, 2010

By D. Montagna

This Bureau of Mines report describes a salt-free, fluxless method for reclaiming metallic aluminum from aluminum dross. The dross is smelted under argon, nitrogen, or carbon dioxide, instead of a salt flux, in an externally heated pot furnace. Aluminum recovery, using argon, is equal to recoveries reported from commercial smelters that process dross in rotary-type furnaces This salt-free method could offer a reduction in air pollution, lower energy requirements by elimination of salts, and the production of up to 60 percent less solid waste for disposal than the salt method.

Jan 1, 1978

By Felix A. Vogel

Rutile concentrate, used in the manufacture of welding rode, smoke-screen chemicals, and alloys, is being produced by the Titanium Alloy Co. of Arkansas at its mine and. mill in Magnet Cove. The company estimates a substantial reserve of recoverable rutile. This is a new operation, and production figures are not known. Previous operations had stripped the placer material, leaving the underlying mineralized zone. INTRODUCTION This report describes the mining and milling; operations of the Titanium Alloy Co. of Arkansas. The property was examined by the author on March 4, 1942, and subsequent dates. J. A. Wood, general manager, was very helpful in supplying information.

Jan 1, 1944

By Mary F. Koehler

Interoxidic compounds, such as vanadates, have not been studied extensively in the field of thermodynamics. This is a report of three vanadates of sodium--metavanadate, pyrovanadate, and orthovanadate. Vanadates of other metals will be considered in future reports. The heats of formation at 298.15° K. of the three sodium vanadates (both from the oxides and from the elements) were derived from the results of sodium hydroxide solution calorimetry. Free energies of formation were obtained by combining heat and entropy values. The results support the conclusion that the three sodium vanadates were stable with respect to all possible decompositions in which vanadium retains its pentavalency.

Jan 1, 1960

By Steven J. Page

The Bureau of Mines used fiber-laden air to test two identical fibrous aerosol monitors (FAM) in order to establish the FAM-optical count correlation. The FAM is a unique instrument developed by GCA Corp. (GCA) to measure real-time fibrous aerosol concentrations. It will also respond to particulates that have sufficient shape irregularities to possess fiber characteristics such as the 3:1 length: diameter (L:D) aspect ratio. Results of the Bureau's laboratory tests showed that the FAM response is linearly correlated to concentration data obtained using the optical membrane filter count technique approved by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. A plot of the FAM-optical count correlation showed that FAM concentration readings are generally well within ±25 pct of the optical membrane filter count. Initial tests to estimate the best ratio control setting of the FAM for 5-µm fiber-length discrimination were performed using one instrument only (the ratio control setting determines the minimum threshold fiber length that will be detected by the FAM). The estimated setting was then used to correlate both FAM units. The result was a 65 pct difference in correlation between the two units. It appears that the major factor responsible for this difference was the internal adjustment of the photomultiplier detector sensitivity for each of the two FAM units.

Jan 1, 1980

By Ronald W. Schaefer

This report describes operations at the Rosiclare Fluorspar Works of the Aluminum Co. of America at Rosiclare, Hardin County, Ill. The works include the Fairview mine, the fluorspar mill, and related facilities. The publication covers exploration, development, mining and milling practices, mine-drainage problems, and other activities and is presented as part of the Bureau of Mines series of publications on mining and milling practices in various parts of the United States. The Rosiclare fluorspar area, for its size, has been the largest producer of high-grade fluorspar in the United States and probably in the world. The vein system in this area is over 5 miles long and 1/2 mile wide, and ore has been found as deep as 900 ft.

Jan 1, 1961

By Byron S. Gottfried

This Bureau of Mines report presents a method for combining the distribution curves at different specific gravities of separation, for a given piece of coal-cleaning equipment and a given raw coal feed, into a single, generalized distribution curve normalized with respect to specific gravity and, therefore, independent of the specific gravity of separation. Illustrative generalized distribution curves, based upon Bureau of Mines collected data on industrial operations, are presented for five different types of coal-cleaning equipment. The well-known concept of probable error is extended to the generalized distribution curve. It is shown that the conventional probable error is directly proportional to the specific gravity of separation. A number of sample calculations, illustrating the use of the generalized distribution curve and generalized probable error, are presented in the appendix.

Jan 1, 1977

By Robert W. Ageton

Optimal planning for mining the deep, lead-zinc-silver deposits of the Coeur d'Alene mining district, Shoshone County, Idaho, could be facilitated by a knowledge of the magnitude and direction of the pressure acting in the virgin rock. The distribution of primary stresses should be considered in order to prevent possibly destructive mining-induced stress concentrations. This particular investigation was concerned with determining stress in a zone 4,000 feet below the surface and known to be ender stress concentrations due to mining operations. Disking of the stress-relief cores obtained in a vertical down hole permitted qualitative evaluation from visual observations; the results indicate that a high lateral stress existed at the time the measurements were made. Stress-ellipsoid determinations gave a compressive principal stress of -13,000 psi oriented about N 45° W and nearly horizontal, a compressive principal stress of -11,000 psi oriented about S 45° W and abut 60° off the vertical pointing away from the vein, and a compressive principal stress -5 -7,000 psi oriented N 45° E and about 60° off the vertical, pointing toward the vein. Subsequent to the overcoring stress-relief drilling, a rock burst occurred about 100 feet northwest of the test site.

Jan 1, 1967

By S. Benedict Levin

In the spring of 1944, during the emergency In the supply of strategic mica, the Bureau core-drilled six aggregating 913 feet, at the Blister mica Trim. Cheshire County, N.H. These holes indicated a downward extension or the mica shoot which was being mined at that time and developed information essential for economic mining of the deposit.

Jan 1, 1949

By T. W. Johnson

The United States Bureau of Mines, in cooperation with the Natural Gas Department of the American Gas Association, has been studying actively for the past several years the flow of natural gas through high-pressure pipe lines. This report deals with that part of the study involving the design off pipe-line systems consisting of lines laid parallel to each other. The lines are referred to as the original line and the parallel line. The paralleling line may or may not extend the entire length of the original line; however, the parallel line is connected at its two ends to the original line. As a result of the large expansion of the natural-gas industry almost all markets within economic distance from the developed gas fields have at least one pipe line supplying them with natural gas. Small increases in the consumers' demand for natural gas can be met usually by increasing operating pressures, but any marked increase in demand necessitates paralleling sections of the existing systems. It is believed that to a large extent future

Jan 1, 1934

By Charles Vaught

The U.S. Bureau of Mines evaluated the self-contained self-rescuer (SCSR) donning proficiency of 243 miners. These workers were from eight underground coal mines in the eastern United States. The objectives of the study were (1) to gather information on skill levels, since all miners in the study had prior instruction and opportunity to practice donning the apparatus, and (2) to summarize a quality control procedure useful in conducting periodic evaluations of donning proficiency. The sampling procedure used proved to be both reasonable and efficient in gathering information on training effectiveness. It also provided a good statistical base for making informed site-specific decisions regarding SCSR training needs. Results from the observed samples at each of the eight mines indicate a wide variability across sites. The rate at which miners failed to isolate their lungs varied from 3.3 to 40.0 pet. Concomitantly, proficiency rates (miners either performing adequately or demonstrating a perfect 3 + 3 sequence) ranged from 13.3 to 63.3 pet.

Jan 1, 2010

By Ben E. Lindsly

The study of "bottom-hole samples follows in natural sequence the study of samples obtained under high pressures at the well heads of flowing wells. The principal object of this phase of gas-solubility research, started actively in January, 1930, was to gain a more accurate knowledge of the physical and chemical characteristics of the oil-gas mixtures that exist in natural reservoirs.. In possession of actual data regarding the condition of the oil; the quantity of gas liberated from solution upon dimunition of pressure; and the relative volumetric proportions of gas to oil at various pressures throughout the flow string in a well, it should be possible to predict, with a fair degree of accuracy, That physical changes these mixtures would undergo throughout the life of a pool. Such information not only is important in designing flow strings in flowing Tells but is important also in solving problems relating to pumping efficiency and the power required for pumping. Although certain fundamental data were obtained in the study of samples taken at the well head, "bottom-hole" samples are more representative of subsurface mixtures of oil and gas because they are obtained at reservoir temperatures, and before the oil has had the opportunity of intermingling with extraneous gas; that is, gas which either was not in solution originally, or which was liberated from solution at higher pressure, and later became mixed with the original undissolved gas.

Jan 1, 1933

By John S. Dunning

This paper is one of a series describing methods and costs of recovering sand and gravel from deposits in the United States and deals directly with the operations of the Atlas Sand, Gravel and Stone Co. at Farmington, Conn. These papers are designed to disseminate technical information regarding the methods used. The cost tabulations represent local expenditures only and not total production costs. It is recognized that publication of total costs might in some instances cause embarasement to individual producers, as well as to the industry as a whole. On the other hand, operating costs are essential to the technical discussion and study of methods employed. The attention of the reader is specifically called to this differentiation in order that no misunderstanding of the scope of the cost tabulations may ensue.

Jan 1, 1933

By Ervin P. Fuchs

Volume II of this report presents the vibration data, octave band data, one-third octave band data and narrow band (amplitude versus frequency) data for ten mining machines. These ten mining machines include a Goodman 968-2 Loading Machine, a Lee Norse 245 Continuous Miner, a Jeffrey 120L Continuous Miner, a National Mine Service 3080 Continuous Miner, Acme D-1 Roof Bolter, a Lee Norse 265 Continuous Miner, two Jeffrey Locomotives, a Joy CD-71A Coal Drill and a Jeffrey 100L Auger Miner. Volume J of this report presents the effects of underground environment and loading conditions on noise levels of coal mining equipment

Jan 1, 1979

By S. T. Reese

STATISTICS of injuries in the quarrying and related industries in the United States first became available when the Bureau of Mines collected reports from the operating companies for the calendar year 1911. Since then reports have been collected annually. The present bulletin, covering the calendar year 1952, is the 33d publication containing statistical data on injuries at quarries and related plants, and it is the first to be published since 1944. The last publication was Bulletin 458, Quarry Accidents in the United States during the Calendar Year 1942. The unpublished statistics for 1942-51 may be found in the Appendix of this bulletin. The Bureau of Mines is authorized to collect data on injuries at quarries, but there is no Federal law that compels operators to supply such data, and the reports received from operators are voluntary responses to the Bureau's requests for information. Although the figures presented herein may not be complete for the entire industry, every effort has been exerted to make them so, and the figures given are believed to be thoroughly representative of the hazards to which quarry workers are exposed. Moreover, the figures are com¬parable as between States -which is significant in view of the lack of uniformity among the States as regards classes of plants covered by State laws, classes of injuries covered by State reports, and other factors that tend to make it impracticable or impossible to compare the injury experience of one State with that of another or to comprehend the relative importance of the various causes of injuries in the industry as a whole.

Jan 1, 1955

By R. D. Berkenkotter

Titanium and iron assays obtained from cores of three diamond-drill holes from the Cebolla Creek titaniferous iron deposit were evaluated by statistical techniques to obtain information concerning the mineral characteristics of the deposit and to make a preliminary determination of sampling requirements for the deposit. A range of sample volumes representing sizes from one-sixth NX core 2 feet in length through full NX core 10 feet in length were prepared by split-ting the NX core with a diamond saw and combining pulverized splits. Results indicate the existence of at least two statistical populations having different average grades of iron and titanium. Each has an assay frequency distribution that is not normal but is highly peaked (leptokurtic). Frequency distributions of assays from specific altered zones of the drill holes appear to be normally distributed. Increasing the cross-sectional area of the sample unit to change assay volume did not result in significant changes either in assay values or the resulting frequency distributions of assays. However, when assay volume is increased by increasing sample interval, the shape of the assay frequency distribution changes, and a normal distribution of assays is approached. Positive correlation exists between titanium and iron assays. The degree of correlation, although very significant, is too low to use for prediction purposes. Although the amount of data from three widely separated drill holes is not sufficient to establish an average grade for this large deposit, it indicates a range of expected assay values and provides some information for determining requirements of future sampling for evaluation purposes.

Jan 1, 1963