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By Wm. W. Odell

This report comprises a brief outline of the experimental cracking of natural gas in a water-gas generator at Louisville, Kentucky, and a discussion of the results obtained. The work was done under a cooperative agreement by the U. S. Bureau of Mines with the Louisville Gas & Electric Co. The re-forming or partial cracking of natural gas is not a new process, but one which has been employed in the manufacture of city gas for a number of years. However, the apparatus used heretofore was not a water-gas generator containing a bed of ignited fuel, but instead it was a plurality of connected chambers containing spaced and arranged checker bricks, with means for heating the bricks and for admitting the natural gas. The procedure previously followed was quite different from that used during the tests at Louisville; likewise the results obtained were different. It is not uncommon for companies distributing natural gas to provide gas-generating equipment for producing manufactured gas which is used, mixed with natural gas, during periods of peak demand. Because this equipment is idle much of the time, in some instances being in use only for a few days a year, some of the gas companies have considered using it, during off-peak periods, in the manufacture of some gaseous products and for carbon black which might he produced and marketed with profit. There is one plant of this kind at Louisville. Kentucky. Its maintenance in condition ready to be operated is necessary because of the limited supply of natural gas and because of the variation in demand. The engineers of the Louisville Gas & Electric Co. considered in particular the possibility of cracking natural gas in a water-gas generator by injecting the gas into the incandescent fuel bed, thereby producing a gas comprised largely of hydrogen (H2) and carbon black, an appreciable amount of which is entrained in the gas as it leaves the generator, Because power and gas are available at low prices, Louisville was believed to be a satisfactory location for a plant which could use hydrogen. It was evident that this method of treating natural gas might directly benefit the gas company by: 1. Lowering, the cost of manufactured gas.

Jan 1, 1930

By Edwin S. Secor

The Federal Bureau of Mines conducted a field survey of 153 bituminous coal strip and auger mines to estimate coal recovery from surface mines in the Eastern United States. Recovery was calculated from field data by measuring coal losses resulting from mining coal and leaving barriers. Mean total recovery for strip mining in States east of the Mississippi River was 83.0 percent and ranged from 72.3 percent for Tennessee to 91.3 percent for Maryland. Mining losses and barrier losses were 10.1 and 7.7 percent, with standard deviations of 4.8 and 10.4 percent, respectively, indicating that barrier losses, although less than mining losses, were more variable. Mean total coal recovery varied only slightly for the two regions studied; 82.7 percent for Appalachia and 84.3 for the Midwest. Total recovery grouped by mining method--contour, area, and mountaintop removal--was 79.8,84.7, and 85.3 percent, respectively. Mean auger recovery was 35.9 percent; of the total average loss of 64.1 percent, over one-half resulted from design limitations while the remainder was attributed to operating losses. The wide recovery range at individual mines indicates the variability of the eastern surface coal mining industry. Because of this, care should be exercised in applying the results of this report to reserve estimates other than those of a general nature.

Jan 1, 1977

By L. F. Willmott

The Bureau of Nines at Morgantown, W. Va., has been investigating, on a pilot plant scale, various methods of gasifying bituminous coal with oxygen and superheated steam to produce synthesis gas, as part of the broader program of finding new uses for coal. Differences in the pressure gasification methods used have depended on differences in the manner in which the pulverized coal is fed to the gasifier. One of the methods of feeding the coal that was investigated was the continuous, integrated coal-water slurry system. Goal and water were first mixed to produce a slurry; then the slurry was pumped through a heated coil. to evaporate the water fraction; the resulting steam was superheated, and some of it was separated so as to adjust the ratio of the residual steam to the coal fraction and make the resulting mixture suitable for partial combustion with oxygen in a pressure gasifier. Both before and during this reported3 developmental work it was necessary to make an extensive literature search into the technology of aqueous slurries in order to establish design criteria for the pilot plant and to correlate results of various phases of the work with that of other investigators, The pilot work coincided with the commercial development of a long-distance pipe- line for the transportation of coal as a coal-water slurry, and this fact tended to broaden the scope of the pilot plant work and the extent of the literature search. This bibliography is the compilation of the material that was collected.

Jan 1, 1963

By L. F. Willmott

The Bureau of Mines at Morgantown, W. Va., has been investigating, on a pilot plant scale, various methods of gasifying bituminous coal with oxygen and superheated steam to produce synthesis gas, as part of the broader program of finding new uses for coal. Differences in the pressure gasification methods used have depended on differences in the manner in which the pulverized coal is fed to the gasifier. One of the methods of feeding the coal that was investigated was the continuous, integrated coal-water slurry system. Goal and water were first mixed to produce a slurry; then the slurry was pumped through a heated coil. to evaporate the water fraction; the resulting steam was superheated, and some of it was separated so as to adjust the ratio of the residual steam to the coal fraction and make the resulting mixture suitable for partial combustion with oxygen in a pressure gasifier. Both before and during this reported3 developmental work it was necessary to make an extensive literature search into the technology of aqueous slurries in order to establish design criteria for the pilot plant and to correlate results of various phases of the work with that of other investigators, The pilot work coincided with the commercial development of a long-distance pipeline for the transportation of coal as a coal-water slurry, and this fact tended to broaden the scope of the pilot plant work and the extent of the literature search. This bibliography is the compilation of the material that was collected.

Jan 1, 1963

By M. V. HANSEN, Frank PERZ, Edward Thomas, C. H. SEELING

This is the second of a series of information circulars dealing with the control of roof and the prevention of accidents from falls of rock and coal . Their purpose is to focus the attention of the coal-mining industry on the most - common source of fatalities and injuries in mining coal and to disseminate information that may be helpful in combating the roof - fall hazard . Inasmuch as approximately 85 percent of roof - fall accidents occur in the face region , the importance of analyzing the accident - producing aspects of methods of roof support at the face or lack of method overemphasized . - - cannot be This circular is not intended to be an exhaustive treatise on methods of roof support in face regions but rather is a description of several methods of support that appear to offer distinct advantages with respect to safety and efficient operation .

May 1, 1948

By Robert B. Fulton

Summary of data and estimates for 52 fluorspar properties in the following 13 foreign countries: Mexico Thailand China (PRC) Morocco Tunisia Italy Spain South Africa France United Kingdom Kenya Namibia Federal Republic of Germany Data includes deposit type, resource tonnage and grades, mining and beneficiation methods, annual production, fluorspar products and by-products, manpower requirements, capital and operating cost estimates. For operating properties, engineering and cost data have been developed for present and anticipated levels of production. Hypothetical operations have been assumed for undeveloped deposits.

Jan 1, 1984

By J. G. Kirby

The number of petroleum refineries in the United States continued to decline during 1954, and according to the Bureau of Mines annual survey there were 326 refineries with a total daily throughput capacity of 8,420,630 barrels, as of January 1, 1955. The increase in capacity for the year was 413,733 barrels daily, while the number of refineries declined 11. The capacity of the average refinery to process crude oil increased during 1954 from 23,759 barrels daily to 25,830. Breaking down the crude-oil capacity increase, by refining districts; 32 percent was installed at refin¬eries located in the Texas Gulf Coast district, 25 percent in the East Coast district, and 13 percent in both the Louisiana Gulf Coast and the California districts. The Appalachian No. 1, Texas Inland, and New Mexico refining districts reported declines in capacity during the year. Additional crude-oil capacity under construction, January 1, 1955, totaled 146,800 barrels daily. Included in this total are 4 new refineries, 1 each in California, Minnesota, New Mexico, and Washington. In addition to the' new facilities, equipment producing 1.49,550 barrels daily is being replaced.

Jan 1, 1955

By David K. Ingram

Research performed by the U.S. insurance industry has determined that mine subsidence is uninsurable. Consequently, the insurance industry has decided not to voluntarily offer mine subsidence insurance. The U.S. Department of the Interior has long been investigating the effects of mine subsidence. These investigations have resulted in Federal regulations and controls of mine subsidence. This U.S. Bureau of Mines report generally describes mine subsidence, the development of mine subsidence insurance programs, and the eight current mine subsidence insurance programs in the United States. The States that have these subsidence programs include Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Wyoming. Major aspects of the programs include history, administrative and operational procedures, insurable structures, recognition of mine subsidence, major exclusions, claims, insurance premiums, and the economic health of each program. Addresses of agencies involved with mine subsidence insurance are also given. Information within this report can be useful for residential and commercial property owners and mine operators. States that are considering starting or have an existing mine subsidence insurance program can also use this report as a model for initiating or modifying their programs.

Jan 1, 1993

By C. Harry Benedict

This paper presents the details of milling practice and costs at the conglomerate mill of the Calumet & Hecla Consolidated Copper Co., Lake Linden, Mich., and is one of a series on milling methods being published by the Bureau of Mines. GENERAL DESCRIPTION The mines of the Calumet & Hecla. Consolidated Copper Co. are located in the Keweenaw Peninsula of northern Michigan. The mines of this district lie in a belt not over 4 miles wide and 100 miles long, which contains more or lees commercial ore. The Calumet & Hecla properties are the farthest north, except for the Seneca, of the operating mines. The district borders on Lake Superior, and by means of the Portage and Torch Lake waterways the largest lane vessels, can transport coal and other supplies from the lower Lakes directly to the company docks.

Jan 1, 1930

By Frank J. Wiebelt

In its efforts to maintain production of tungsten during the recent war period, the Bureau of Mines explored certain parts of the properties of the Atolia Mining Co. in San Bernardino County, Calif., by diamond drilling. Owing to past production record and other available data, the area was considered attractive for possible development of new ore bodies. Scheelite occurs in narrow veins ranging in width from a fraction of an inch to several feet. The veins are in quartz monzonite in a zone 2 miles long and 500 feet wide. Production from the district was reported to have been over 1,000,000 units of W03. Twelve diamond-drill holes, totaling 5,056 feet, were drilled by the Bureau of Mines in the vicinity of the Papoose, Papoose No. 5, Amity, and Union mines, the tailings pond, and the "Old Spud Patch." The work began in August 1943 and was completed in June 1944. This publication briefly describes the history and deposits of the district and gives full details of the work performed by the Bureau.

Jan 1, 1950

By Larry A. Haas

The Bureau of Mines constructed a torsion effusion apparatus to measure the equilibrium vapor pressure of pure metals, alloys, and compounds at temperatures up to 1,500° K. The reliability of the apparatus was established by determining the vapor pressure of silver. The data obtained on solid and liquid silver in the temperature range 1,200° to 1,500° K can be expressed by the following equations:

Jan 1, 1965

By Chas. F. Jackson

This paper is published as a progress report for the first half of 1929 on the study of wining methods and costs in the Eastern and Central States. Data obtained from 25 mines using open-stope methods are correlated and summarized. Some of these mines have been described in considerable detail in reports already published as Information Circulars. In addition to the published reports on individual mines, considerable data have been obtained from other mines which were visited and studied during the course of the investigation. Many of these mines will later be described in detail in separate papers, and when the field has been covered in this manner it is planned to issue a bulletin on open-stops methods of mining which will amplify the subject matter of the present paper. Definition of ?Open-Stops?. - The term "open-stopes" as employed by the Bureau of Mines is applied to all naturally supported stopes; that is, stopes in which the excavated ore is not replaced by support of an artificial nature other than preps or stulls and in which the ore or (and) capping are not caved during the active life of the stopes.

Jan 1, 1931

By E. G. King

The Bureau of Mines made experimental determinations of the heats of formation of forsterite and chrysotile at 298.15° K. The heat capacities of two polymorphs of serpentine, chrysotile and antigorite, were measured over the temperature range from 50° to 298° K and the entropies at 298.15° K were evaluated. The heat content of antigorite above 298.15° K was measured to 850° K. These thermochemical data were combined with other pertinent data to give heat and free energy of formation values at high temperatures. Free energy values are given for the reaction, forsterite + water = brucite + serpentine at different temperatures and pressures.

Jan 1, 1967

By W. R. Wrzensinski

This report presents the findings from a l-yr Bureau of Mines program in which sulfur concrete reinforcing materials were tested and evaluated to determine their resistance to corrosion. It also summarizes the permeation characteristics of sulfur concrete and the exemplary performance of precast, reinforced sulfur concrete structures in various industrial environments. The Bureau is furthering the development of sulfur concrete technology as part of a larger effort to find uses for the Nation's plentiful sulfur resources in construction materials. Sulfur concrete is a corrosion-resistant material that can be used in acid and salt environ-ments where conventional materials fail. Penetration of corrosion-inducing agents is minimized because of the low permeation characteristics of sulfur concrete.

Jan 1, 1988

By Albert L. Toenges

The fuel requirements for industrial and domestic consumers in New England, in normal times, are supplied almost entirely by fuel oil, anthracite, and bituminous coal. A shortage of these fuels occurred during the war. This shortage was caused by: (1) The diversion of oil to military uses; (2) the use of railroad and boat facilities that ordinarily would transport coal for the transportation of war material; (3) the inability of coal mines to apply the increased demand for coal which resulted from the conversion from oil to coal by domestic and industrial consumers; and (4) the increased demand of war industries for coal. Because of this Critical fuel situation, an investigation was made of possible sources of fuel nearer to points of consumption in New England.

Jan 1, 1948

By Jon C. Volkwein

Dust concentrations inside and outside enclosed cabs on several types of mining machinery were measured by the Bureau of Mines. Results indicated that properly enclosed cabs can offer significant dust protection for machine operators. Recommendations for improvements in cab technologies were discussed.

Jan 1, 1979

In October, the Aluminum Company of America restarted the fourth of seven pot-lines at its Point Comfort, Tex. primary aluminum smelter. The price of primary aluminum ingot, as quoted by American Metal Market, was increased from a range of 60.5 to 63.0 cents per pound at the end of September to a range of 66.0 to 66.5 cents per pound at the end of October. BERYLLIUM On October 15, Brush Wellman, Inc., of Cleveland, one of two U.S. producers of primary beryllium products, announced a planned $6 million expansion of its extraction plant at Delta, Utah, increasing the plant?s capacity to extract beryllium from bertrandite ore by 25%. Another $5 million will be spent on two mine expansion programs in Jaub and Millard Counties, Utah. Other mineral claims and 1 eases he 1 d by The Anaconda Company will be taken over by Brush Wellman through lease or purchase. This expansion, when completed in 1981, will decrease U.S. dependence on imported beryl ore.

Jan 1, 1979

By R. J. Hundhausen

This report describes the exploration and recent utilization studies the Bureau of Mines conducted on the Iron King, Chambers, and Dry Camp chromite deposits in the John Day district, Grant County, Oreg. The field investigations were undertaken during parts of 1939 and 1942 to determine the tonnage and grade of chromite in the district that could be utilized as a war reserve for the steel industry. As a result of the Bureau's field work, which included construction of 9 miles of access road, 6,204 feet of diamond drilling, 195 channel samples, and 1,020 linear feet of trenching, an ore reserve of 208,000 tons of 22-percent chromic oxide was indicated in the 3 deposits. Less than 1,000 tons of this ore has been mined since the field work was completed because the 2 largest deposits are submarginal in grade and there is as yet no incentive to develop and mine the ore. Since the war, however, the Bureau has been seeking means of utilizing the ore. Two methods of utilization that show promise are direct smelting of the ore in an electric furnace and use of the chromite for making refractory brick.

Jan 1, 1956

By Pedro Lilienfeld

This Final Report describes a program whose objective was to design, develop, fabricate, and test an airborne mass monitor for unattended and recording measurements of the concentration of dust in mining environments. Sensing collection are performed by beta-radiation attenuation and inertial implementation respectively. The instrument is portable, battery or line operated provides a digital printout of the mass concentration during each selection sampling period, as well as the accumulated mass of dust, and the elapsed sampling time.

Jan 1, 1974

By M. R. Geer

Three coals from the Wilkes on - Carbonado district of Pierce County , Washington , were subjected to washability analyses to estimate the amount and quality of washed coal obtainable . Because the coals were unusually difficult to clean , the washability examinations were supplemented by table tests , tests in dense - medium cleaning units , and flotation tests . None of the coals could be reduced to the desired 10 percent ash by tabling and the response to flotation by two of them was poor . Dense -medium treatment provided coal of the desired quality , but with the most difficult coal the recovery efficiency was lower than usual .

Jan 1, 1964