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By J. M. Mutmansky

"The objective of this study was to produce coal dusts for laboratory research that are similar to mine airborne dusts in chemical, mineral, and physical characteristics. In this investigation, dusts produced in laboratory comminution equipment were compared with continuous miner- generated dust for similarity in physical characteristics. Mining-generated dust (MGD) and bulk coal samples were first collected from an underground mining operation. The bulk samples were then processed in the laboratory for size reduction in various comminution devices. These laboratory- generated dust (LGD) samples were subjected to size and microscopic analyses. Physical properties of the dust particles were studied on a scanning electron microscope (SEM ). A numerical shape coordinate system (SCS) was also developed and applied to 300 particles from each sample. Statistical analysis was then performed on the collected data and characteristics of the MGD and LGD samples were compared. IntroductionIn many biomedical studies, researchers routinely introduce a dust mass into an experimental environment to assess the response of a biological entity, usually lung macrophages in vitro or a live laboratory animal, to the dust mass. To provide data of maximum usefulness, it is highly desirable to use dust with characteristics of actual mine airborne dust. The primary objective of this research was to produce dusts in the laboratory similar in chemical, mineralogical, and physical characteristics to mine airborne dusts. This paper outlines the evaluation of the physical characteristics of the lab-generated dusts.Particle shape analysis is perhaps the least-developed area in mineral-related particle science and technology. There are still no standard methods or instruments to scientifically quantify particle shapes. To date, many attempts have been made to characterize particle shapes. These procedures can be roughly classified into three categories:"

Dec 1, 1995

By Robert C. Hickman

"INTRODUCTION The Big Four fault and the Sandy Creek fault, with several cross faults, traverse the Stalion-Curnel fluorspar prospect in a northeasterly direction. The Big Four mine, about three-quarters of a mile northeast of the prospect, is the only active mine in the immediate area.A resistivity survey was made of a portion of the prospect by the Division of Geophysical Exploration, Bureau of Mines, in May and June 1946. As a result of this survey, five holes were drilled by the Bureau of Mines during the period from October 8 to December 16, 1946. Two Longyear No. 12 Junior Straitline diamond drills were used for the work.ACKNOWLEDGMENTSIn its program of investigation of mineral deposits, the Bureau of Mines has as its primary objective more effective utilization of our mineral resources to the end that they make the greatest possible contribution to national security and economy. It is the policy of the Bureau to publish the facts developed by each project as soon as practicable after its conclusion. The Mining Division, Lowell B. Moon, chief, conducts preliminary examinations, does the actual investigative work, and prepares the final report. The Metallurgical Division, Oliver C. Ralston, chief, analyzes samples and makes beneficiation tests.The project was under the supervision of Mitchell H. Kline, chief, Raleigh Branch, Mining Division."

Mar 1, 1948

By K. C. Dean

A flotation method was developed by the Bureau of Mines for concentrating pollucite, a cesium-aluminum-silicate mineral that may contain from 20 to 40 percent cesium oxide. Separation of the pollucite from three typical ores was achieved by froth flotation of the associated micas, feldspars, and other gangue minerals, using sulfuric and hydrofluoric acids and a cationic-type collector. A low-tenor, 8 percent cesium ore from Maine was upgraded to 20 percent cesium with recovery of 87 percent of the cesium. Relatively high- grade ores from Canada and Southern Rhodesia were beneficiated at lower ratios of concentration to 28 and 29 percent cesium content respectively with recovery of over 92 percent of the cesium. In addition to concentrating the cesium content of ores, the method also effectively separates cesium from sodium, potassium, and lithium, and in certain ores from rubidium. This is accomplished by selective froth flotation of the alkali metal-bearing gangue minerals such as lepidolite, other micas, and feldspars. Since the alkali metals, especially potassium and rubidium, are difficult to separate chemically or thermally from cesium to prepare high- purity cesium products, separation by physical mans is important.

Jan 1, 1962

By Daryl E. Radcliffe

The Bureau of Mines studied the displacement of the roof in a portion of the Bear coal mine near Somerset, Colo, Horizontal-and vertical-displacement gages were installed in a five-entry section during normal room-and-pillar mining procedures. Monitoring of the roof continued until this section was mined out. Displacement measurements in combination with known time lapses between mining and bolting operations indicate that once support is achieved, the length of unsupported time does not appear to affect long-term roof stability in the mine under investigation.

Jan 1, 1978

By Philip Thompson

A part of the Bureau of Mines mission is to help improve the Nation's mineral posture by providing the technology for utilizing low-grade ores. In this regard, laboratory testing by the Bureau of Mines has shown that the removal of insoluble slimes using selective flocculation and flotation is a viable method for treating low-grade potash ores that have a high content of water-insoluble impurities. Results indicated that over 82 percent of the insoluble slimes could be removed from sylvinite ore containing 5 percent water insolubles and 13 percent K20 by using nonionic or cationic polyacrylamide flocculants and cationic, anionic, and/or nonionic collectors. Subsequent potash flotation recovered 87 percent of the potash in rougher concentrates containing 57 percent K2O. Sizing and cleaner flotation of the rougher concentrates upgraded the products to 60 percent K2O. Filtration of the water-leached insoluble-slimes flotation concentrates on a bed consisting of leached insoluble-slimes concentrate mixed with potash flotation tailings recovered 80 percent of the brine. Filtration rates using the mixed bed were nine times faster than filtration rates obtained when the insoluble-slimes flotation concentrates were filtered separately.

Jan 1, 1979

By Larry Gsellman

This report presents the results of a benefit/cost analysis of the Bureau of Mines' Coal Extraction RCD Program for the period FY 1977 through FY 1982. The analysis is an update of the analysis performed on the Coal Extraction R&D Program for EY 1975 - FY 1980 and presented in a MITRE report, MTR-7225, published in May 1975. Major changes included: new production scenarios and an update of R&D cost estimates.

Jan 1, 1977

By David White

The purpose of the studies that form the basis of this report was to learn from microscopic examinations of coal how far and in what ways the grouping of coal by types depends on differences in the kinds of plant material from which it was formed and on the condi- tions of its accumulation, or how far the special characters or qualities of coal of any type were determined by the nature and the state of the plant débris from which the coal was formed. The fact is almost universally accepted that beds of coal represent accumulations of vegetal matter in varying stages of preservation, with, as a rule, very small proportions of the remains of animal life. Mingled with the organic substances are different inorganic mineral sediments, which, together with the mineral matter originally con- tained in the plants themselves, constitute the "ash" of coal. The examination of coal shows that the kinds of ingredient plants range all the way from algee and fungi to large trees of various orders, and that these in turn vary in their own groups according to the depth and the nature of the water in which they grew and according to the other conditions of growth, such as moisture, temperature, soil, light, climate, and the competition of individuals. The species or kinds of plants and the numbers of each kind also differ greatly among themselves, not only during any one geologic period because of the changes of environment, but also from one geologic period to another, and it will be remembered that well-developed coal has been found in the strata of every period since the Silurian." Most geologists now agree that coal is transformed peat. True there is wide difference of opinion as to how the transformation has been accomplished and even as to whether coal started as such peat as is now found. Some writers insist that the higher grade coal, in its processes of development, never passed through geologic stages

Jan 1, 1913

By Andrew B. Cecala

The U.S. Bureau of Mines has designed and tested a system called the Bag and Belt Cleaner Device (B&BCD) to reduce dust levels in and around the bag conveying and stacking process. The device physically cleans either 22.7 kg (50 lb) or 45.4 kg (100 lb) paper bags by using a combination of brushes and air jets. It is completely self-contained and is kept under negative pressure by a baghouse to ensure that dust and product removed from the bags during cleaning does not flow into the work environment and contaminate workers. The bags travel through the device on a chain conveyor, which permits any product or dust cleaned from the bags to fall into a hopper at the bottom of the device and be recycled back into the process via a screw conveyor. Once exiting the B&BCD, the outside of the bags and the conveyor are essentially product and dust free. The B&BCD was evaluated at two mineral processing plants to determine reductions with the device in use. The results of both field evaluations showed that the amount of product removed from the outside of the bags varied from 77 to 93 pet.

Jan 1, 2010

Develop hydrometallurgical or pyrometallurgical recycling methods to recover valuable rare-earth compounds from various forms of NdFeB magnet scrap. Background The U.S. Bureau of Mines (USBM) has developed technology to treat and recycle a variety of wastes containing valuable and strategic metals. As part of this effort, the USBM developed a process to separate neodymium and other valuable rare earths from iron in NdFeB magnet scrap (fig. 1). Since this scrap typically contains nearly 30 weight percent neodymium and since the demand for neodymium is constantly increasing, cost-effective methods for scrap treatment could have a significant impact on industrial expenditure and materials supply in the expanding area of magnet manufacture. Approach A hydromctallurgical, H2SO4 dissolution-precipitation process provided the most effective treatment for separating rare earths from bulk NdFcB magnet scrap (fig. 2). Precipitation of neodymium-alkali sulfate double salt proved advantageous over direct precipitation of fluoride or oxalate products. This double salt is easily converted to a variety of useful rare-earth compounds, which eliminates many of the materials-handling and economic problems inherent with direct precipitation. Following rare-earth precipitation, dissolved iron was removed from the acid leach solution by precipitation as a jarosite.

Jan 1, 1993

By Roy Greenfield

Estimates are given for the distance from a seismometer at which a miner can probably be detected. The procedure in making these estimates was to first establish the natural noise levels at the output of a surface seismometer for the 25 to 100 Hz frequency passband. The noise levels give the range of values which may be expected in areas with no man-made noise. For each noise level, we give the detection threshold which, when exceeded, indicates that a signal has been received. Based on the signals recorded by Westinghouse, curves are given which show the peak signal amplitude as a function of source- to-receiver distance (slant range). Curves are given for the Westinghouse seismic thumper, a 50-pound timber, and a sledge. For a given type of source, the receive signal strength depends more strongly on slant range than on any other factor. However, there is approximately a five-to-one scatter in the amplitudes. Thus, further study of factors affecting the signal amplitude might allow better estimates to be made for any particular geological setting. Combining the signal amplitude with the detection thresholds for the different noise conditions gives the distances at which a miner should be detected. These are given in Table l* below. [ ] The text also gives the increase in detection ranges which should occur if steps are taken to increase S/N by 10 dB. We feel that 10 dB is a conservative estimate of the improvement possible. During an actual rescue operation, the seismic crew and system should be capable of making on-site estimates of their detection capability, based on measurements of the site noise, and upon the best available estimates of the

Jan 1, 1974

By H. H. Stoek

It would permit coal mines to operate continuously instead of intermittently . Intermittent operation increases the cost per ton for mining , and makes the yearly return to labor low . These conditions contribute to serious instability and unrest in one of the fundamental industries of the country and this can be changed only by coal buyers doing their part to insure steady work . The railroads are now required to transport the maximum amount of coal during the winter months when traffic is most interfered with by bad weather and when the maximum amount of coal is used by the railroads to handle other coal . The railroads now use nearly 30 per cent of the total output of coal . About one- third of their freight traffic is hauling coal , so that economy of fuel used by the railroads will produce a considerable gross saving .

Apr 1, 1920

Provide roof to floor closure rate measurements during underground mining, especially retreat mining of coal pillars, thereby helping the miners predict an imminent roof fall. Approach An electronic device and rugged potentiometric extensometer were developed to provide a means fur measuring total closure and the rate of closure. How It Works An intrinsically safe, battery operated instrument is enclosed in a rugged, hand carried field case. The unit is constructed using low-power, integrated circuits to provide minimal battery drain. Two digital Light Emitting Diode (LED) readouts are used; one displays the rate, the other displays the total closure. The unit will measure one extensometer continuously or two extensometers alternately. Two potentiometric extensometers with a closure measurement range of 6 inches are attached to the readout unit. As the roof to floor closure changes, the potentiometric resistance

Jan 1, 1982

By N. E. Hanna

An important goal in the development of coal mining explosives has been to improve their safety characteristics through suitable formulation. In the United States no systematic effort to establish factors influencing the incendivity to firedamp and to coal dust of explosives through research was made until the last decade. In consequence, American permissible explosives underwent only very slight modifications and many remained substantially the same as in the early years. As part of a long range program for increasing the safety of permissible explosives, the Bureau of Mines undertook to determine how the amounts and particle sizes of the principal constituents of these explosives affect their incendivity. It was found that an increase in the relative amount of sodium chloride and a decrease in its particle size significantly decreased the incendivity of our permissible explosives to firedamp (7-9).6 This is in agreement with findings reported by Dolan (4) for compositions of nitroglycerin and salt. One important result of the work at the Bruceton station has been the recent introduction of salt-formulated permissibles by several explosives manufacturers. This paper describes a statistically designed experiment for studying the effects of the particle size of ammonium nitrate and the type of carbonaceous materials used on the incendivity of permissible explosives. Interest in these particular effects goes back as far as the first formulations of coal mine explosives, around 1910 in the United States and even earlier in Great Britain and other countries. Although it is well established that fine

Jan 1, 1961

Provide mine safety personnel, MSHA inspectors, and original-equipment manufacturers with guidelines and a check list for inspecting rollover protection structures (ROPS) being used in mining operations. The Problem ROPS are provided on mobile surface mining equipment to protect operators from such safety hazards as machine rollovers, falling objects, and collisions. However, the protective capability of a ROPS can be greatly reduced if it is damaged. Certain kinds of damage, such as hair- line cracks, corrosion, and loosened bolts, may occur as a result of normal machine use but may not be recognized as unsafe by untrained personnel. Therefore, the Bureau of Mmes designed a manual which can be used by mine personnel when inspecting ROPS equipment. The Manual The manual was prepared to help acquaint mine safety personnel and MSHA inspectors with typical ROPS deficiencies and their causes. It provides a systematic means for inspecting ROPS so that the identified deficiencies and their causes can be corrected. It is suggested that an inspection of the ROPS be conducted after every 1,000 h of equipment operation, or sooner if the structure has been subjected to any unusual loads which could cause damage, such as a rollover, highwall caving, or collision. The manual also details common deficiencies in the structure and attachment hardware which may affect the service life. The checklist, when used as instructed in the manual, provides a means for systematically inspecting the structure to ensure maximum protective capability and conformance with applicable Federal regulations.

Jan 1, 1986

By Sabri Ergun

NEW theoretical data are presented for the intensity of X-rays diffracted from randomly oriented aromatic and alicyclic molecules and diamondlike structures such as are found in coals, cokes, and carbonaceous materials. Data have been computed using the Debye interference function. Computations for the smaller molecules have been made with the Univac 1204 computer: those for large structures, with either the IBM 704 or Bendix G-20 computer. A brief theoretical introduction of the Dobye interference function is given, and an outline is made of the treatment of experimental data so that the experimental interference function can be obtained.

Jan 1, 1965

By R. W. Smith

The Bureau of Mines is engaged in systematic evaluation of the thermodynamic properties of combustion gases. These studies are designed to provide basic thermodynamic information of high accuracy that will facilitate the theoretical study of flame and combustion phenomena. This report is the second of a series3/ presenting results of the study for particular fuel-oxidant sys tans. These calculations had as their objective evaluation of the constant pressure flame temperatures of methane-air and propane-air flames at atmospheric pressure as functions of the mixture ratio and inlet temperature of the fuel-air stream.

Jan 1, 1953

By Oliver Bowles

Enormous quantities of limestone are used for metallurgical purposes. Approximately 23 million tons were so used in the United States in 1925 chiefly for smelting iron ores in the blast furnace. Smaller amounts are used in basic open-hearth steel manufacture, and in smelting lead, copper and antimony ores. Most limestone producers lave little knowledge of the way in which their stone is used in metallurgy. Maximum tolerances of silica, alumina, sulphur and possibly magnesium; and minimum content of calcium carbonate may be arbitrarily fixed for the guidance of the producer, but aside from these requirements little information is available to producers on the manner in which their stone is used, the office it performs in smelting, or the effects of impurities. More complete [wledge] of utilization would enable limestone operators to solve their production problems more intelligently.

Jan 1, 1927

By E. C. Tarpley, H. M. Cooper, R. F. Abernethy

The standard method of employing preliminary air-drying to determine the moisture in coal has been criticized with respect to the loss of heating value from excessive air-drying. By this method, the coal is air-dried at approximately 10-15° above room temperature with the loss in weight being less than 0.1 percent per hour, and then the residual moisture at 105°C is determined. The total moisture is calculated from these two values.

Feb 1, 1948

By H. J. Fissan, G. Ananth, K. Rubow, V. Marple

"INTRODUCTION Over the past several years a new type of cascade impactor that utilizes small nozzle diameters (micro-orifice nozzles) has been under development (Kuhlmey et al., 1981; Marple et al., 1981). The small nozzle dimensions allow for particles to be collected as small as 0.024 µm aerodynamic diameter on the last stage of the impactor. To obtain a reasonable flow rate of 30 I min - i through the impactor, a large number of nozzles (up to 2000) are required per stage.Furthermore, by locating the nozzles of multi-nozzle stages in a prescribed manner (described in detail by Marple et al., 1981) and rotating the impaction plates relative to the nozzle plates, uniform deposits can be achieved on the impaction plates. As described by Marple et al. (1981), the advantages of a uniform deposit impactor over the conventional impactor that collects particles only beneath stationary nozzles are: (1) maximum use of the impaction substrate surface, reducing both particle bounce (if substrates are greased) and tare weights of the substrates (if particle mass is measured gravimetrically); (2) deposited particles can be analyzed for elemental composition by X-ray fluorescence (Dzubay and Rieke!, 1978); and (3) the pressure in the impactor can be kept relatively high compared to low pressure impactors that depend on a large slip correction to achieve small particle collection (some types of particles may evaporate at low pressures). The work described in this paper investigates two additional advantages of a uniform deposit impactor. These are: (1) the possibility of collecting two separate deposits at one time on one stage for two types of analysis techniques, and (2) the possibility of utilizing piezoelectric quartz crystal impaction plates more effectively by eliminating the deposit location sensitivity nature of the crystals (Schulze-Frohlich, 1981 ).MICRO-ORIFICE UNIFORM DEPOSIT IMPACTOR (MOUDI)A photograph of an eight-stage MOUDI is shown in Fig. 1. Each stage body of the impactor supports the impaction plate for the stage above and the nozzle plate for the stage below as shown in Fig. 2. By rotating alternate stage bodies, while holding the other stage bodies stationary, the impaction plates (or nozzle plates) will be rotated relative to the nozzle plates (or impaction plates).Rotation of the alternate stage bodies is achieved by gears on these bodies that mesh with gears on an electrically driven drive shaft of a rotating mechanism (Fig. 1 ). The alternate stage bodies are restrained from rotation by pins that rest on the drive shaft."

Mar 1, 1989

By B. D. Hanson

The U.S. Bureau of Mines has developed an interactive computer program which enables the user to identify the effect of cutting system changes on relative dust generation and forces for continuous miner drums. The program simultaneously evaluates machine and coal seam parameters, and those parameters which the user can control. One or more of these parameters may be changed to determine their individual or collective effect on relative dust generation and cutting forces. The program is written in the BASIC programming language. A complete program listing is included along with user instructions and sample outputs.

Jan 1, 1989