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By I. AITKENS

Quartz maintains a rather conspicuous position among gem stones , despite its being the commonest and, in its natural form, the most easily recognized of mineral substances . This prominence is due primarily to the extensive use of amethyst , which provides stones of the finest violet color , and also to the wide employment of yellow quartz ( citrine ) which is called topaz by jewellers and vies with the true topaz in color and brilliance . Unlike many less costly gem materials quartz is hard and durable .

Mar 1, 1932

By C. E. Julihn

In the fall of 1933 a new discovery of gold was made in the old Mojave mining district of California about 70 miles north of Los Angeles. It led to mining operations that have surpassed in their results all reasonable expectations and are of exceptional promise for the future. In less than 3 years, exploration has opened up a number of veins, from some of which a substantial amount of high-grade ore has been shipped, while a large tonnage of milling ore has been disclosed. Two mills, operating on ore averaging better than $12 a ton, will probably produce more than a million dollars worth of gold in 1936, and a considerable increase of their output in the following year is anticipated. While continuance of these operations for a number of years is already assured by ample reserves of ore, future discoveries of still other veins are reasonably possible, as occurrence of gold throughout the volcanic rocks of the district is widespread and the veins now being mined showed little to attract attention at the surface.

Jan 1, 1937

This report covers the work performed by the Advanced Products Division of FMC Corporation under Bureau of Hines Contract J0155166, Design Evaluation for Development of an Advanced Bolter Module. FMC has evaluated the existing ISMS bolter designs, and the corrections and improvements in progress, including the effect of the three-chain magazine presently being fabricated, and recommends that a complete bolter module featuring a new magazine, safety post and lower stabilizer or similar device be designed, fabricated, and tested, A 29 week program is proposed which includes a four week demonstration. This module would eliminate those reliability problems not presently being solved and would provide a reliable bolter module for a production oriented miner/ bolter.

Jan 1, 1975

By J. P. BONARDI, J. C. Williams

Until the end of 1918 Boulder County ranked as one of the foremost tungsten-producing districts of the world, but in August, 1919, there was practically no production in the district. The operators there could not compete with tungsten ores from foreign sources, particularly China, Burma, and South America. As a. result there · has been a strong movement for placing a protective tariff on all imported tungsten ores and products; and it seems to be the general belief of tungsten producers that some form of protection is necessary to the maintenance of the industry in this country. The stimulus, due to the great demand for · tungsten alloys in the manufacture of munitions during the war, was felt in all the productive localities of the world. The ores of Boulder County were especially in demand on account of their comparative. freedom from • harmful impurities, and this demand greatly extended mining operations in the district and increased the efficiency of the gen~ral milling practice there.

Jan 1, 1921

By John F. Papp

International and U.S. chromium material flow, losses, and environmental releases and transfers from mining through industrial processing, end use, and recycling are identified and quantified. Average (1983-92) U.S. consumption has been: metallurgical industry, 87 pct; chemical industry, 10 pet; and refractory industry, 3 pct. Average chromium content of aluminum, cobalt, copper, nickel, and titanium alloys and alloy, carbon, and stainless steel alloys was estimated. Anthropogenic chromium consumption was estimated for the cement and copper industries. N on-commodity cycle anthropogenic chromium mobilization resulting from U.S. fuel and fertilizer use was estimated. Commodity cycle anthropogenic world chromium loss from mining and primary consumer industry was estimated to be equivalent to about 56 pct of chromium contained in chromite ore production and represented a loss rate of 181 kt-Cr/Mt-CrOre. Chromium released to the atmosphere from natural and from anthropogenic sources were comparable in magnitude. Chromium released to soil was mostly from anthropogenic sources, and aquatic releases were all anthropogenic. Domestic product chromium losses exceed process losses by more than a factor of 10 showing the importance and potential environmental impact of post-consumer recycling. The location of historical and current domestic chromium industry processing sites in 23 States were reported. Chromium releases and transfers to the environment were estimated from 1973 through 2002 by primary consumer industry. A decrease in chromium releases and transfers to the environment was anticipated.

Jan 1, 1995

By H. F. Weaver

The 17th National First-Aid and Mine Rescue Contest was held in the Kentucky Fair and Exposition Center, Louisville, Ky., October 2, 3, and 4, 1957. The meet was under the auspices of the Federal Bureau of Mines and the Joseph A. Holmes Safety Association, in cooperation with the National Coal Association, United Mine Workers of America, State mining departments, local mining institutes, and coal operators' associations. The Arrangements Committee, as authorized by the General Committee, made all the necessary arrangements for conducting the 1957 contest. Members of the Arrangements Committee were: Harry Gandy, Jr. (chairman), National Coal Association; James B. Benson, Southern Coal Producers' Association; Charles Ferguson, United Mine Workers of America; George C. Trevorrow, Bituminous Coal Operators' Association; and James Westfield, Federal Bureau of Mines.

Jan 1, 1958

This report is the 21st in a series summarizing research and technologic work on coal and related investigations by the Federal Bureau of Mines - the Chard of the series published on a calendar-year basis 2/ Subject publica¬tions of the Bureau during 1956 are cited, and pertinent Bureau work is described briefly. The most effective method of conserving our important coal reserves is through improved technology of production and utilization. Associated problems form the program of the Bureau.3 4 5 6/ Potential production is depend¬ent on a knowledge of the quantity and quality of the reserves, and the Bureau continues to contribute information on this subject. Many problems are being studied that relate to improvements in current production, including mining methods and health and safety measures. Preparation of mined coal is necessary for its most efficient utilization. Preparation by conventional methods is being studied, as well as the development or new methods. Fundamental studies on the structure and properties of coal are necessary to insure full advantage of the special qualities of different coals. Controlling factors in the efficient use of coal in combustion, carbonization, gasification, and direct and indirect hydrogenation of coal are being studied continuously, and new processes are being investigated. The many advances in all these fields are discussed.

Jan 1, 1959

By D. T. Randall

Several years ago investigations were begun by the United States Government to determine the most efficient methods of utilizing the coals of the United States. These investigations, which were continued along several different lines, are now being carried on by the Bureau of Mines, in accordance with the provisions of the act creating this bureau . . It was because of the need for more complete information concerning the conditions under which coal could be economically burned in boiler furnaces without objectionable smoke that tests were made at the Government fuel-testing plants at St. Louis, Mo., and Norfolk, Va. In addition to this experimental work a number of commercial plants in the larger cities were inspected to ascertain what were the best methods then in use for abating smoke. The results of these investigations were reported in Bulletins 334 and 373 of the United States Geological Survey. Because of the continued demand for the information contained in these bulletins, the original editions of which are exhausted, they are reprinted by the Bureau of Mines. The text of this bulletin, particularly the information relating to smoke ordinances, was revised in the latter part of 1910 and the early part of 1911 by S. B. Flagg, engineer, who has charge of the steaming tests being conducted by this bureau.

Jan 1, 1912

By G. S. Rice, J. W. Paul, M. W. VONBERNEWITZ

This bulletin abstracts and reviews essential details of reports on 59 fires in different coal mines in the United States, describes the circumstances of origin and the methods of controlling or extinguishing the fires, and points out the lessons taught. all, the fires caused great damage to property and killed nearly 400 men. The data have been compiled from the records of the Bureau of Mines, which cover most of the major mine accidents in the United States since 1.908. The names of the mines concerned and of the persons connected with the management of those mines have been omitted in accordance with the usual policy of the bureau. The bureau hopes that this bulletin will be of service to all persons interested in lessening the fire hazard at coal mines and to all who may be called on to fight a mine fire.

Jan 1, 1927

By D. E. Redmon

Exploration of hidden mineral deposits becomes increasingly important as known ore reserves are depleted. The primary objective in any exploratory program is to obtain enough reliable information to evaluate accurately the potential of the mineral deposit. Constant improvement in equipment and technique has established drilling as one of the most valuable methods of exploration. This paper presents the results of studies of several drilling methods currently used in the search for uranium deposits in sedimentary formations from surface drill sites. Also presented is a description of drilling with wire-line equipment from an underground location in metamorphic rocks. The studies were conducted in the Colorado Plateau area and in northwestern New Mexico and Wyoming. Statements of a general nature pertain to conditions or situations existent in those areas.

Jan 1, 1960

By R. W. Stahl, H. E. Sanford, J. B. Benson

Immediately following the capitulation of Germany in World War II, the German State was occupied by various allied forces, who supervised all indus- trial activities in the area. Coal production is vital to the industrial life of Germany, and most of the coal is mined in the American- and British- occupied zones of western Germany. The British-occupied zones include the Aachen and Ruhr districts, from which approximately 90 percent of the coal is obtained. Figure 1 is a map of the Ruhr district. Because of the magni- tude of the task of insuring an adequate supply of coal and the necessity for united action, it was deemed best to reorganize the coal-producing facilities in the British zone undor the joint supervision of American and British authorities. As a result, the UK/US Coal Control Group was established accord- ing to the organization plan indicated in figure 2. Headquarters for the group was established at Essen, in Villa Huegol, the prewar home of the Krupp family (fig. 3). One of the many problems recognized immediately by the UK/US Coal Control Group was the necessity of preventing disasters and reducing accidents to work- men in mines undor military-governmont control. Consequently, the United States Bureau of Mines was requested to furnish the services of qualified men to search for the hazards incident to coal mining and to prepare comprehensive reports on the results of their investigations. The authors, who wore selected for this task, spont about a year in Germany and visited all except a few of the smaller mince. Whereas their principal purpose was to investi- gate safety conditions, somo of the operating conditions and practices also wore studied. The results of the studies and investigations are embodied in this circular with the hope that some useful information will be disseminated to the mining industry of the United States, including supervisory officials, safety directors, engineers, and mine workmon.

Feb 1, 1950

By Henry Kreisinger, L. P. BRECKENRIDGE, WALTER T. RAY

The investigations of fuels conducted by the technologic branch of the United States Geological Survey had their inception at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition in 1904. By an act approved Febru- ary 18, 1904, Congress authorized the work of analyzing and testing at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition the coals and lignites of the United States, under the supervision of the Director of the United States Geological Survey. An appropriation of $30,000 was made for this purpose. In the general deficiency bill dated April 27, 1904, the sum of $30,000 was added to the appropriation. To carry out these investigations the Director of the Geological Survey appointed a committee consisting of E. W. Parker, statistician of the Geological Survey; Joseph A. Holmes, State geologist of North Carolina; and Marius R. Campbell, a geologist of the Geological Survey. Under the first act authorizing this work all of the machinery and coal for the tests was to be furnished the Government free of charge. The buildings containing the testing apparatus were all paid for out of the first appropriation. After the close of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition every Congress made an appropriation for continuing these fuel tests. These subsequent appropriations permitted the purchase of appliances better adapted for the testing work.

Jan 1, 1912

Unfortunate occurrences resulting in injuries, loss of life, and destruction of property by explosion, fire, and other mishaps during shaft sinking in the past few years have focused the attention of the Bureau of Mines on the need for safety standards for such operations. Several States have some rules and regulations applicable to local conditions, and several Bureau publications (including some now out of print) cover the hazards that may be encountered in shaft sinking. Certain requirements of the Federal Mine Safety Code and Federal Coal Mine Safety Act may be applied, but there are no definite, uniform standards that will guide those desiring to sink a shaft safely and bring about uniform safety inspections.

Jan 1, 1957

By James L. Fenton

In its unending search for the raw materials that the affluent society of today requires the mining industry has found it necessary to go to great depths, in many cases, to produce these materials. Inherent with this problem is the insufficient technology relating to improving extreme environments that the mine personnel are exposed to. In this dissertation, the sources of heat flow into a mine along with the various effects that this heat has on the mine personnel are investigated. The object of dissertation is to compile all the available published information pertaining to these underground heat and their effects into one paper. This will provide the mining industry with an available easy-to-use to aid in the determination of mine ventilation requirements as the mines are in the phases of original planning or being extended to depth. Areas of significant, deficiencies it knowledge have been disclosed during this overall appraisal. Recommendations on important basic research needs are out lined for future consideration by Federal or industries sponsorship. This thesis should serve as a stimulus lo, future well-organized research efforts in the area of underground heat sources and their control.

Jan 1, 1973

By Russell R. McLellan

Under the Heavy Metals Program, investigations were conducted at the old Badger dill placer mini in Nevada County California to collect data and information regarding drilling and sampling methods and deposit characteristics. The studies contributed to a team effort by five Bureau of Mines research groups to develop new or improved placer mining technology in the Tertiary gold-bearing channel gravel of northern California. This report describes the techniques used and the results obtained in the sampling and drilling stage of deposit delineation studies that were conducted by the Denver Mine Systems Engineering Group. Sampling included the collection and processing of 400 tons of largo and small volume samples from drill holes, underground workings, surface pits, and blast hole rounds. A total of 355 samples averaging 2,296 pounds per sample provided reasonably accurate data for analysis of the gold distribution. These studies indicate that the bulk of the gold is within 40 foot of bedrock in stacked, lenticular zones of cemented gravel that are largely confined to the relatively narrow, meandering course of the deepest portion of the bedrock channel. Drilling studies involved the testing of three types of truck-mounted drills including rotary, bucket and vibratory, none of which proved to be a completely versatile tool for sampling quickly and reliably both consolidated and unconsolidated gravel.

Jan 1, 2012

By Frank L. Hess

"New England" and "granite" if not synonymous are at least associated terms. Where there are granites that are not deeply eroded there are usually pegmatites, the most erratic of rocks, and of them New England has a full portion. Many of the New England pegmatites contain the rare alkalis - lithium, rubidium, and cesium. however, the same in homogeneity of the earth's crust that has made the New England pegmatites unusual, in that so many of them contain the rare alkalis, has likewise made the distribution of the rare-alkali minerals sporadic even in those pegmatites, and most contain only enough to furnish collectors with more or less ornamental and uncommon minerals. New England has long had numberless collectors of minerals, and the mineralogists of its various schools have published many papers on the pegmatitic minerals, including those of the rare alkalis, but none of the papers have dealt with estimates of quantities. In this paper we have tried to place the emphasis on quantity rather than on mineralogy.

Jan 1, 1943

By Jeffery L. Kohler

This final report on Bureau of Mines Contract J0338028 presents the results of a research effort to predict incipient failure in electric-power-system components. The development of continuous monitoring techniques to detect an incipient failure would represent a significant improvement in system maintainability, availability and safety, This report describes the analytical and experimental aspects of the project. Mathematical models have been developed to study the behavior of cables and motors which are undergoing a deterioration process. These models allow a detailed study of the effect of deterioration on the component's terminal characteristics and performance. The efficacy of using negative-sequence monitoring is a reliable indication of deterioration has been established. Techniques for assessing the sensitivity of the prediction algorithm to component deterioration have been presented. An approach for modelling electrically-excited vibrations, and including these in the algorithm, has been presented.

Jan 1, 1987

By D. J. Parker

The oft-repeated expression that the taproot of safety lies in the attitude of the management toward accident-prevention work is indisputable and has become almost an axiom. Trite and somewhat timeworn though the statement may be, it is nevertheless true that the supervisory force must earnestly support a policy of safety and maintain at all times a con¬ siderate regard for the welfare of the employee if that high degree of cooperation of the employee, so vital to the successful prosecution of any safety program, is to be expected. The responsibility for preventing accidents rests upon the management, and in the case of the Spring Canyon Coal Co. such responsibility is recognized and accepted with little or no reservation. This company, aside from the humanitarian aspects involved, believes that safety is good business and not a matter to be treated passively or in a perfunctory manner. The problems with respect to safety that have been met and wholly or partly solved can best be appreciated when some of the natural conditions, adverse and otherwise, existing at this operation are taken into consideration. Mine 1 is about 1 mile north of the town of Spring Canyon, Carbon County, Utah, and is served by both the Denver & Rio Grande Western and Utah Coal Route railways. During the year 1931 the mine produced 312,397 tons, approximately 10 per cent being derived from pillar workings. The normal daily output during the summer months is about 2,000 tons, and during the peak of production in the winter season the daily production varies from 2,500 to 3,000 tons. The number of miners varies from 87 in summer to 220 in winter, and the day men vary in number from 66 in the winter to 45 in the summer; 12 company men are employed the year around. The officers of the company are J. B. Smith, president, San Francisco, California; T. R. Stockett, general manager, Salt Lake City; and G. A. Murphy, superintendent, David Brown, assistant superintendent, and John Sullivan, mine foreman, all of Spring Canyon, Utah.

Dec 1, 1932

By W. F. Dietrich

1. On St. Thomas and St. Croix, and possibly also on St. John, low-quality red-burning clays probably can be developed to provide the major part of the raw materials for structural clay products and earthenware pottery. 2. The potential sales volume for structural clay products is too small to sustain a plant in the Virgin Islands to manufacture such products in competition with Puerto Rico; however, handmade patio tile might be produced successfully. 3. The market for pottery utility wares in the Virgin Islands is too small to justify a plant devoted solely to the production of such wares; but it may be feasible to evolve a diversified community activity to make jugs, pots, casseroles, bowls, charcoal burners, patio tile, and other items.

Jan 1, 1955

1. Domestic Production and Use: In 1979, 12 companies operated 32 primary aluminum reduction plants, with 3 firms accounting for 64% of production. Washington, Oregon and Montana accounted for 32% of the total production; Gulf Coast States 20%; other Northern States 32%; and other Southern States 16%. Based on published producer prices output of primary metal in 1979 was valued at over $6 billion. Aluminum consumption by 25,000 firms was centered in the East Central United States. Of aluminum consuming industries in 1979, building accounted for about 24%; packaging 23%; transportation 22%; electrical 11%; consumer durables 8%; and other uses, 12%.

Jan 1, 1980