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An underground mine disaster is an accident of major proportions that takes a significant toll in human lives. A disaster usually disrupts the normal functioning of a mine and may result in entrapment of miners whose normal egress from the mine is cut off. A disaster often necessitates a rescue operation and a means of keeping the trapped miners alive while they await rescue. Explosion, fire, inundation of water or toxic gases, and collapse of a major portion of a mine are among the causes of mine disasters. Miners threatened by such an occurence must either bring the situation under control (e.g., by extinguishing a fire) or remove themselves from the danger. If control is unsuccessful, they must retreat to a place of safety. Four different activities may be involved: evacuation, escape, survival, and rescue. Evacuation is the orderly exit of people from the mine using previously identified escapeways and following a previously determined evacuation plan. Miners whose normal evacuation routes are blocked may be able to find alternative exit routes and escape by their own efforts. For those who cannot, the issue becomes survival while waiting to be rescued. The survival period may last for many days while rescue efforts are mounted from outside the mine.

Jan 1, 1981

By M. M. Ayoub

This volume is the second of three volumes comprising the final report of the research project "Biomechanics of Low Coal." It covers only the anthropometric study of low coal miners. Volume I summarizes the overall biomechanical, anthropometry, and work physiology study conducted. Development of work clothes modified to meet the needs of low coal miners is described in Volume III. The male and female anthropometry, with the exception of weight and circumferential dimensions, was quite similar to the comparison populations. The miners tended to be heavier and have greater circumferences. The measurements made in this study were used to develop 5th, 50th and 95th percentile, quarter and half scale, male and female mannequins. These twelve mannequins can be used in work place and equipment design and redesign.

Jan 1, 1982

By Richard L. Fowler

[Study and development of sensing techniques and sensors were performed to aid shuttle car drivers in detecting, obstacles and in guiding the car along the face haulage route. Microwave, acoustic, and optical sensing techniques were considered as part of the feasibility study for obstacle detection. Various guidance techniques, including wire-following and rib-ranging were investigated. Active optical sensing was selected for obstacle detection to obtain the bear overage and sharp angular cutoff characteristics required within the packaging limitations defined by the shuttle car configuration. Rib-ranging guidance was selected to achieve completely self-contained shuttle car system which responds to the mine geometry without need for wires, stripes, or other path defining devices. Extensive hybrid computer simulation runs were performed to valuate various guidance techniques during the feasibility study. Subsequent simulation rues were performed to establish parameter values for the rib-ranging guidance system. The obstacle detection and guidance system was designed, fabricated and installed on a standard shuttle car. The system satisfied all applicable permissibility requirements of Schedule 2G. An experimental permit was issued to Bendix for operation in an underground coal mine. System evaluation tests were performed first above ground at the Bendix Research Laboratories. The simulation model was validated by these runs. Final testing wan performed underground in an operating mine with an experienced shuttle car driver. All sensors successfully demonstrated Chi predicted performance capability during underground face haulage tests. Dust did not Impair system performance and lens cleaning was not required during working shifts. Further development is required to achieve the desired obstacle detection performance Closed loop steering control with manual override is recommended o: mended for the lateral guidance e system. The guidance system should be an invaluable aid to low-coal shuttle car drivers where continuous mining machines are utilized.]

Jan 1, 1973

By B. J. Moore

This publication contains analyses and related source data for 675 natural gas samples from wells and pipelines in 24 States and 5 foreign countries. The samples obtained and analyzed during calendar year 1980 are included in tables 1-4. Those samples included in tables 5-7 were collected during the years 1960 through 1979. However, permission to publish the analyses of those samples was not given until the past year when the operators were again contacted to seek release of the information. All of these samples were collected as a part of Bureau of Mines investigations of the occurrences of helium in natural gases of countries with free market economies. This survey has been conducted in the United States by the Bureau of Mines since 1917. In late 1965, the survey was expanded to include foreign gasfields. The analyses published herein were made by mass spectrometer and a special helium analysis apparatus, which are described in Bureau of Mines Bulletins 4862 and 576. The results of the investigation of the occurrences of helium are published annually to make the information available as soon as possible to the gas industry and the general public. Twenty-two previous publications have presented the results of 12,152 gas analyses made prior to 1980. The first three, Bulletins 486,' 576,5 and 617,6 contain analyses and related source data on 5,218 gas samples collected from 1917 through 1980. The other

Jan 1, 1981

By Phillip R. Moyle

A cobalt/manganese occurrence in Clark County, Nevada was the subject of a site-specific mineral investigation by the U.S. Bureau of Mines in 1988-90. The study site is in the northern part of the Million Hills (wilderness) study area which is administered by the Bureau of Land Management. Field work during a period of one week consisted of geological mapping and sampling of workings and outcrops, and geochemical and geophysical surveys conducted on four transects totalling 7,600 ft. Although the concentrations of cobalt (0.1 to 0.5 percent) detected in samples from the fissure zones are within the range of grades associated with world-class economic deposits, the volume of material enriched in cobalt at the study site is insufficient to warrant consideration as a potential resource. Concentrations of manganese, nickel, copper, lead, zinc, barium, and thallium, although anomalous, are too low for economic consideration. At the study site, workings consist of three trenches and nine pits. The exploration history is unknown, and no production is reported.

Jan 1, 1990

By Steven W. Schmauch

In 1985, at the request of the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Bureau of Mines studied 27,930 acres of the 52,000 acre East Fork High Rock Canyon Wilderness Study Area, CA-020-914/NV-020-006A, in order to evaluate the mineral resources. The study area is located in Humboldt and Washoe Counties, NV, about 45 miles east of Cedarville, CA. Bureau of Mines personnel reviewed pertinent literature and county mining records and examined prospects or mineralized areas. There are no organized mining districts and no historical or active claims in the study area; one small pit lies in the southwest corner of the study area. Based on published literature, sample results and field observations, there are no recognized mineral, geothermal, or fossil fuel resources. Epithermal mineralization indicators are not present or exposed. Sand and gravel deposits in the study area are not likely to be developed as other deposits are closer to market areas.

Jan 1, 1986

By G. Hakes

A data bank on bolter technology was assembled which included state-of-the-art industrial equipment as well as new equipment currently under development for the U.S. Bureau of Mines. This information was augmented by field visits to selected USBM contractors, mine operators and others for the purpose of obtaining a thorough understanding of present coal mine roof bolting safety and productivity problems. These direct contacts provided valuable insight regarding requirements for new bolting equipment necessary to assure wide user acceptance. Using this background material and information, a series of roof bolter concepts was developed offering improved operator safety with minimum impact on productivity. The concepts developed utilize existing componentry and technology wherever possible. All of the concepts feature a fully protected operator station located 6' to 10' outby the active bolt line and the hazardous rotating machinery.

Jan 1, 1978

By P. -É. Boileau, S. Mandapuram, Shiping Ma, S. Rakheja

The absorbed power (PAbs) has been suggested as a better measure of human responses to whole-body vibration, since it relates to the cumulative energy dissipated by the body exposed over a given duration. Moreover, unlike the other measures, the PAbs can adequately account for the intensity of exposure. Although, the vast majority of off-road vehicles impose considerably severe vibration along the horizontal axes, the vast majority of studies on biodynamic response characterization consider only vertical vibration. Only a few studies have reported PAbs responses of the seated human body exposed to horizontal vibration and the major contributing factors [1]. This study aims to characterize the PAbs responses of seated human subjects to horizontal (uncoupled x- and y-axis) vibration as functions of the vibration intensity, subject mass, seat height and the, type of back support. Methods Experiments were conducted using a rigid seat with an adjustable backrest inclination and seat height. The seat was installed on a horizontal vibration simulator and the forces at the seat base and the backrest were measured by three-axis force plates. Two single-axis accelerometers were installed on the seat back and the platform, oriented along the axis of motion. The experiments were performed using three different seat heights (350, 390 and 410 mm), back support conditions (NB- no back support and sitting erect; Wb0- Upper body supported against a vertical back support; and WbA- back supported against an inclined backrest, while sitting relaxed) and three different magnitudes of broad band excitations in the 0.5-10 Hz frequency range (0.25, 0.5 and 1 m/s2 rms acceleration under x-axis and y-axis, applied independently). A total of 8 healthy adult male volunteers with total body mass ranging from 59.4 kg to 92 kg and aged between 21-51 years took part in the experiments. The subjects were seated with their hands in lap, and feet supported on the moving platform for each posture. Each measurement was repeated 2 times, while the data were analysed using a bandwidth of 50 Hz and frequency resolution of 0.0625 Hz. [ ] The data were analyzed to derive the absorbed power characteristics of the body at both seat pan and backrest interfaces, while the coherence among the measured forces and accelerations wer

Jan 6, 2006

By Sam McNary

The U.S. Bureau of Mines used the East Fork Pine Creek watershed to conduct a pilot study for an inactive and abandoned mine lands inventory, during which techniques and methodologies would be developed for subsequent inventories. A total of 177 waste dump samples, 191 mill tailings samples, and 36 stream sediment samples were collected. Water samples were collected from 18 sample sites during five sampling events. Waste dump, tailings, and stream sediment samples were analyzed for antimony, arsenic, cadmium, copper, iron, lead, mercury, and zinc. Results indicate a multidisciplinary approach is necessary: disciplines should include geology, geostatistis, geochemistry, geophysics, biology, hydrology, and remote sensing; small prospects do not generally contribute to watershed contamination, major mine and mill sites may contribute metal enriched sediment of metal enriched water; speciation studies and bioavailability studies are important.

Jan 1, 1995

By William P. Diamond

Ventilation has long been the primary means of controlling methane emissions in underground coal mines. However, as mining has progressed into gassier areas of U.S. coal basins, supplemental means of methane control have become of interest, if not a necessity, for continued safe and productive mining operations. This paper describes the history and technology of methane drainage in the United States and other countries. The methane drainage technology developed in European countries is a valuable resource since their longer history of mining has already forced mine operators to deal with methane emission problems only now being experienced in the United States. Methods for assessing the need for methane drainage and the data required for planning and implementing an appropriate system are reviewed. The effectiveness of the various technologies for reducing methane emissions underground and/or the in-place gas content of individual coalbeds is illustrated with case studies. In addition to the safety and productivity gains to be realized from methane drainage systems, the potential for commercialization of coalbed methane is discussed.

Jan 1, 1994

By Ronald F. Balazik

The introduction of "high-tech" materials such as new polymer composites presents significant competitive challenges and opportunities in conventional mineral markets. Moreover, rapid advances in materials science are critical to the resolution of important economic and strategic issues, including national competitiveness and import dependence. This Bureau of Mines study examines the displacement of conventional nonfuel mineral materials by certain new materials, specifically advanced plastics and ceramics. Analyses of substitution by plastics are conducted for five major U.S. industrial sectors: motor vehicle manufacturing, aerospace applications, building and construction, packaging, and heavy machinery production. Based on interviews with more than 60 scientists, executives, and other professionals engaged in materials development and sales, forecasts of substitution by plastics during the 1990's are made for aluminum, steel, and glass. In addition to these forecasts, study findings identify key factors that will influence the emergence of advanced materials in the next decade.

Jan 1, 1987

By Paul R. Coyle, Anthony T. Iannacchione

A close look at the Loyalhanna Limestone of southwestern Pennsylvania reveals a complex structural environment. Most exposures of the Loyalhanna occur along Chestnut Ridge and LaurelHill within the Allegheny Mountain Section of the Appalachian Plateaus Province. Because the Loyalhanna is rated as a super-pavement aggregate by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and because of its proximity to the population centers of southwestern Pennsylvania, the Loyalhanna has been extensively mined along these prominent anticlinal structures. Geologic and engineering analyses were performed using gas well and core logs, outcrop examinations, underground observations, and mine maps. Strata exposures from both outcrops and quarries were used to construct geologic maps, stereo net, and rose diagram projections so that the Loyalhanna’s structural environment could be understood better. Many of these structural conditions cause ground control problems at local quarries. These problems ranged from small-to-moderate sized rock falls associated with roof jointing to pillar failures associated with dipping discontinuities. Stresses ranged from tensional on structural domes where weathering dominates, to high levels of compression within structural saddles. A greater understanding of these characteristics is a prerequisite to develop engineering controls, such as improved mine layouts, pillar sizes, etc., that lessen miner exposure to these hazards.

By G. Molinda, D. Dolinar

Each year, about 2,000 falls of supported roof occur in the more than 800 underground U.S. coal mines. Therefore to help improve the design of primary support systems, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) conducted a nationwide study of roof falls in over 2,500 km of roadways at 37 coal mines. Information on the roof falls as well as other geotechnical, mining, geologic and roof bolting factors were collected and quantified Then a multi variate statistical analysis was conducted on the data with the roof fall rate being the outcome variable The results were used to derive preliminary design guidelines for predicting the roof bolt length, capacity, and pattern required to effectively reduce the roof fall rate. The equations are fairly limited by a relatively high statistical variance in the data. Also reported is a recent survey of U.S roof bolt manufacturers that shows a significant change in bolt types used over the last ten years.

By Scott A. Stebbins

This Bureau of Mines publication presents a method for estimating capital and operating costs associated with the exploration, mining, and processing of placer deposits. To ensure representative cost estimates, operational parameters for placering equipment and basic principles of placer mining techniques are detailed.

Jan 1, 1987

By Martin Berman

Tables of 28 positions for all the transitions for nine common analyzing crystals for first, second, and third order reflections were compiled by the Bureau of Mines to facilitate elemental X-ray fluorescence analysis on multi-element systems. The tables are based on a compatible set of wavelengths for 2,346 observed X-ray transitions of the elements lithium to americium. The results are tabulated in order of increasing wavelength as well as by increasing wavelength for each element.

Jan 1, 1969

By H. D. Kline

This paper is one of a series being prepared by the Bureau of Mines on methods, practices, and costs in various mining districts in the United States. The paper describes mining and ore recovery methods common to the Batesville manganese district, Independence County, Ark., and gives the costs of producing merchantable ore by three operators whose methods were more or less typical of those of many other local manganese producers. The operating costs reported were those of Leonard Baxter at mines on Brooks Hill for the calendar year 1958 and Arkansas Mining and Exploration Corp. at Section 16 mine and the Searcy group of mines and Miller-McGee Corp. at the Diener mine during the first 6 months of 1959. Manganese are was mined in the district as early as 1849 and almost continuously thereafter until August 1959, when termination of the Government's domestic manganese purchase program resulted in complete cessation of mining activity. During those years, production came from more than 189 mines and properties, of which only a few produced as much as 30,000 tons of merchantable ore.

Jan 1, 1962

By Frank E. Chase, Deno M. Pappas, Christopher Mark

Multiple seam interactions are a major ground control hazard in many U.S. underground coal mines. The two most common types are: • Undermining, where stress concentrations caused by previous full extraction in an overlying seam is the primary concern, and; • Overmining, where previous full extraction in an underlying seam can result in stress concentrations and rock damage from subsidence. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has completed a major study aimed at helping to identify the location and likely severity of these interactions. In the course of field visits to mines throughout the U.S., more than 300 multiple seam case histories were assembled into the largest data base of multiple seam case histories ever collected. These data were analyzed with the multivariate statistical technique of logistic regression. The study also employed LaM2D to estimate the multiple seam stresses, ALPS and ARMPS to determine pillar stability factors, and the CMRR to measure roof quality. The study resulted in the development of a computer program, called Analysis of Multiple Seam Stability (AMSS), which can help mine planners to evaluate each potential interaction and take steps to reduce the risk of ground control failure. AMSS first evaluates pillar design by calculating the single seam Stability Factor (SFSS) using ALPS or ARMPS. It also automatically generates a LaM2D analysis that provides the additional multiple seam stress so that the final, multiple seam SFMS can be determined. The second part of the AMSS procedure builds upon the statistical findings that overmining is much more difficult than undermining, isolated remnant pillars cause more problems than gob-solid boundaries, and weaker roof significantly increases the risk of multiple seam interactions. AMSS quantifies these effects and predicts the outcome in terms of three levels of risk: GREEN (where a major multiple seam interaction is considered unlikely), YELLOW (where adding a pattern of cable bolts or other equivalent supplemental support could greatly reduce the probability of a major interaction.), or RED (a major interaction should be considered likely, and it may be desirable to avoid the area entirely).

By Paul S. Lewis

The Bureau of Mines hydrogenated coals of different rank that had been irradiated with either x-rays or gamma rays. Lignite, high-volatile A and C bituminous, and low-volatile bituminous coals were exposed to l billion roent¬gens of gamma-ray radiation; specimens of high-volatile A and C bituminous coals from other sources received 6 million roentgens of X-ray radiation. Irradiated and unirradiated control specimens of those coals were hydrogenated in autoclave experiments at (6,000-p.s.i. final pressure and 400° C. with retention times of 15, 30, or 60 minutes depending on the coal rank and catalytic treatment. Comparison of results from irradiated specimens with those from the control experiments showed that the radiation had no beneficial effect on the coal. High-volatile C bituminous coal may have been affected by radiation more than the other coals. One billion roentgens appeared to reduce the amount of coal converted to liquids and gases by about 10 pct., and 6 million roentgens reduced it by about 6 pct. then catalyzed with tin. In all other cases, the conversion of irradiated coal was either reduced by as much as 4 pct. or was essentially the sank as that obtained with unirradiated coal. Irradiation during hydrogenation nay be effective for increasing the reactivity of coal and should be investigated; further work with coals irradiated prier to hydrogenation is not recommended.

Jan 1, 1962

By Gloria L. Walker

The Bureau of Mines Information and Analysis Directorate collects worldwide data on virtually every commercially important non fuel mineral commodity. These data form the base for tracking and assessing the health of the minerals sector of the U.S. economy. This data collection activity was instituted by the 47th Congress in an appropriations act of August 7, 1882 (22 Stat. 329), to place the collection of mineral statistics on an annual basis. The most recent authority for the Bureau of Mines Information and Analysis activity is the National Materials and Minerals Policy, Research and Development Act of 1980 (Public Law 96-479, 96th Congress), which strengthens protection for proprietary data provided to the U.S. Department of the Interior by persons or firms engaged in any phase of mineral or mineral-material production or consumption.

Jan 1, 1990

By Gloria L. Walker

The Bureau of Mines Information and Analysis Directorate collects worldwide data on virtually every commercially important nonfuel mineral commodity. These data form the base for tracking and assessing the health of the minerals sector of the U.S. economy. This data collection activity was instituted by the 47th Congress in an appropriations act of August 7, 1882 (22 Stat. 329), to place the collection of mineral statistics on an annual basis. The most recent authority for the Bureau of Mines Information and Analysis activity is the National Materials and Minerals Policy, Research and Development Act of 1980 (Public Law 96-479, 96th Congress), which strengthens protection for proprietary data provided to the U.S. Department of the Interior by persons or firms engaged in any phase of mineral or mineral-material production or consumption.

Jan 1, 1990