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By R. W. Smith, S. H. Ash

Marked progress in safety has characterized the operation of coal mines in general in the State of Washington during the 5- year period 1928-1932 , particularly during the years 1931 and 1932. Physical conditions such as steep pitches , inherently bad roof and floor , prevalence of gas , and explosibility of the dust of Washington coals present certain definite hazards . Although advances have been made in accident reduction in Washington , the State still has far to go in that direction . The State has endeavored to reduce its coal -mine accidents by the usual method of making certain definite safety requirements mandatory . The value of education has not been underrated , but the educational method used has not altogether achieved the res lts desired by the industry itself , particularly within certain imdividual organizations . The past 2 years have witnessed a growth , in certain instances , of the essential ideas that the observance of safety precautions on the part of all is demanded if accidents are to be reduced , and that the initiating and carrying out of any program to promote and obtain desired results in accident elimination must begin and function from the top downward . Mining operations of Washington mines have been described in various publications of the United States Bureau of Mines .

Jun 1, 1933

By Grant R. Brown

This report presents the results of a study examining the relationship between supervisor characteristics and performance in underground coal mines, The specific objectives of the research include; document tasks performed by first-line supervisors during a normal shift; explain why supervisors carry out their duties as they do: identify salient characteristics of effective first-line supervisors; and formulate criteria for selecting and developing candidate supervisors. To accomplish the study objectives, on-site observation and data collection was carried out at 13 underground mines in Illinois, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. One hundred thirty-eight first-line supervisors were observed during a full work-shift and discussions with the supervisors and the mine superintendent were held during the course of the visit. The observational data from the study provide a detailed description of what supervisors to during their shift. The report begins with an introduction discussing the problem being studied and objectives of the research. The literature related to supervisor selection is then reviewed. The following section describes the research design including data collection procedures and statistical methodology used in the study. The next sections present the analysis of mine, section, crew, and supervisor characteristics. The report concludes with a discussion of the results of the study and recommendations concerning supervisor selection and development.

Jan 1, 1987

By James Westfield

A brief résumé follows of some of the most recent activities of the Division of Coal-Mine Inspection that have had a favorable effect. on health, safety, and injuries at coal mines: 1. There were approximately 8,510 active coal mines in the United States during 1955. In all, 82,389 regular Federal inspections of coal mines have been made since Public Law 49 became effective in May 1941; 9,823 of these inspections were made during 1955. 2. The Bureau of Mines introduced the revised Coal-Mine Accident-Prevention Course for Supervisors in the coal-mining industry on March 1, 1948. Since that date, 19,455 supervisors and those aspiring to official positions have completed such training conducted by personnel of the Division of Coal-Mine Inspection.

Jan 1, 1956

This Bureau of Mines report and its companion report (Information Circular 9143) have been prepared to assist in the preparation of prefeasibility type estimates for capital and operating costs of mining of various types of mineral occurrences using current technology. The handbook provides a convenient costing procedure based on the summation of the casts for the unit processes required in any particular mining or mineral processing operation. The costing handbook consists of a series of costing sections, each corresponding to a specific mining unit process. Contained within each section is the methodology to estimate either the capital or operating cost for that unit process. The unit process sections may be used to generate, in January 1984 dollars, costs through the use of either costing curves or formulae representing the prevailing technology. Coverage for surface mining includes dredging, quarrying, strip mining, and open pit mining. The underground mining includes individual development sections for drifting, raising, shaft sinking, stope development, various mining methods, underground mine haulage, general plant, and underground mine administrative cost. This system can be used for estimating cost data for an undeveloped deposit or for checking or verifying mining costs from a developed deposit, with a minimum amount of background information.

Jan 1, 1987

By R. S. Dean

This report, the second of a series of annual reports of the Metallurgical Division to be released in this form covers the fiscal year July 1, 1935, to June 30, 1936. The technological work of the division is performed by sections. Thus, an efficient organization is provided to prosecute the various problems under investigation, and a logical system is set up for presenting the material contained in this report.

Jan 1, 1937

By Charles B. Carpenter

[The Bureau of Mines selected Anahuac for a petroleum-engineering study because it is one of the notable fields of the Gulf Coast region. It is outstanding because the producing for is very thick; every modern technique of drilling' and development has been applied; complete records of all operations,, including detailed subsurface information have been kept; the field has been developed systematically; and every effort has been made to utilize the reservoir energy efficiently Data and information pertaining to the development anal operation were collected, compiled, and studied by the writers as if the field were under single ownership. The chief aim-of the stud,, was to increase the accuracy of the existing methods of estimating reserves by applying all the data collected during the modern development of an oil-field, These scientific aids include coring; electric logging; micropaleontology determinations of porosity, permeability of oil-bearing sands, and their connate water content; subsurface sampling of the reservoir oil; and depth-pressure measurements. Because the reservoir structure in the Anahuac field is extremely complex, special attention was given to methods of calculating the reservoir volume.]

Jan 1, 1941

By R. V. Higgins

The Bureau of Mines investigated the use of electronic computers for obtaining more information about relative permeabilities of reservoir rock to oil and water. It was found that there are many possible combinations of relative permeability curves that will result in virtually the same recovery versus injection) but they require different times and rates to recover the oil even with different mobility ratios. Permeability curves obtained by the use of non-viscous oil and employed for calculating the waterfloods of viscous oils can lead to serious inaccuracies. For viscous oils) the wettability characteristics in the middle portion of the permeability curve affect recovery nearly as much as other portions of the curve; this) however) is not true for non-viscous oils in water-wet reservoir rock.

Jan 1, 1967

By E. J. Lintner

This paper is one of a series being prepared by the United States Bureau of Mines describing clay mining and crushing methods and costs at various operations throughout the United States. These papers are designed to disseminate technical information regarding methods used. The cost tabulations represent local operating expenditures only and not total production costs. It is recognized that publication of total production costs might perhaps, in many instances, cause embarrassment to the individual operator as well as to the industry as a whole. On the other hand, operating costs are essential to the technical discussion and study of the methods employed. The attention of the reader is specifically called to this distinction in order that no misunderstanding of the scope of the cost tabulation shall ensue. The following report deals specifically with the methods employed by the Camp Brothers Company, Mogadore, Summit County, Ohio.

Jan 1, 1936

By N. L. Kozlinsky, B. W. Gandrud

"The Marvel mines 1 and 3 of the Roden Coal Co. are located in the Cahaba field in Bibb County, Ala., nearly southwest from Birmingham, an airline distance of roughly 30 miles. The coal of the Clark seam at this point has some coking properties, but at present it is sold exclusively as a domestic and steaming coal.This paper, which is the second of a series on the washability of Alabama coals, like its predecessor dealing with the Mary Lee seam,5 contains screen-sizing and float-and-sink tests of a representative sample of the raw slack, and slotted-screen tests showing the proportions of flaky particles in certain selected sizes; inasmuch as this coal is not used for coke manufacture, no crushing tests have been made. These data have been obtained in connection with an exhaustive study of coal preparation in Alabama, now being conducted by the United States Bureau of Mines and the University of Alabama with the cooperation of the different coal operators. As the work progresses, other papers will follow containing further data on Alabama coals and giving results obtained in preparing these coals by various methods.The only published investigative work on the Clark seam is that of Forbes,6 who gives a number of sections of this seam in Marvel No. 3 mine with proximate and ultimate analyses of face samples taken in the mine and also some analyses of delivered coal.The available information on this coal indicated that the preparation problem was one of ash reduction. In order to substantiate this information a complete analysis of the 3/4 by 3/16 inch size, and sulphur determinations and ash-fusibility tests of the float-and-sink fractions have been made; these results are given in Tables 1 and 2. As these results also indicate that the preparation problem is one of ash reduction, the tests and discussion have been devoted to that subject."

Jun 1, 1930

By L. F. Christianson

The presence of salt in crude petroleum has been known for many years, but recently the percentage of chloride salts of calcium, magnesium, and sodium produced with some crude oils has increased to such an extent that the removal of the salty compounds is imperative for some refiners and their presence causes considerable apprehension for others. The exact reason for this increase of salts is not known definitely, but in all probability a combination of factors contributes to the condition. The most important are acidizing of wells, development of new fields producing crude oils of greater salt content, and the depletion of old fields with an attending increase in the production of emulsified brine. Due to handling

Jan 1, 1938

By C. V. Jude

This U. S. Bureau of Mines (USBM) report presents results of stress analyses and field observations to investigate the effects of elevated trench drifts on the structural stability of rock mass zones surrounding a production draw drift in a mine utilizing a mechanized load-haul-dump (LHD) trench undercut panel caving system. A two-dimensional boundary-element mine stress model was developed to predict the locations and extent of damaged rock mass zones surrounding draw drifts where adjacent, parallel trench drifts are either elevated or not elevated above the LHD production draw drift level. A Mohr-Coulomb shear-failure criterion was obtained directly from in situ borehole shear test data. Hock-Brown shear-failure parameter values were computed from borehole-shear and triaxial test data. A procedure is described to estimate these parameters when a rock mass rating (RMR) value and triaxial data on intact samples exist, and no borehole shear test data exist Results indicate that trench drifts, elevated to the level equal to the height of the LHD production draw drift, would not minimize material damage nor significantly enhance the stability of rib and crown pillar zones surrounding production draw drifts in the mechanized LHD trench undercut caving panel investigated at this mine.

Jan 1, 2010

By Thomas S. Jones

This Bureau of Mines publication reviews characteristics, manufacture, and uses of natural and synthetic iron oxide pigments. Supply and demand trends within the domestic industry and in foreign trade are presented for 1955 through 1976. Iron oxides are expected to continue in demand for traditional uses, and if anything, to be favorably affected by technological developments. Imports have been significant in relation to domestic production, most notably for synthetic oxides from West Germany and Canada.

Jan 1, 1978

By Charles L. Harness, A. T. Coons

Sodium carbonate, Na2CO3, more commonly known as soda ash, is the most important of the alkalies. Sulfuric acid is the only heavy chemical, Soda ash enters the market either as the natural product or as a manufactured derivative of common salt. Notwithstanding their common occurrence in closed basins of the Western States, natural sodas are produced at present by only four firms, all in the same California area, and satisfy only 4 percent of domestic demand for soda ash; soda ash made from salt supplies 96 percent of the requirements. The impossibility in wartime of routing all westbound American shipping through the Panama Cami.l has curtailed Pacific Coast receipts of soda ash and-increased the importance of local resources of natural carbonates. One of the most promising of ·these is the recently discovered trona (sodium sesquicarbonate)· deposit 2o·mnes· west of Green River, Wyo. Reserves are likely to run into hundreds ·of million·s of tons, and the deposit probably could be worked by the room-and~pillar· system of mining, like common salt or coal. • • Raw materials ·ne·cessary for manufacturing synthetic soda ash occur closely associated in m·afiy parts· bf the United 8tates. Almost unlimited resources of salt in brines and in rock-salt depbsits are located near limestone quarries in many areas. The· limesto'ne furnishes the carbon dioxide for the manufacture of soda ash arid the lime f o'r the recovery of ammonia. used in one step of the process. Expansion of the industry to meet wartime needs depends chiefly on availability of trained labor, materials, and equipment necessary for the erection of additional units.

Jun 1, 1942

U.S. Bureau of Mines contract H0122053, "Improved Sensors and Fire Control Systems for Mining Equipment", was an investigative effort involving: ? Study of the fire problem on large mobile mining equipment ? Identification of equipment most prone to fire, to serve as a design case example ? Design of an improved fire protection system ? Demonstration of the developed system This effort was performed during the period June 1972 through May 1973, and was conducted in two phases. Phase I, June through November 1972, was devoted to identifying the fire problem and developing and evaluating design criteria. Phase II involved translating the design into hardware and demonstrating its effectiveness during actual fire tests, first on a wooden mockup of a truck, then on an operating truck at a working mine site.

Jan 1, 1973

By Oliver C. Ralston

The Nonmetals Division studies problems relating to the use of minerals, many of which are important to national defense, for purposes other than the: extraction of metals. In fact, virtually all of the work of the division has been diverted to investigations pertaining to better use of the Nation's natural nonmetallics is resources as weapons of defense. The experiment stations of the division are at Norris, Tenn.; Tuscaloosa, Ala.; Seattle, Wash.; and College Park, Md. Studies involving the application of electric power to the nonmetallic minerals are conducted at the Electrotechnical Laboratory at Norris, and investigations on mineral-dressing treatment are conducted mainly at the Southern Experiment Station at Tuscaloosa. The cleaning and preparation of coal are studied at both Tuscaloosa and the Northwest Experiment Station Lit Seattle (other projects relating to utilization of coal are conducted by the Coal Division of they Bureau of Mines). Problems covering the use of minerals and fundamental problems as to their properties are studied at College Park.

Jan 1, 1941

By Chas. F. Jackson

This paper is one of a series dealing with mining methods and costs, prepared and published under the sponsorship of the United States Bureau of Mines and made possible through the cooperation f many mining companies in the United States and foreign countries. The preparation of this paper follows a field study of top-slice mining during which the author visited and discussed with operating officials a large number of iron mines in the Lake Superior region. During this study special note was made of changes in top-slicing practice during the past decade, prior to which the author had acquired several years experience with the method through active connection with a number of mines employing top slicing.

Jan 1, 1931

By C. M. McCulloch

The methane content of virgin bituminous coalbed can now be measured accurately in the field with exploration core samples from vertical boreholes. The gas content of the coal per unit weight can be used either to design a mine ventilation system or to determine if degasification of the coalbed will be necessary before mining, and to determine the gas resources in the coalbed. The equipment necessary to conduct the test costs less than $50. The gas con-tent of the coal in place in the ground is determined by summing the gas lost from coring, gas measured during desorption, and the residual gas in the coal. Upon removal from the borehole, the core sample is placed in an airtight container and des orbed for several weeks until the desorption rate is below 0.05 cm3/g for 5 consecutive days. The gas lost from the core while it was being cored and the residual gas are estimated by a new graphical method. The amount of gas remaining depends upon whether the coal is friable or blocky. Friability appears to relate to the depth of the sample below the surface, fixed carbon percentage, Hardgrove grindability index, and proximity to tectonic disturbance. Friable coals emit nearly 96 pct of the total gas during desorption whereas a blocky coal emits only 60 pct of its total gas. Coalbeds that are ill defined as to their blocky or friable nature must be tested in the laboratory for unambiguous analysis.

Jan 1, 1975

By F. S. Crawford

Although it may be impracticable to adopt standard methods of safe working in all branches of mining, and although it may be impossible to establish a standard for each class of work at each mine, some of the iron-mining companies in the Lake Superior district have found that by adopting certain standard ways of performing certain of their operations they insure both more efficient and safer working conditions. Many companies have adopted the idea that the safe way of doing things is also the most efficient and economical way, and, through the medium of their safety conferences they are trying to find the safest way, and the most efficient way, of performing practically every operation about the mines. This activity will, undoubtedly, be continued at every operation which uses this method of doing safety work, because in the advance of industry changes must be made in the results required from time to time. A review of the safety standards and safety suggestions which have been arrived at by some of the companies in this the greatest iron-mining district in the world, will be of value to companies who are interested in improving the safety of their working conditions. So that attention may be directed to the methods in use, rather than to individual companies, all names have been omitted and companies are referred to only by letter.

Aug 1, 1931

By Eldon K. Stanek

The material presented in this chapter is a review of the work done during the period from June 23, 1972 to June 22, 1973 which was reported in detail in the first annual report for Grant No. 60122088 which was submitted on June 29, 1973. This report has appeared in the National Technical Information Service as bulletin number PB230 972/AS. 1.2 ANALYTICAL PREDICTIONS OF INDUCED VOLTAGES AND CURRENTS The basic building block in this analytical work is the development of an equivalent circuit. The equivalent circuit for the cable depends on all of the distributed parameters of the cable, although the series inductance and resistance are of primary importance. The cable resistances are generally available from handbooks or from cable manufacturers. On the other hand, the cable inductances are not usually available from either handbooks or the manufacturer's published data. Thus, it is useful to present the results of the derivation of the inductance matrix and a few intermediate steps.

Jan 1, 1975

By Albert E. Long

During the summer and fall of 1948 the Bureau of Mines, in cooperation with the U. S. Geological Survey, conducted 6xperiments in diamond core drilling in the Phosphoria formation in southeastern Idaho and southwestern Wyoming. Nearly all of the diamond core drilling in the Phosphoria formation has been done by mining companies interested in finding and developing phosphate-bearing beds amenable to stripping. The recovery of sludge; and enough core (usually 30 to 60 percent) to identify certain marker beds produced by current drilling practices meets both the primary requirement of mining companies in determining depth of overburden and their secondary need to determine the phosphate content of relatively thick minable units whose general composition and nature are already fairly well established.

Jan 1, 1949