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By Frank R. Hunter

INTRODUCTION Scope of Work Tins paper represents the results of an investigation of the presence, amounts, and degree of concentration of heavy minerals found in the pulp of the phosphate flotation plant at Peace Valley, Fla., which is operated by the International Minerals and Chemical Corporation of Chicago. In this paper, heavy minerals are those, excepting collophane, that sink in acetylene tetrabromide with a specific gravity of 2.95. Percentages of heavy minerals at several points of the flowsheet and the species of minerals have been determined. Some information as to the screen size of the minerals has been acquired. Previous Work All previous published reports or investigations of the deposits of heavy minerals in Florida have been limited to present beach sands. The mining operations conducted by the Humphreys Gold Corp. about seven miles east of Jacksonville along an ancient shore line have been described in trade journals, but descriptions of the minerals have been lacking. Commercial grades of ilmenite, zircon, and rutile are produced on a large scale. Papers have been published on heavy minerals found on the Florida beaches.I-6 Location "International's" Peace Valley flotation plant is in south-central Polk County, Fla. about eight miles south of Bartow and along the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad. The mine surrounds the plant and includes about 1500 acres of the phosphatic lands in this area. GEOLOGY General Setting All of the rock underlying the area is almost horizontal. The oldest bed exposed is part of the Hawthorn phosphatic limestone of Miocene age. This outcrops in the stream bed of the Peace River about one mile east of the plant. Elsewhere the Hawthorn is covered except where it has been exposed by mining operations. The Bone Valley formation of Pliocene age, which is the phosphatic stratum extensively mined in this area, unconformably overlies the Hawthorn. Resting unconformably upon the Bone Valley formation are Pleistocene (?) terrace deposits of unconsolidated quartz sand which comprise the overburden of the phosphate ore. Stratigraphy Hawthorn formation: "Bedrock" of the pebble phosphate deposits is a cream to white colored, sandy, dense limestone containing varying amounts of small grains and nodules of collophane. The upper surface of the formation is undulating and irregular showing evidence of former

Jan 1, 1947

By Akira Usui

Occurrence of hydrogenetic ferromanganese crusts has been well documented over inactive seamounts in the central and southern Pacific Ocean. It has been thus believed that the hydrogenetic crusts develop preferentially at water depths between about 800 to 2500 meters. In fact, according to the Manganese Crust Database (F. Manheim, 1988), only two occurrences are known at water depths below 5000 m out of 819 occurrences cited in the database. Unexpectedly, we found typical hydrogenetic ferromanganese crusts from deep-sea floors; 1) outcropping old volcanic basement over the Philippine Sea Plate (abandoned spreading centers and subducting old oceanic crusts) and 2) one from the slope of an abyssal hill in the Central Pacific Basin (Cretaceous deep-sea basin) at water depths ranging between 5200 to 6100 meters. We report their occurrences with submersible observations from Shinkai 6K, physical parameters (such as thickness of crusts about 2-4 cm in maximum), chemical composition, petrology of substrate, and results of Be-10 dating for some samples in comparison with typical Co-rich manganese crusts from the Central Pacific seamounts. The preliminary chemical and mineralogical analyses reveal that they are of typical hydrogenetic origin, and typical of iron-manganese oxide mineral, vernadite, slow and probably continuous growth, and lower content of Co than the Central Pacific seamount crusts. The occurrences and nature of the crusts indicate that deep-sea floors are also optimal for the growth of hydrogenetic crust even at 5000 m water depth or deeper, only if oxygenated deep waters are supplied and the sea-floor morphology keeps stable enough for significant geological time period. Additional details of chemical analyses will be prepared by November and to be shown in the conference.

Jan 1, 2001

By J. Smuts

The mixed-valence iron silicate ISCORITE (Fe7Si010) was identified recently in a number of ironmakingmater1als, some of which were first produced more than a century ago. Although the existence of iscorite was not reported before 1967 and published phase diagrams do not make provision for it, the morphology of the phase in all the materials that were examined suggests that it is stable under a variety of conditions. It is shown that is-corite can accommodate various foreign cations in its lattice where they can replace Fe and/or Si. The morphology of is-corite in a number of materials of different origin is shown in relation to iron oxides and silicates in optical and SEM/BSE images.

Jan 1, 1991

By H. F. Mills

THE Iron King mine is 12 miles east of Prescott Arizona, in low foothills of the Agua Fria mining district. It was operated in 1906 and 1907, using gravity methods of concentration, mostly on oxide ores. In 1923 and 1924 shipments of sulphide ores were made to the Humboldt smelter. It remained inactive and stripped until 1936, when it was unwatered and sampled to the 400-ft level, the bottom at that time. In 1937 the Iron King Mining Co. purchased the mine and shipped oxide ores. During 1938 a bulk flotation plant of 140 tons daily capacity was erected. The mill has been enlarged and operations have been continuous since the mill first started. In July 1942, the Shattuck Denn Mining Corporation purchased the physical assets from the Iron King Mining Co., and since that time it has operated as the Iron King Branch of the Shattuck Denn Mining Corporation. Economic metals recovered are gold, zinc, silver, lead, a little copper, and fluxing pyrite. The ore occurs as a series of northward-dipping shoots arranged in echelon pattern, the series extending over a length of 3500 ft. Strike lengths of shoots vary from 60 to 600 ft, and widths from 3 ft to as much as 14 ft. The ore occurs in a sheared zone in pre-Cambrian chloritic schist. This schist belt is about 6 miles wide, and the ore zone is about 4 miles from the pre-Cambrian granites to the west. No intrusive rocks have been found in the mine, nor is there evidence of any on surface that might indicate a genetic connection with the ore occurrence (Fig I). The schists strike N23°E and dip 75° to the northwest, which might indicate an overturned thrusting from the granites. In the upper levels, the echelon pattern in which the ore occurs was quite regular, no disturbance of the enclosing schist, or of any faulting that might contribute to the formation of the ore pattern was noted. There is a possibility that the ore zone may be on the axis of an isoclinal fold. Another interesting feature is the more or less typical zoning of minerals along the strike in each of the ore shoots (Fig 2). The north end of each shoot is enclosed by schist, while the south ends usually extend out at full width beyond the economic mining limits in a pyrite-quartz low-grade material. The plane of demarcation between ore and schist is very sharp, with little or no impregnation of sulphide in the schist, especially on the footwall side. The footwall schists are usually firm and strong, and vary from dioritic phases to fine-grained, lighter colored bands, almost silky in texture. The hanging wall for a width of 50 to 8o ft consists of alternating sheetings of chloritic and pyritic schists. The mine is now partly developed to the 92o-ft level, with some diamond drilling from the 1150-ft station of No. 6 shaft. Economically there has been little change in nature or grade of ore from the top of the sulphides, about 200 ft below surface, to the bottom levels. There have been a few echelons in depth, just as there are in plan, and while a few shoots have had

Jan 1, 1947

By M. W. Hayward

THE object of this paper is to record and tabulate the data and field observations obtained by the writers and their associates during 10 years of intensive study of lead-zinc deposits in the Cretaceous limestone areas in Northern Mexico, particularly in mines owned by the Cia. Minera de Peñoles, S. A. At the El Paso meeting of the Institute in October, 1930, J. G. Barry made the suggestion that a committee be appointed to correlate the ideas and theories which have been put forth by the numerous engineers and geologists who, during recent years, have made a study of the ore deposits in the area under consideration. The first step in a work of this nature would be to record all of the observed facts, and these facts would have to be accepted by those who attempted to formulate a theory of ore deposition. It is with this idea in mind that the writers have described as accurately as possible the actual, observed facts pertaining to the occurrence of the lead-zinc ores in dolomites or dolomitic horizons. By most writers the term "dolomite," is loosely used to designate magnesium-bearing limestones, regardless of the percentage of MgO present. Since no, true dolomites exist in the areas to be described, we shall also loosely use the terms dolomite or dolomitic limestone to designate those beds having a magnesia content of 5 per cent MgO or more. For a number of years the writers have been impressed with the fact that in areas where dolomite beds occur a large percentage of the lead ore is found in these beds, in spite of the fact that such beds may be overlain or underlain by pure limestone, which one would assume to be just as favorable for replacement as the dolomite, if not more 'so on account of its being more soluble in acid solutions than the dolomite. It is true that in some limestone areas, such as the Erupcion-Ahumada districts, Chihuahua, and Providencia, Zacatecas, where no dolomite beds have been found, large tonnages of lead ores have been mined. We venture to predict, however, that had there been dolomitic beds in these areas, the

Jan 1, 1931

By M. W. Hayward

THE object of this paper is to record and tabulate the data and field observations obtained by the writers and their associates during 10 years of intensive study of lead-zinc deposits in the Cretaceous limestone areas in Northern Mexico, particularly in mines owned by the Cia Minera de Peñoles, S. A. At the El Paso meeting of the Institute in October, 1930, J. G. Barry made the suggestion that a committee be appointed to correlate the ideas and theories which have been put forth by the numerous engineers and geologists who, during recent years, have made a study of the ore deposits in the area under consideration. The first step in a work of this nature would be to record all of the observed facts, and these facts would have to be accepted by those who attempted to formulate a theory of ore deposition. It is with this idea in mind that the writers have described as accurately as possible the actual, observed facts pertaining to the occurrence of the lead-zinc ores in dolomites or dolomitic horizons. By most writers the term "dolomite" is loosely used to designate magnesium-bearing limestones, regardless of the percentage of MgO present. Since no true dolomites exist in the areas to be described, we shall also loosely use the terms dolomite or dolomitic limestone to desig-nate those beds having a magnesia content of 5 per cent MgO or more. For a number of years the writers have been impressed with the fact that in areas where dolomite beds occur a large percentage of the lead ore is found in these beds, in spite of the fact that such beds may be overlain or underlain by pure limestone, which one would assume to be just as favorable for replacement as the dolomite, if not more so on account of its being more soluble in acid solutions than the dolomite. It is true that in some limestone areas, such as the Erupcion-Ahumada districts, Chihuahua, and Providencia, Zacatecas, where no dolomite beds have been found, large tonnages of lead ores have been mined. We venture to predict, however, that had there been dolomitic beds in these areas, the

Jan 1, 1932

By Eugene N. Cameron

Pegmatites occur in abundance in certain areas of South West Africa and in adjacent parts of northern Cape Province in the Union of South Africa. Some of the pegmatite deposits were prospected before World War I, and intermittent mining was done during the period between the two World Wars. The deposits of the Jooste lithium mines became an important source of lepidolite, and beryl, columbite-tantalite, wolframite, and other minerals were produced. Since World War I1 prospecting and mining have been carried on vigorously, with the result that South West Africa produced nearly 3000 tons of beryl during 1949 through 1953, together with more than 40,000 tons of lithium minerals, chiefly lepidolite and petalite. Small amounts of tantalite, columbite, and other minerals have also been produced during the postwar period. Most of this mineral production has come from two pegmatite areas roughly outlined in Fig. 1. One is the Karibib-Omaruru area of north central South West Africa. The second is the northeastern part of the Orange River pegmatite area, which extends into adjacent parts of Namaqualand, in northern Cape Province of the Union of South Africa

Sep 1, 1955

By Charles S. Spirakis

The consistent occurrence of organic carbon early in the paragenesis of Mississippi Valley-type sulfide deposits suggests a genetic link between organic carbon and the sulfide ores. Reduction of sulfate in the mineralizing solution by organic carbon at the sites of mineralization is commonly proposed as the precipitation mechanism for these deposits, but inorganic sulfate reduction is too slow to be important to the chemistry of the ore zone, and bacteria, which catalyze sulfate reduction at low temperatures, are not known to survive at the temperatures of mineralization. Sulfate reduction with or without bacteria is not consistent with the sulfur Isotope evidence. Sulfur isotope studies also indicate that the derivation of sulfur from hydrocarbon at the sites of mineralization is unlikely. Organometallic complexing may be involved in the transport of metals, but no plausible mechanism for breaking these complexes at the sites of mineralization has been proposed. Reduction of partly oxidized sulfur species in the mineralizing solution by organic carbon at the sites of mineralization is a possibility which deserves further scrutiny.

Jan 1, 2013

By Griffith L, Lama RD

West Cliff Colliery mines Bulli Seam occurring at a depth of approximately 480 m. The Seam is intersected by a number of small shear zones and faults. While the faults have caused displacement of the seam, the shear zones are strike-slip structures with small apparent displacement of seam. Outbursts at West Cliff Colliery occur while driving through these shear zones. Few outburst wave occurred where faults have been intersected. In the last 3 years, over one hundred outbursts have occurred at West Cliff Colliery. The size of outbursts varies from a small bump to exceeding 140 tonnes of coal. A number of studies have been undertaken at West Cliff Colliery to control outbursts and predict Outbursts in advance of workings. These include: geological investigations, microseismic techniques, gas adsorption studies and gas drainage. The investigations to date suggest that outbursts of gas at West Cliff Colliery are more a gas phenomenon similar to what occurs in overseas mines. The results of various investigations are reported. West Cliff Colliery is located in the mid- west of the southern coal fields of N.S.W.

Jan 1, 1980

By Sidney Powers

CONTENTS PAGE Distribution of fields 4 History of development 6 Origin of oil 7 Structure,, accumulation and migration 8 Reservoir rocks 9 Methods of drilling and exploration to Oil-field statistics 12 Description by regions: United States: Appalachian region 12 East-central states 17 Kansas 18 Oklahoma 19 Texas 24 Arkansas 32 Louisiana 33 Mississippi -.. 34 Rocky Mountain region 34 California : 37 Canada 41 Mexico 43 Cuba 46 Bibliography 46 THE purpose of this brief account of the occurrence of petroleum in North America is to make available to those who have a knowledge of geology, but who are not engaged in the petroleum industry, a few salient facts about the location of oil and gas fields, their productivity, the important structural types of accumulation and the age of the rocks containing petroleum. A few useful data and statistics are furnished, yet not complete statistics that are available elsewhere. Geology has been treated in simple terms because the reader is presumed to have little interest in the names of formations and of oil sands. Mineral deposits are more or less analogous. Whether oil or metals, minerals are found in rocks, largely in sedimentary rocks which carry water or have at one time carried it. A genetic or accumula-

Jan 1, 1931

By Sidney Powers

CONTENTS PAGE Distribution of fields 4 History of development 6 Origin of oil 7 Structure, accumulation and migration 8 Reservoir rocks 9 Methods of drilling and exploration 10 Oil-field statistics : 12 Description by regions: United States: Appalachian region ; 12 East-central states 17 Kansas 18 Oklahoma : 19 Texas : 24 Arkansas : 32 Louisiana 33 Mississippi ....... 34 Rocky Mountain region : 34 California 37 Canada 41 Mexico 43 Cuba 46 Bibliography 46 THE purpose of this brief account- of the occurrence of petroleum in North America is to make available to those who have a knowledge of geology, but who are not engaged in the petroleum industry, a few salient facts about the location of oil and gas fields, their productivity, the important structural types of accumulation and the age of the rocks containing petroleum. A few useful data and statistics are furnished, yet not complete statistics that are available elsewhere. Geology has been treated in simple terms because the reader is presumed to have little interest in the names of formations and of oil sands. Mineral deposits are more or less analogous. Whether oil or metals, minerals are found in rocks, largely in sedimentary rocks which carry water or have at one time carried it. A genetic or accumula-

Jan 1, 1931

By M. R. Geer, Franklin T. Davis, H. F. Yancey

COKE with low phosphorus content is required by some of the electrometallurgical and chemical plants recently attracted to the Pacific Northwest by the hydroelectric power available from Bonneville and Grand Coulee dams. Shipping such coke into the area from eastern points involves a high freight charge, and during wartime consumes precious rail and ship-bottom space, so it is highly desirable to produce coke from the coking coals of Washington to meet the requirements of these industries. Although coke has been made from Washington coals since 1884, little has been known about their phosphorus contents or about the extent to which phosphorus could be reduced by cleaning. An investigation was undertaken, therefore, to determine the manner in which phosphorus occurs in the coking coals of Washington and its amenability to removal by ordinary coal-washing methods. PREVIOUS WORK Phosphorus is a deleterious element in coke used for numerous metallurgical processes, including the production of pig iron, yet comparatively little published information is available on the occurrence and elimination of phosphorus in any of the coals of this country. A variation from 0.009 to 0.062 per cent phosphorus in various horizons of the Pittsburgh bed in the Connellsville region of Pennsylania has been reported,1 and a reduction in phosphorus content from 0.020 per cent in the raw coal to 0.018 per cent in the washed coal was obtained in washing coal from the same bed in the Pittsburgh area;2 the latter figures represent average analyses for a year's operation of the washery on about 800,000 tons of coal. A reduction in phosphorus content from 0.018 to 0.011 per cent in washing coal from the Pittsburgh bed at another washery was observed, and the same report provides data on the phosphorus reduction obtained by separating 10 other coals on a bath of 1.35 specific gravity.3 European investigators have been especially active in correlating phosphorus content with petrographic analysis; fusain and durain generally contain the highest percentage of phosphorus, but this relationship is not universal.4 Some of these investigators have found that phosphorus is removed in the coal-washing process,5 but others have observed that the clean coal contained as much or even more phosphorus than the raw coal.6

Jan 1, 1944

By Peter Sonnenfeld

Bedded potash deposits are known only from Phanerozoic evaporite sequences. They are composed of either sylvite or carnallite, of which only the former produces commercial potash ores. Both Permian and Neogene potash deposits have experienced sulfatization by percolating oxygenated surface brines, causing enrichment in the potash content. Permian potash deposits are mined in various parts of Europe and North America, Miocene ones only along the outer rim of the Carpathian Mountains and in Sicily. New discoveries of large Miocene rock salt bodies make it possible to predict the occurrence of potash deposits along their flanks.

Jan 1, 1985

By Deborah A. Kopsick

Several minerals were observed and collected in a small gully originating from a weathered coal processing waste (gob) pile in Barton County, Missouri. The rapid alteration of these various minerals after collection suggested that they might represent a dehydration sequence. X-ray diffraction of the dehydrated and rehydrated minerals deposited on the gob pile indicated the presence of the monohydrate and heptahydrate forms of ferrous sulfate, szomolnokite and melanterite respectively. The occurrence of melanterite (FeSO4.7H2O), was limited to isolated areas of ponded water while szomolnokite (FeSO4.H2O), was associated with the outwash areas of the pile. Laboratory dehydration of melanterite collected at the gob pile revealed the formation of rozenite (FeSO4.4H2O), an intermediate form of ferrous sulfate. Szomolnokite was shown to be the stable form of these ferrous sulfates during these experiments while melanterite and rozenite were shown to alter readily. Chemical analysis of szomolnokite revealed enrichment in Fe, Mg, Zn, Cd, Cu and Mn relative to the chemical composition of the gob ad the lechate generated from the gob wastes. Although this gob pile had been weathering for more than 35 years, significant concentrations of trace metals were still being released from the pile through the generation of leachate and the formation of various soluble metal enriched ferrous sulfate minerals.

Jan 1, 1982

The Mineragraphic Section of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research has had occasion from time to time to examine rocks, ores and concentrates from the Yatukoula goldfield, Fiji. The results of the examinations have been supplied as Mineragraphic Reports and have been supplementary to various investigations carried out by the mining companies on ore treatment, or by visiting geologists on the nature of the rocks and lodes. The presence of tellurides was determined in 1935, though incorrectly as nagyagite. The general absence of lead, except in traces, was soon afterwards discovered, and it came to be recognised as the mines were opened up that the chief telluride minerals on the field were sylvanite and native tellurium. Specimens of the tellurides have been provided from time to time by E. G. Theodore, Managing Director of the Emperor Mines Ltd., and of the Loloma (Fiji) Gold Mines N.L., and further material was recently obtained, as the result of a visit to the field at the invitation of Mr. Theodore.The aim of this paper is to describe the occurrence of the tellurides in these specimens. The work has been carried out as part of the programme of research of the Mineragraphic Section.THE VATUKOULA GOLDFIELDThe Emperor, Loloma and Dolphin mines are situated at Vatukoula, six miles, south of Tavua, on the north coast...

Jan 1, 1949

By A. G. Pentland

PROSPECTING is popularly supposed to be surrounded with an air of romance and adventure. The word 'prospecting' brings to mind high mountains, northern lakes, and aeroplanes. A note of urgency has been added to this by the war, particularly in the case of strategic, minerals. Prospecting for strategic minerals in a modern mine in full production, although it may Jack the romance of travel in little-known places, has the advantage of having all the necessary machinery at hand and ready to go into action at a moment's notice. HISTORY Tin was discovered in the Sullivan ore in 1925, when a white streak was noticed on a pilot table which was being used to check the amount of galena in the tailing. The mineral which made up this streak was identified as cassiterite. The amount of tin in the ore is so small that, while of scientific interest, it was considered to be of very little economic importance. Nevertheless, several attempts were made to learn something of the occurrence during times when other work was nor pressing. These studies were dropped when anything came up that seemed more important.

Jan 1, 1943

The Torington Lodes.This paper describes investigations into mineralogical, petrological and structural associations of cassiterite in occurrences of economic value. The work was carried out in three mines, during a number of years, in the hope that the, data collected might be helpfulin the search for occurrences of cassiterite in stanniferous zones and reduce unproductive exploratory work. Tin-bearing lodes at Torington, in the New England district, New South Wales, have been worked since 1880, and the locality is the most important centre of lode tin occurrence in the, State. The township of Torington is 18 miles westerly from Deepwater, a station on the Great Northern Railway, 446 miles from Sydney.The tinfield forms part of the Mole Tableland, which has an altitude between 3,000 ft. and 4,000 ft. above sea level. The country rock, in which the stanniferous lodes occur, is granite of Permian age, which has been intruded into Carboniferous claystone. An inlierof claystone is exposed to the west of the stanniferous area, 'and in it, close to' its contact with the enclosing granite, are occurrences of wolfram and bismuth. These minerals, together with chalcopyrite, pyrite, arsenopyrite, zinc blende, galena and molybdenite, in very small quantity, are associated with cassiterite in lodes traversing the granite, particularly near the claystone, but decrease in amount with distance from the contact. Their occurrence is sporadic and usually causes no trouble in dressing the cassiterite concentrate, the final product containing less than 1% of total penalisable impurity. In Curnow's mine, pyrite, galena and molybdenite have been observed at 700 ft. from surface.The granite is of the biotite type and its structure may be divided into four groups, or classifications, arising from segregation processes during cooling and consolidation. The four classes, in order of extent of distribution, are:1. Granite of normal type, in which the constituent quartz felspar and mica, have a particle size approximately 14, in.2. Porphyritic granite, in which the felspar particles are from % in. to lin. in size, that of the quartz and mica approximately % in.3. A fine-grained granite, in which the particles of all constituent minerals are % in. or less in size;4. A rock of highly siliceous ground mass containing very small particles of felspar and almost negligible biotite.Type 1 is the general type of granite in all mines of the field; types 2 and 3 may occur as large masses, or all three classes may merge rapidly one into the other, and all be disclosed in 20 ft. of driving. Usually, however, the segregations are massive, but are not associated with any special horizon. For instance, a mass of porphyiiticgranite extends from surface to a depth of 440 ft., for a distance of 350 ft. south from the New England main shaft. The upper levels of Curnow's mine, 14" mile south-east, are in normal granite, but a restricted mass 'of porphyritic granite occurred between Nos. 5 and 6 levels, or 400-500 ft. below the collar of the shaft...

Jan 1, 1950

By Arthur C. Spencer

(Glen Summit Meeting, June, 1911.) THREE great deposits of iron-ore, in Camaguey and Oriente Provinces, Cuba, are well known to me through careful field-examinations executed in the years 1901 and 1907. In 1901 I visited the Cubitas iron-ore district, which lies about 12 miles distant from the city of Camaguey in a northerly direction, and the Mayari district, which includes the Sierra Nipe, lying opposite Nipe bay on the north side of Oriente Province. In 1907 I again visited the Cubitas district, and also made a sojourn of several days in the Moa district, where the extensive deposits of iron-ore were observed and studied. The observations of 1901 were made under the auspices of the then Military Governor of Cuba; Gen. Leonard Wood, and my conclusions concerning the value of these deposits were incorporated in a report.1 The examination of certain denouncements of iron-ore in the Moa district in 1907 was made in behalf of iron-masters operating in the United States, to whom I reported the existence of large amounts of easily-workable limonitic iron-ore, properly designated " brown iron-ore " in the terminology now current among iron-ore producers in the United States. In 1908 I published a paper entitled Three Deposits of Iron Ore in Cuba, outlining the occurrence and origin of the surficial ores existing in the Cubitas, Mayari, and Moa districts.2 . 1 A Geological Reconnoissance of Cuba, by C. Willard Hayes, T. Wayland Vaughan and Arthur C. Spencer, printed as a part of the report of the Military Governor of Cuba for the year 1901, vol. i. 2 Bulletin No. 390, U. S. Geological Survey, pp. 318 to 329 (1908).

Mar 1, 1911

By Stephen C. Tadolini, Anthony T. Iannacchione

"Coal burst represented a major hazard for some U.S. mining operations. This paper provides an historical review of the coal burst hazards, identifies the fundamental geological factors associated with these events, and discusses mechanisms that can be used to avoid their occurrences. Coal burst are not common in most underground mines. Their occurrence almost always has such dramatic consequences to a mining operation that changes in practice are required. Fundamental factors influencing coal burst events include strong strata, abnormal strata caving, elevated stresses, critical size pillars and the lack of sufficiently sized barrier pillars during extraction. These factors interact to produce excessive stress, seismic shock and loss of confinement mechanisms. Over the 90 years of dealing with these hazards, many novel prevention controls have been developed including novel mine designs and extraction sequences, most of which are site specific in their application. Without an accurate assessment of the fundamental factors that influence coal burst and knowledge of their mechanisms of occurrence, control techniques may be misapplied and risk inadequately mitigated. INTRODUCTIONCoal burst1are violent failures of ribs, roof or floor in underground mines. They are known to occur in complex ways and often under unique sets of conditions. This has made them extremely difficult to anticipate and control. Assessing coal burst risk requires engineers, managers, and safety professionals to recognize the fundamental factors responsible for these events. This helps practitioners recognize the hazard potential and understand the context in which various controls and barriers should be used. Only then can coal burst events be anticipated andappropriate mitigation techniques deployed.Over the last 90 years, a few coal burst events have been anticipated but most have eluded prediction. The authors examined the historical record (Appendix A) and determined that an inadequate understanding of the initiating geologic factors and their associated mechanisms of occurrence have contributed to the poor predictive capability. The historic record also indicates that control techniques have typically been site specific in their application."

Jan 1, 2015

By J. Charles Miller

THE expansion of facilities for rapid transportation of perishables by train, truck and airplane has necessitated consideration of refrigerants of a minimum weight and volume per pound of cooling and has stimulated the use of solid carbon dioxide commercially. The gas probably has not had wide application in the past in air-cooling equipment for mines, theaters or buildings, owing to its thermodynamic properties, as will be deduced from examination of Table 2. However, consumption of the liquid in carbonating beverages remains a dominant factor. In addition to these uses, carbon dioxide is employed to a limited degree as an explo-sive in the liquid form, as a freezing agent in plumbing, in laboratories for low-temperature work, and in the manufacture of golf balls. SOURCES The principal sources of the gas at present are coke ovens, lime kilns, breweries and other fermentation plants, all of which are within easy reach of markets. Natural sources, however, have not received the consideration they merit, mainly because of their isolation. It is asserted by some manufacturers that the carbon dioxide gas produced from wells is unsatisfactory because it often contains impurities that are difficult to remove, while that produced as a byproduct is much purer or contains impurities that are easier to remove.

Jan 1, 1936