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By Joseph J. Wallace, William H. Tavenner, D. A. Reynolds, John M. Provost, James J. Dowd, R. F. Abemethy

"CONCLUSIONSThe investigation shows that there are 5 coal beds of major importance in Wyoming County from the standpoint of present production - Pocahontas No. 3, No. 2 Gas, Sewell, Beckley, and Eagle - and 5 beds of minor importance - Pocahontas No. 6, Cedar Grove, Winifrede, Douglas, and Chilton. The Pocahontas No. 3 bed contains the largest remaining known reserves.Known measured and indicated reserves in all beds, based on a minimum thick¬ness of 14 inches and on 1,800 tons per acre-foot of coal in place, are estimated at 2,665 million short tons as of January 1, 1951. Of this total, 2,121 million short tons is in beds 28 inches and more thick. Areas in each bed were omitted from the estimate because available data relative to the bed characteristics are too meager to make an estimate that conforms with the definitions of measured and indicated coal adopted for this study. Should future drilling or development prove reserves in these areas, such reserves should be added to the total estimated reserves.Recoverable reserves of coal have been estimated in beds 28 inches and more thick. This thickness is about the minimum now being mined by hand loading onto conveyors in the Appalachian region. The weighted average recovery for all beds in Wyoming County, as determined by this investigation, is 55.0 percent. This percent¬age is based on the total thickness of coal (less partings 3/8 inch or more thick) in the bed rather than on the thickness of the coal mined. The known recoverable reserves are estimated to be 1,167 million tons as of January 1, 1951.4. Since most of the Wyoming coals are medium- and low-volatile bituminous in rank and expand during carbonization in modern ovens, they are blended with high-volatile contracting coals."

Apr 1, 1953

By F. A. Rutledge, J. J. Mulligan, W. H. Kems, R. L. Thome

"As a part of the United States Department of the Interior program for the development and use of Alaska raw materials, the Bureau of Mines is conducting an investigation of deposits f nonmetallic minerals accessible to the Alaska Railroad for use in building materials in the Alaska Railroad-belt area. The results of the investigations, to date, indicate that raw materials for the production of brick products are in plentiful supply as clay in the Anchorage area, as fire clay at Sheep Mountain, and as shale in the Healy Creek coal formations near Healy, Alaska.Shale for the production of lightweight aggregate or Haydite occurs near mile 67 on the Glenn Highway, and preliminary tests give excellent results. Physical tests are new in progress on commercial-size concrete building units made with this aggregate. Another shale deposit in the same formation was located at mile 16 on the Matanuska Branch of the Alaska Railroad, and preliminary tests give comparable results.Natural lightweight aggregate in tree form of pumice and pumicite occurs in Katmai National Monument and has been used with excellent results in lightweight-building units in Anchorage and Fairbanks. These deposits will be investigated in more detail by the Bureau of Mines during 1952.One small perlite deposit near Healy, Alaska, showed excellent expanding properties, and the product compares favorably with commercial perlites being used in the States for plaster and concrete aggregates. Additional investigation by the Bureau of Mines to delimit the known occurrence and, if possible, discover others were planned for the 1951 field season.The pumice from Katmai National Monument also was considered for use as a pozzolan in pozzolan-portland concrete. Tests by the Bureau of Reclamation indicate that the pumice sample submitted by the Bureau of Mines would be satisfactory in strength development but is not outstanding. Natural activity is good and is greatly improved by calcination at 1,4000 F. Water requirements and shrinkage also are satisfactory. However, the material is ineffective in reducing expansion owing to alkali-aggregate reaction; and, if reactive aggregate is used to make concrete, it would not insure against excessive expansion. An attempt will, be made during the 1952 field season to delimit pumicite deposits along the Alaska Peninsula more amenable for use in pozzolan-portIand concrete.Because the Railroad belt has such a rigorous climate, insulation for new construction is of prime importance. Luring the Bureau of Mines, investigation of building materials all samples were submitted for chemical analyses as possible sources of raw materials for the production of rock wool, one of the best insulation mediums. Four areas having deposits of the required constitu¬ents were located as follows: Anchorage area, with Potter limestone and argillite; Cantwell-Windy area, with limestone and shale; West Fork of the Chulitna River area, with limestone and agrillite; and Homer-Seldoyla area, with Seldovia limestone and Homer clay. It was planned to take bulk samples of these formations and submit them for testing during the 1951 field season."

Mar 1, 1953

By C. P. Haller, S. J. Aresco

"INTRODUCTION The Bureau of Mines has been active in promoting the purchase of coal for Government use under specifications that define the requirements in terms of heat¬ing value of the coal, expressed in British thermal units, and the composition as shown by proximate analyses. To these, when required, are added the fusing temperature of ash and the free-swelling index. Under most of these specification contracts the bidders guarantee the quality of the coal, and that guaranteed by the successful bidder becomes the standard of his contract. The deliveries are sampled in accordance with instructions./ issued by the Bureau; the samples are analyzed in the Bureau's laboratory to determine whether the coal is of the quality guaranteed by the contractor and, if it is not, a price adjustment is made.Analyses of the delivered coal and ""tipple"" samples (samples collected at mine tipples as coal is being loaded into railroad cars or trucks) provide valuable data for use in evaluating future bids. Moreover, the continuous sampling of coal as delivered is a check on the practical results obtained in burning the coal.The Government purchased approximately 5-1/2 million tons of coal in fiscal year 1951. In connection with these purchases, the Bureau analyzed 10,700 samples. These are published for the use of Government officials and the public. A series of publications s been completed on coal analyses by States, or, where production is small in any State, by groups of adjacent States. In addition to analytical data showing composition and quality of coals of the States, the publications contain brief descriptions of the geological structure of the coal basins, typical mining conditions in the various districts, the principal economic data of the industry, and the relationship of mine or channel samples to delivered and tipple samples. The present publication covers many States but deals only with the analytical data of the coals.The technical papers published by States, with their numbers are: Alabama, 347; Alaska, 682; Arizona, California, Idaho, Nevada, and Oregon, 696; Arkansas, 416; Colorado, 574; Illinois, 641; Indiana, 417; Iowa, 269 and 706; Kansas, 455; Kentucky, 308 and 652; Maryland, 465; Michigan, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Texas, 700; Missouri, 366; Montana, 529; New Mexico, 569; Ohio, 344 (and Bulletin 499); Oklahoma, 411; Pennsylvania Bituminous, 590 (Supplement, 645); Pennsylvania Anthracitic, 659; Tennessee, 356 and 671; Utah, 345; Virginia, 365 and 656; Washington, 491 (Supple¬ment, 618); West Virginia, 405 and 626; and Wyoming, 484."

Feb 1, 1953

By Garth M. Crosby, F. McIntosh Galbraith, Bronson Stringham

THE Hercules mine is located in the northeastern section of the Coeur d'Alene district, approximately 1 1/2 miles north of the town of Burke, Idaho. Surface indications of the ore deposit were first discovered in 1886, but regular mine production was not started until 1902 and was continuous until April 1925, when the known ore had been extracted. Incomplete records show that from 1912 until operations were suspended the mine produced 2 1/2 million tons of ore containing 9.4 pct lead and 7.7 oz of silver per ton, together with an estimated 2 pct zinc, 0.3 pct copper, and 20 pct iron. This operation was the first in a series of mining enterprises culminating in October 1947 with the consolidation of Day Mines, Inc. In the same year it was decided to unwater the levels below the collar of the Hercules shaft in the hope of finding some indication of a recurrence of ore. The unwatering operation has been described in a previous paper.1 The initial exploration, following recapture of the workings, showed sufficient promise to warrant a detailed study of the mineralogy with modern techniques.

Jan 12, 1953

WHEN geologists began probing the grayish rock mass, natives of Adams County, Pa., called soapstone, they were paid scant attention. However, the soapstone, at first misidentified as pyrophyllite, was in reality sericite schist, a hydrous aluminum silicate whose chemical analysis resembles pyrophyllite, except that it has a slightly higher iron and potash content. In addition to its grayish color, sericite schist is foliated and has a greasy feeling much like that of talc.

Jan 10, 1953

By Carville E. Sparks, Rollin Farmin

TRIAL installations of rock bolts, of the slit-rod- and-wedge type, were under way at several units of Day Mines, Inc., when Korean hostilities interrupted the already slow deliveries of steel bars to the Coeur d'Alene district. Factory-made bolts had not yet been put on the local market, so the program was halted for lack of supplies. Interest was revived by a visitor's description of wooden roof bolts. These were said to have been used briefly with apparent success in a coal mine, until apprehension voiced by the U. S. Bureau of Mines caused the practice to be suspended

Jan 9, 1953

By E. C. Weichel, J. H. Carpenter, J. C. Detweiler, J. L. Gillson, J. P. Wood

ILMENITE, rutile, zircon, and other heavy minerals are found in small amounts in the sand that covers most of Florida. Small enriched deposits occur on the beaches and coastal dunes. One beach deposit east of Jacksonville was worked during World War I and another near Vero Beach during World War 11. Both ceased operation when the resumption of imports reduced prices.

Jan 8, 1953

By J. A. Gay

BRITISH success in extracting significant quantities of germanium from gas works flue dusts has been one of the prime forces in promoting similar research in the United States. Pittsburgh Consolidation Coal Co. and Pennsylvania Coal & Coke Co. are two of the larger U. S. firms with germanium from flue dust research programs. British interest in germanium started in 1933 when V. M. Goldschmidt reported that some coals from the Yard Seam of Northumberland and Durham contained 30 to 50 ppm of germanium.

Jan 8, 1953

By R. C. Troxell, S. C. Sun

EFFORTS to obtain definite quantitative data when employing the currently used bubble pick-up method', as a pre-flotation investigation tool led to the adoption of the magnifying mirror method and the microscopic method modifications. Quantitative data obtained by these two methods were converted into bubble pick-up indices and bubble pick-up coefficients. Rough correlations were established between the calculated indices and the results of contact angle testing as well as actual flotation under the same conditions.

Jan 7, 1953

By M. R. Geer

THE increase in the number of coal-cleaning plants employing dense-medium processes occurring since 1946 is especially interesting when viewed historically. Both sand and magnetite were introduced as material for heavy mediums at about the same time, sand in the Chance process in 1921 and magnetite in the Conklin process in 1922, but from that point on their records diverge. The Chance process enjoyed a steady growth from its inception, whereas no additional magnetite plants were built in the United States for over 20 years. Then, following the close of the World War 11, magnetite was again introduced, this time with marked success. During the following years some 47 plants employing magnetite medium were built.

Jan 7, 1953

University of Nevada's recent Bonanza Days celebration turned out to be the real thing when Kennecott Copper Co, presented the school with $30,000 for new laboratory equipment for the MacKay School of Mines, J. C. Kinnear, Jr., general manager of Kennecott's Nevada Div., handed the check to Stout, university president, Chemical Construction Inter-American Ltd,, signed a contract with Noranda Mines, Ltd. for construction of a sulphur-iron plant in the Niagara Peninsula. Work has been started and it is expected that the plant will be finished by summer 1954.

Jan 6, 1953

By Howard S. Strouth

SINCE the days of the Conquistadores, people have told exaggerated tales of the wealth and possibilities of Mexico and Central and South America, and the mining fraternity has never been known to exaggerate any less than any other professional group known to man or beast. However, during a short stay in Mexico one can probably hear more whoppers than at any other time, when dozens of mining propositions are thrust across the desk, and it is not necessary to remind anyone that a listing of the do's and don't's for Mexico requires special mention of the fact that most mining propositions offered south of the border eventually turn out to be a beautiful fairy tale. The following is not suposed to be either an exact description of Standard Mining Corp.'s operations in Mexico by its mining associate, the Corporacion Minera y Beneficiadora Anahuac, S.A., or the last word as to the most economical way to start such an operation. But rather it is the sum total of the recent experiences of the writer while commencing such an operation in 1951-52 with the help of many qualified gentlemen.

Jan 6, 1953

By E. W. Felegy

THE need for improved mine communication to increase efficiency and to insure greater safety has long been recognized. General and unrestricted communication between all points underground, and between the surface and all points underground, is probably the least advanced phase of the mining industry. An ideal system of mine communication must re- quire no fixed wire installations. The equipment must be small, lightweight, and readily portable, and the power requirements low. A system that can be used not only under normal circumstances but also in an emergency, when the continuity of wires, tracks, and pipelines may be disrupted, must function independently of any aid furnished by standard installations.

Jan 5, 1953

LOUIS Buchman walks down the hall of Kennecott's Chrysler Building offices as if he belonged there, but it wasn't his setting of choice. The West has become his home, that and the scene of operations is there. When he was a child his family came to the United States from Latvia and settled in Michigan's Upper Peninsula where he went to school and on to Michigan College of Mines. Graduating with B.S. and E.M. degrees, he headed west in 1907 to the mining camp of Ophir, in the state where he spent the bulk of his career - Utah.

Jan 5, 1953

By R. L. Stephenson

A sampling technique has been developed for procuring a sample of sinter representative of the entire depth of the sintering bed. The sampling method involves the use of an open-bottom metal basket that rides on the grate of the sintering machine and when removed contains a sample of the sintered product. Additional data have been obtained to indicate that the tumbler test is a suitable means of measuring sinter strength.

Jan 3, 1953

FOR two days preceding the Colorado Mining Association annual meeting, officers representing all interests of the lead and zinc producers hammered away at remedies for the ills of the industry behind closed doors at the University Club in Denver. For once in the stormy history of the industry, large and small producers alike came to agreement with an automatic sliding scale stabilization import tax. The proposal set forth in full on the following page, is not new being merely an amplification of the tariff arrangement whereby tariffs are imposed when the price drops below ceiling. Its advocates claim that it is simple, automatic, and flexible. It will give stability to the industry without subsidies and since no government bureaus will be required to administer it, there will be no cost to the taxpayer.

Jan 3, 1953

By John V. Beall

WHEN the atomic age broke suddenly upon the world in 1945 with all its terrible implications, predictions concerning the future of atomic energy were as numerous as columnists and often inflated. Today, some seven years since the explosion and probably ten since the Government took over development of nuclear energy, the impact on our way of living has been largely political (except of course for the thousands of people who have become employed in the AEC). Considering the world situation, weapons have come first naturally. But credible progress in the plow-share uses of nuclear energy-medicine, agriculture, power-can also be noted.

Jan 3, 1953

By R. J. Corfield

MODERNIZATION of the entire electrical system and improvement of Rotation process efficiency is the twofold goal of the improvement program underway at the Arthur and Magna concentrators of the Utah Copper Div., Kennecott Copper Corp. Copper ore from the Bingham pit goes to these two concentrators where an interlocking program calls for complete electrical modernization and increased flotation process efficiency through additional capacity and flow scheme revisions. Flotation plants at the two mills are essentially duplicates, and while this article deals with the changes at the Arthur mill similiar improvements are being made at the Magna mill.

Jan 3, 1953

By John V. Beall

WHEN asked a few weeks ago if we wished to visit the Coors plant at Golden, Colo., we agreed with alacrity being well acquainted with the high quality of Coors beer and having heard that the company was most liberal about sampling privileges. Instead of a brewery, we found ourselves in a pottery, the Coors Porcelain Co., owned and operated by the firm of beer fame. Our apparent disappointment was dispelled as the wonders of the porcelain products were unfolded.

Jan 2, 1953

By R. W. Ruddle

The present state of knowledge on this subject may briefly be summarized as follows: (1) The copper content of the slag increases with the grade of the matte in contact with it; on the other hand, the proportion of copper lost decreases as the matte grade increases, because as a general rule a smaller volume of slag is produced when a high-grade matte is made. (2) The presence of CaO and MgO in the slag decreases the copper content of the slag, and the presence of ZnO increases it; the presence of A1203 seems to have little effect. The influence of the silicate degree is not yet clarified, but on theoretical grounds it seems likely that the copper content increases with the silicate degree of the slag. (3) High slag viscosity, high magnetite contents and low density difference between matte and slag all tend to increase the copper loss. The volume of slag is also an important factor. (4) The effect of bath temperature on the copper loss is not clear and further investigation of this point is needed. (5) It appears possible to recover a large part of the copper in the slag by adding FeS, CaS and other sulphides

Jan 1, 1953