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By H. H. Schrenk

"One phase of the Bureau of Mines' work in the field of health and safety is the promotion of the use of safe, satisfactory, and reliable respiratory protective devices. To promote the development of such devices the Bureau has established schedules of minimum requirements for oxygen breathing apparatus3/ gas masks/, supplied-air respirators5/ (hose masks, airline respirators, and abrasive blasting helmets, hoods, or masks), and mechanical-filter respirators6/.Manufacturers of respiratory protective devices may submit their equipment to the Bureau for approval under the requirements of these schedules.As a prerequisite to such submittal, the Bureau requires a statement that the device is completely developed and of the design and material the manufacturer believes suitable for a finished marketable device; that the device has been subjected to inspections and tests such as described in the schedules, and that it met those requirements when tested by the manufacturer or his testing agency; and a. statement regarding the nature, adequacy, and continuity of control of the quality of the respirator. If the manufacturer can satisfy these requirements, and if the device, when tested by the Bureau, meets its requirements, a certificate of approval is granted by the Bureau of Mines. The approved devices bear distinguishing marks that indicate that they have been approved, the purpose for which they are approved, and the limitations of their use. If it is found at any time that approved devices purchased in the oven market and tested do not meet the requirements of the schedule, the Bureau may rescind that approval. Lists7/ of approved devices are published periodically for the convenient information of the public.Respiratory equipment may be divided into two main groups: (1). Those that afford protection by removing atmospheric contaminants and (2) those by which a respirable atmosphere from an uncontaminated source is supplied to the wearer.The devices that protect by the removal of contaminants may be divided into two subgroups: (1) Those that protect against gaseous contaminants and (2) those that protect against particulate matter. There may, of course, be combinations of these two.The devices by which a respirable atmosphere is furnished to the wearer also may be divided into two subgroups: (1) The self-contained type, by which the supply of oxygen, or material from which the oxygen can be generated is carried by the wearer, and (2) the hose type, by which air is supplied to the wearer through a hose or tube."

Sep 1, 1939

By T. Y. Yan

SUMMARY Laboratory high pressure column tests have shown that the presence of 1-20 ppm of aluminum ion effectively prevents permeability loss during uranium leaching with leachates containing sodium carbonate. If added after permeability loss has occurred, aluminum ion can restore the permeability to nearly its original value. No deleterious effect was observed on uranium leaching performance and the technique should be quite compatible with all field operations. INTRODUCTION The recovery of uranium values from underground deposits by in situ leaching or solution mining has become economically viable and competitive with conventional open pit or underground mining/milling systems (Merrit, 1971). In situ leaching processes are particularly suitable for small, low-grade deposits located in deep formations and dispersed in many thin layers. Many such ore bodies occur along a broad band of the Gulf Coastal Plain (Eargle et. al., 1971). The advantages of the in situ leaching processes have been reviewed (Anderson and Ritchi, 1968). In the in situ leaching process, a lixiviant containing the leaching chemicals is injected into the subterranean deposit and solubilizes uranium as it traverses the ore body. The pregnant lixiviant or leachate is produced from the production well and is then treated to recover the uranium. The resulting barren solution is made up with the leaching chemical to form lixiviant for re-injection. Upon completion of the leaching operation, the formation is contaminated with leaching chemicals and other species made soluble in the leaching operation and has to be treated to reduce the concentration of these contaminants in the ground water to levels acceptable to the regulatory agencies (Witlington and Taylor, 1978). Restoration is accomplished by injecting a restoration fluid, which could be the fresh water or water containing chemicals, into the formation. As it traverses the leached formation, the restoration fluid picks up the contaminants and is then produced at the production well. This produced water is either disposed or purified for recycle. In both phases of operation, formation permeability or well injectivity is one of the most important parameters which determines the viability of the in situ leaching process. Low formation permeability limits production rates, leading to uneconomical operations. The formation is said to be sensitive if there is a sharp loss of permeability on contact with water and other fluids. Many uranium bearing formations, for example, the Catahoula formation of the Texas Coastal Plain, contain significant amounts of clay minerals which are water sensitive. Serious permeability losses can occur when the pH and chemical composition of the lixiviant is significantly different from that of the formation water. Jones has investigated the influence of chemical composition of water on clay blocking of permeability (Jones, 1964) and Mungan studied permeability reduction through changes in pH and salinity of the water (Mungan, 1965). Various mechanisms of permeability damage have been proposed and reviewed (Jones, 1964; Mungan, 1965; Gray and Rex, 1966; and Veley, 1969). When large amounts of swelling clays are present, a significant fraction of the flow channels in the formation can be reduced due to swelling. However, in most cases, swelling need not be the main cause of permeability losses. Particle dispersion and migration or clay sliming can be more important causes for formation damage. Clay particles entrained in the moving fluids are carried downstream until they lodge in pore constrictions. As a result, microscopic filter cakes are formed by these obstructions, plugging the pores, effectively restricting fluid flow and reducing the formation permeability. Moore found that as little as 1-4 percent clays present in a fine grained sandstone could completely plug the formation if they are contacted by incompatible injected fluids (Moore, 1960). It has been found that injection of NaHC03/Na2CO3 lixiviant into formations with significant clay content often leads to loss of formation permeability and well injectivity. To alleviate this problem a change of the lixiviant composition to KHC03/K2CO3 has been proposed. At present, however, many in situ leaching operations employ NH4HC03/(NH4)2C03 mixtures as a source of carbonates. This approach has been successfully used in South Texas by Mobil, Intercontinental Energy, Wyoming Minerals and U.S. Steel, etc. The use of ammonium carbonates solutions, however, contaminates the formation and requires a time-consuming restoration operation. The other approach to reduce the permeability loss is to pretreat the sensitive formation with chemicals which prevent clay dispersion and migration. Such chemicals include hydroxy-aluminum (Reed, 1972 and Coppel et. al., 1973), hydrolyzable zirconium salts (Peters and Stout, 1977), hydrolyzable metal ions in general (Veley, 1969) and polyelectrolyte polymers (Anonymous). Still another approach, is to minimize the "shock" caused by sudden injection by gradually changing the chemical composition of the injected fluids from that of the formation water. THE APPROACH Since permeability loss can be an important factor limiting the efficiency and economic viability of the in situ leaching process, a study was initiated on

Jan 1, 1982

By R. A. Garling

INTRODUCTION Since the infancy of in situ uranium mining, a growing number of hydrometallurgical processes have been incorporated into pilot and commercial scale flowsheets. Although initial design efforts were geared toward maximizing uranium recovery and minimizing plant and wellfield flow circuit maintenance, recent emphasis has shifted to improved means of water conservation and aquifer restoration. As mining units approached depletion, evaporation ponds reached minimum freeboard, and state and federal agencies demanded proof of groundwater restoration, processes including mixed bed and conventional ion exchange, reverse osmosis and electrodialysis were adopted by the industry. These units served the additional function of reducing process bleed flows during mining in states where the deep disposal well permitting ice remains unbroken. This report concerns the use of electrodialysis as an alternative to the more conventional processes used in in situ mining. In addition to a brief history and description of the process, a comparison to reverse osmosis and operational data derived from testing an Ionics, Inc. 1.31 x 10-3 m /s (30,000 gallon/day) unit at the Teton-Nedco Leuenberger Research and Development pilot will be presented. HISTORY Commercially practicable electrodialysis was contingent upon the development of synthetic ion exchange membranes in 1940's. In 1952, Ionics Inc. demonstrated that the process was amenable to the treatment of salt and brackish water and, in 1954, made their first commercial sale. The following decade saw several major electrodialysis unit sales which were generally targeted for use on private or municipal potable water treatment. Major increases in membrane desalting unit capacities, facilitated by technological advances in the reserve osmosis industry, were noted during the 1970's. The development of polarity reversing electrodialysis equipment which reduced feed pretreatment requirements, increased water recovery rates, and simplified unit operation, kept Ionics Inc. competetive in the water treatment industry. Engineering advances which incorporated automated equipment, non-corrosive construction materials, and improved ion exchange membranes allowed the electrodialysis process to compete in industrial waste treatment among other commercial markets. PROCESS AND APPARATUS DESCRIPTION The electrodialysis process utilizes direct electrical current passed across a stack of alternating cation and anion selective membranes in order to achieve an electrochemical separation of ionized materials in an aqueous solution. The membrane stack has the appearance of a plate and frame filter press and auxilliary equipment includes solution pumps, electrically actuated valves, filters, piping and a direct current power source. The ion separation membranes are thin sheets of synthetic cation or anion selective resins. Attaching sulfonate or quaternary ammonium groups to the cross linked copolymer structure determines the ion selectivity of the membrane. The membranes are separated from each other in the stack by non-conductive spacers that house flow channels which route the flow tortuously and parallel to the membranes. Direct electrical current passing perpendicularly to the membranes and solution passages attracts cations toward the cathode and anions toward the anode (Figure 1). As the ions from the feed stream pass through the ion selective membranes, they become concentrated in the adjacent brine channel and are retained there by the combined attractive force of the electrode and the repelling force of the next membrane toward the electrode. Limiting factors on the degree of demineralization possible include chemical solubilities in the brine flow and the current density that will produce an unacceptable degree of polarization (Figure 1). Feed or brine solution treatment with complexing agents or acids has been successfully applied to prevent membrane scaling. Polarization can occur when sufficient current density is applied to dissociate water in the ion depleted region of the diluting compartments near the membrane surfaces. Significant polarization is evidenced by large electrical resistances across cell pairs and notable pH differences between diluting and concentrating streams. Limiting current densities have been increased in U.S. manufactured equipment by utilizing tortuous flow paths of relatively high linear velocities thereby promoting continous solution mixing. Energy consumption is due to separating electrolytes and solutions, oxidation and reduction reactions occurring in electrode compartments, overcoming electrical resistance, conversion from AC to DC power, solution pumping and auxiliary equipment actuation. A major improvement to the basic electrodialysis process was applied in 1970 which resulted in frequent, automatic cleaning and descaling of membrane surfaces. The process, polarity reversal, incorporates alternating the cathode and anode on a periodic basis while exchanging product and brine flow channels via electrically actuated values. The reversal reduces the potential of stack plugging with CaCO3 (calcite), CaSO4 (gypsum), and colloidal materials and, in most waters, eliminates feed pre-treatment requirements. For approximately two minutes during and following the reversal, off spec. water is flushed to waste or reintroduced to the feed supply. The usual feed treatment on polarity reversing electro-

Jan 1, 1982

By D. Harrington

"Since its establishment in 1910 the Bureau of Mines has consistently recommended the rock-dusting of bituminous and lignitic coal mines as a preventive of widespread explosions. As with many other proposed innovations, the response to the bureau's recommendation has been slow; but during the past 10 years many coal mines have done some rock-dusting, even though probably fewer than 50 of the country's approximately 6,000 coal mines are thoroughly rock-dusted. Notwithstanding the inadequacy of the rock-dusting which has been done in most of the mines which have adopted the new system, numerous cases are at hand. indicating the well-founded basis of the bureau's claims regarding the effectiveness of rock-dust in stopping explosions. Very brief descriptions will be given of several cases in which explosions in coal mines of the United States are fairly definitely known to have been stopped by rock-dust during the past 5 or 6 years; in addition, several cases are cited in which explosions were stopped through the agency of rock-dust and moisture.A rock-dusted mine is one in which the floor, roof, and sides of every accessible working place, including haulage ways, airways, manways, and rooms and connections have an application of rock-dust - for instance, limestone - such that the incombustible content of the aggregate dust on those surfaces is over 60 per cent. The dust in these workings should be sampled at regular intervals to determine whether the incombustible matter in the coal-dust is less than the necessary minimum of 60 per cent; another application of rock-dust should be given when the incombustible percentage is less than 60. (As an example of thorough rock-dusting, see Bureau of Mines Information Circular 6578, 1932, which describes how rock-dusting is done in Alabama at a cost of 1.8 cents per ton of coal for a thorough application; Report of Investigations 3060, February, 1931, Rock-Dusting In A Pennsylvania Coal Mine; or Information Circular 6244, 1930, giving data, including costs, on rock-dusting in coal mines in New Mexico.)An explosion may be started by the ignition of gas, even when rock-dust is present; hence it is not correct to say that rock-dust will prevent an explosion of gas; however, if rock-dust has been applied to a working place which has present an explosive mixture of me-thane and air, and if an open light is used or a blown-out shot or an electric arc occurs, although there will very likely be an ignition and possibly an explosion, the rock-dust will certainly prevent ignition of the coal-dust nearby, and unless the general atmosphere has an explosive gas mixture, the rock-dust will stop propagation of the flame throughout the mine. In other words, if an explosion is started by gas or by coal-dust and the mine has been rock-dusted as defined, the rock-dust will prevent widespread extension of the explosion, unless the general atmosphere contains methane and air in explosive proportions.With these definitions clearly in mind, instances are now given where rock-dust has played a prominent part in the stopping of several explosions. No cases have been included where there was any reasonable doubt that rock-dust had taken a definite part in the limiting of the explosions."

Apr 1, 1932

By W. E. Cobb

The financial implications of environmental liabilities are becoming staggering, particularly for mining companies. The Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Record of Decision (ROD) list for Superfund mining sites has some pretty hefty financial commitments, such as the $10 million operable unit remedy for the Yak Tunnel at California Gulch (in Colorado) or the $40 to 60 million remediation at Bunker Hill (in Idaho). These costs are driven by the large volume and areal extent associated with historical waste management practices at mining sites. (It's difficult to have a low-cost remedy for a 20-square-mile site.) Unfortunately, there are other ways of generating environmental liabilities besides Superfund, such as non-compliance with Clean Air Act provisions, stormwater permits, or National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits. In the last 2 years, EPA has increased enforcement in its regulatory programs, which has resulted in increased fines and criminal actions. Leaders in other industries (primarily the chemical and manufacturing industries) are viewing environmental liabilities as a strong motivator to select engineering approaches carefully based on technical, legal, economic, and philosophical perspectives. Industry interest in waste minimization programs comes from the concept that it is economically advantageous not to create waste in the first place. Waste minimization programs typically balance increased front-end capital investment with the minimization of potential long-term environmental liabilities as a way to achieve the lowest total-or life-cycle-cost. A side benefit of waste minimization programs is that they tend to improve overall regulatory compliance. Waste management practices are also becoming philosophical, as evidenced by a May 11, 1992, Business Week article: Companies that incorporate innovative thinking on sustainable development will do more than clean up or prevent their own pollution. They'll make and distribute a product more efficiently than ever, worry about its lifelong environmental impact, plan for recycling, and get their suppliers on the bandwagon. This type of approach will require a new mind-set, new tools, and adjustments throughout the organization. A key aspect of waste minimization or life-cycle waste management programs is the incorporation of environmental costs into economic analyses that compare various waste management alternatives. However, the incorporation of environmental costs into an economic analysis can be more difficult than initially thought. As noted above, new tools-or even a new toolbag-are needed, such as new accounting methods that track and assign the true lifetime environmental costs of a particular product. One piece of the new toolbag is life-cycle cost analysis, which is discussed in this paper. To simplify the discussion, this paper looks at the total costs associated with a given mining site. The concepts presented in this paper, however, can be applied to any mine waste management decision. The ultimate extension of life-cycle costing, as presented in the Business Week article, is to include the potential environmental costs throughout the life of a metal. At this point, I am perplexed on why, let alone how, to include the potential downstream environmental costs (i.e., the costs associated with smelting, manufacturing, use, and recycle or disposal) throughout the life cycle of mined copper, lead, or zinc.

Jan 1, 1992

The AJ Parker Cooperative Research Centre for Hydrometallurgy is the focus of a world-class effort in providing technical solutions to the minerals industry. The 85 FTE staff are drawn from the CentreÆs five joint venture research partners comprising universities (Curtin, Murdoch and Qld) and government research agencies (CSIRO and WA Dept of Industry and Resources). There are also 12 industry partners, representing most of the leading mining companies in the world. Around 45 postgraduate students, mainly PhDs, make a significant contribution to the research effort. Total annual expenditure on R&D is around $17 million.Hydrometallurgy activities encompass both fundamental and applied research across the alumina, gold and base metal sectors. The Centre is now growing its client base into overseas markets, particularly North America, South Africa and Europe. Quality, strategic R&D by the Parker Centre is seen by the industry as an attractive investment. A recent survey of the industry revealed an estimated ten-fold return based on direct costs of research to the client. In addition, the Parker Centre has a strong commitment to education of postgraduate students wishing to enter the mining industry as well as providing specialist courses for those technical professionals already employed in the industry. The wide range of employment opportunities in the mining industry is reflected in the diversity of the disciplines amongst the CentreÆs research team, eg extractive metallurgy, chemistry, biotechnology, physics, engineering, molecular modelling, microscopy, geology and computational fluid dynamics. How does an atomic force microscope and molecular modelling improve our ability to control gypsum scaling or understand crystallisation of alumina in a Bayer plant? Can a biologist contribute to the problem of the slow leaching of copper from chalcopyrite? Why are computational fluid dynamics and lasers the basis of understanding how to make thickeners work more efficiently. Can you combine a PhD or Honours degree with industry experience? What is crud and why is nickel stressed? These are typical examples of the CentreÆs research activities and demonstrate the contributions of its multi-disciplinary teams which keep the Australian mining industry at the cutting edge of advanced global technology.

Jan 1, 2003

By Hugh R. Van Wagenen, Allen H. Rogers

There are few natural monopolies comparable with the nitrate industry. Perhaps the only other one is, curiously enough, also an essentia1 fertilizer material, viz., potash, of which the Germans have heretofore held practically a monopoly due to the existence in their territory of the most important known deposits of potash salts. And although nitrates in minute amounts are found in many desert regions, the only deposits capable of being worked commercially exist in Chile. Combined nitrogen in the oxidized form is an essential for plant life. Nature provides it mainly through the agency of nitrogen-fixing bacteria. But where lands are cropped artificially this supply is too small, and gradually the nitrogen supply becomes exhausted. In order to continue farming, it is necessary to furnish a supply of nitrogenous plant food, and this is done by putting on various substances containing combined nitrogen. These consist of various animal wastes, ammonium sulphate, the ammonia of which is obtained in the destructive distillation of coal, and Chile saltpeter. The latter is immediately available as a plant food, the nitrogen being in the required form. The other substances must oxidize before they are available. Resides its use as a fertilizer, Chile saltpeter is the source from which the bulk of the nitric acid of commerce is derived. The use of nitric acid in the manufacture of almost all modern explosives is, of course, well known. Importance of the Nitrate Industry Chilean nitrate, the existence of which was first mentioned in 1809, is said to have been first exported in 1830. Only a few thousand tons per annum were exported for some years, but the amount gradually increased until, in 1879, when the Chile-Peruvian war began, the export amounted to about 300,000 tons. This nitrate was largely produced from the Province of Tarapaca, until then, Peruvian territory. By the terms of peace with Peru in 1884, this province, as well as Tacna, became Chilean. The Bolivian Province of Antofagasta was also acquired as a result of this war, and thus Chile, with the deposits in her own territory, acquired control of the whole supply of nitrate. At the present time, exports are approximately 3,000,000 metric tons per annum,. having a

Jan 1, 1918

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 require 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. Radio communication offers possibilities of meeting all the requirements necessary for an ideal communication system in underground mines. Transmission of signals must be achieved through one or both of two mediums, through the air in mine openings or through the strata. The results or lack of results obtained by early investigators showed conclusively that radio communication by space transmission cannot be accomplished effectively beyond line-of-sight distances in underground passageways. A radio system underground therefore must depend solely upon transmission through soil and strata. The application of radio to underground mine communication was investigated by many individuals and agencies at different times in the last several decades, but little success was achieved before World war 11.2-0, The results of experiments during the war, and further knowledge gained in experiments with vastly improved communication methods and equipment after the war provided the background for additional research in radio communication in underground mines. During 1950 to 1.952 the University of Minnesota sponsored an investigation to determine the possibility of developing: a system of radio communication universally applicable in underground metal mines in the Lake Superior district. The possibility of using radio equipment to determine the imminence of rock bursts in deep copper mines in that district also was investigated. The investigation supplemented previous and concurrent emergency mine communication studies of the U. S. Bureau of Mines. Testing equipment and laboratory facilities maintained by the Bureau of Mines at Duluth, Minnesota, were used in the research program, which was conducted as a mining engineering graduate research problem by the present writer under the direction of T. L. Joseph and E. P. Pfleider. The radio units used in the research program were designed and built to specification solely to conduct tests of radio communication in mines. Two identical units were used in all tests. Each unit contained a transmitter section, a receiver section, and a power-supply section, mounted on a single chassis. The entire unit was enclosed in a single 10x12x18-in. metal case provided with a leather-strap handle for carrying purposes. The front of the case was hinged to open upward and provide easy access to the single control panel on which all controls were mounted. Storage batteries supplied the operating power for all tests. Standard 6-v automobile batteries were utilized to provide adequate capacity to conduct tests for a full day without exhausting the battery. A frequency range from 30 to 200 kc was covered in eight pre-fixed steps on each unit. The carrier frequencies were crystal-controlled and amplitude-modulated. The receiver employed an essentially standard superheterodyne circuit and was sufficiently sensitive to detect signal strengths of 5 micro v. A heterodyne circuit was employed in the transmitter to obtain the low-carrier frequencies used in the units. Power output of the transmitter, usually less than 2 w, rarely exceeded 3 w in any test. Tests were conducted in mines on the Vermillion iron range in Minnesota, the Gogebic iron range in Wisconsin, the Menominee and Marquette iron ranges in Michigan, and a copper mine in the upper Michigan peninsula. All tests were conducted when the mines were operating normally, and usual mining, maintenance, and transportation activities were in progress, so that any interference caused by normal production activities could be evaluated during the tests. Tests were made between different points underground in each mine, and between underground and surface points at some mines. Test readings obtained at any one mine were calibrated in the laboratory before another series of tests were begun at the next mine. The transmitter and receiver were separated by one or more levels in each test, and generally there was no other means of communication between test points. Two 100-ft lengths of rubber-covered wire were used for antenna wires on each unit in both transmission and reception. The ends of the wires were connected to ground points in one of several methods, depending upon physical conditions at each test site. The wires were clipped to metal rods about 200 ft apart in the back, side, or bottom of the mine opening where the character of the rock permitted driving rods. Both wires were clipped to points about

Jan 1, 1954

By Zhibao Li, Lanmu Zeng

The behavior of dicalcium silicate in NaOH-NaAl(OH)4-Na2CO3 solution is of significance for controlling the silica level in the production of alumina via the sintering process. Dicalcium silicate samples were obtained through a twostep approach: coprecipitation of calcium and silicate from CaCl2-Na2SiO3-NaOH solutions; and calcination of the hydrated precursor at 1200°C for 4 hours. The optimization of the synthesis parameters including temperature, solution concentrations and aging time was also investigated. Xray diffraction (XRD) and chemical analysis show that the calcined solids include dicalcium silicate with trace amounts of wollastonite. The solubility of the synthesized dicalcium silicate in HCl, NaOH, mixed NaOH-NaAl(OH)4 and NaOH-NaAl(OH)4-Na2CO3 solutions was determined. It was found that the solubility increases with increasing HCl and NaOH concentration. The effect of temperature on the solubility in HCl solutions is limited, but the solubility decreases with increasing temperature in NaOH solutions. The solubility of dicalcium silicate in NaOH-NaAl(OH)4 and NaOH-NaAl(OH)4-Na2CO3 solutions was shown to increase with increased temperature, Al(OH)3 and Na2CO3 concentration. The BromleyZemaitis model for the aqueous electrolyte system was selected to predict the solubility of dicalcium silicate. The model’s predictions yielded certain success compared with experimental solubility data.

Jan 1, 2014

By Miller D. R

The mineral exploration and extraction industries have gained major cost and efficiency benefits from the use of computers. However these industries are now at a cross-roads with two seemingly disparate developments - that of an increasing number of complex geoscience databases and, at the same time, the merging of all known data for the particular regions at minimal cost. These two developments can be managed by the development and of an industry accepted geoscience data model and dictionary. This will provide a common basis of understanding for geoscience data through a common language and a common structure for geoscience information. Integration of specialist systems and databases can then proceed efficiently. The development of a data model is going ahead with consensus from the mining industry. This is a joint government and industry funded project and managed through the Australian Mineral Industries Research Association, AMIRA. AMIRA is a well known research broker to the Australian mining industry obtaining sponsorship for projects both from private and government groups. The AMIRA project, P431, called the Geoscience Data Model, is to be the Australian standard data model for geoscience disciplines. The requirement for a standard geoscience data model has been recognised in Australia for some time. In October 1991, the Australian Government Geoscience Database Policy Advisory Committee (GGDPAC) established a Geoscience Data Standards Working Group which drafted a comprehensive list of data categories of the geoscience area. An AMIRA project called AMDEX was established to develop a transfer standard for the mining industry data at about the same time as this committee was in operation. The first AMDEX sponsors meeting was held in May 1991. It was proposed to use the US Spatial Data Transfer Standard (SDTS) as the basis to transfer mining data in AMDEX. A limited data model of mining data to be transferred was developed for the AMDEX standard under SDTS. The Australian Geological Survey Organisation (AGSO) saw the need to extend this and develop a complete data model for the geosciences and proposed this as a new project to AMIRA. This was strongly supported by GGDPAC which lead to sponsorship of the project from most state geological surveys. The Geoscience Data Model can be broken down into separate data models for a number of geoscience themes and sponsorship obtained so far will enable models to be developed for a comprehensive set of themes selected by the project sponsors. Further sponsorship is required to enable a more complete coverage of the geoscience area to be developed. Sponsorship for the Geoscience Data Model has been strong from the geological surveys and there was some effort by GGDPAC to promote the project in these organisations. An Australian geoscience data model is of immediate use to the geological surveys in assisting the standardising of huge quantities of geoscience data held by government agencies and it is preferable that this be an Australia-wide standard.

Jan 1, 1995

By Leon E. Esparza

The Bureau of Mines studied 780 acres of the 24,130-acre Sheldon Contiguous Wilderness Study Area (CA-020-1012) in 1985. The study was done at the request of the Bureau of Land Management and authorized under the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (Public Law 94-579, October 21, 1 976) in order to evaluate the mineral resources. The study area is located in Washoe County, NV, about 35 miles northeast of Cedarville, CA. A search of county courthouse records and an examination by foot traverses through and adjacent to the study area did not reveal evidence of any mining or mining exploration activity past or present. In addition, evidence of any form of rock alteration was not observed. Evidence of mineral resources is not apparent. Although basalt, the only rock-type present in the study area, can have some limited industrial applications, sources closer to potential markets probably would preclude rock from this area being economically competitive. INTRODUCTION This report describes the USBM (U.S. Bureau of Mines) portion of a cooperative study with the USGS (U.S. Geological Survey) to evaluate mineral resources and potential of the Sheldon Contiguous study area at the request of the BLM (U.S. Bureau of Land Management). The USBM examines individual mines, prospects, claims, and mineralized zones, and evaluates identified mineral and energy resources. The USGS evaluates potential for undiscovered resources based on areal geological, geochemical, and geophysical surveys. Results of the investigations will be used to help determine the suitability of the study area for inclusion into the National Wilderness Preservation System. Although the immediate goal of this and other USBM mineral surveys ;s to provide data for President, Congress, government agencies, and the public for land-use decisions, the long-term objective is to ensure the Nation has an adequate and dependable supply of minerals at a reasonable cost.

Jan 1, 1986

MORE than 5000 miners and suppliers descended upon Denver to make the American Mining Congress' four-day metal mining show one of the most extravagant equipment displays ever assembled in one place at one time. The most recent developments in equipment for mining, milling, and processing ore were shown by the 146 exhibitors at Denver's new City Auditorium which covers 57,000 sq ft of floor space. Other displays were placed in the open air opposite the auditorium site. Registration desks were opened Sunday, Sept. 21. A field trip to the Colorado School of Mines at Golden was the featured activity of the day. Official opening of the show took place on Monday, and presided over by Howard I. Young, president of American Zinc, Lead & Smelting Co.; Otto Herres, vice president, Combined Metals Reduction Co.; William J. Coulter, vice president, Climax Molybdenum Co.; Charles B. Stainback, Westinghouse Electric Corp.; and Merrill E. Shoup, president, Golden Cycle Corp. Convention welcoming addresses were delivered by a representative of Mayor James Q. Newton, of Denver, and Gov. Daniel V. Thorton of Colorado. Following the formal opening ceremonies a round table discussion dealt with the "Paley Commission Report" formally called Resources for Freedom. Participating in the panel were: Arthur H. Bunker and George R. Brown, members of the Paley commission; H. I. Young, president of the American Mining Congress; Horace M. Albright, president of U. S. Potash Co.; Evan Just, vice president, Cyprus Mines Corp.; Donald H. McLaughlin, president, Homestake Mining Co.; E. H. Snyder, president Combined Metals Reduction Co.; Simon D. Strauss, vice president, American Smelting & Refining Co.; Sen. H. C. Dworshak (R.-Idaho) ; Ira B. Joralemon, consulting engineer; Jess Larson, De fense Materials Procurement Agency; and Andrew Fletcher, president of St. Joseph Lead Co. The panel discussed the report for six hours, adding a great deal of information to the already voluminous amount which has been gathered concerning it. Three objections to the report frequently mentioned were: 1-the multilateral contract; 2-international buffer stocks; 3-international buffer stocks combined with limited quota arrangements. Points on which the panel commended the report were its recommendations for acceleration of topographic and geologic mapping of the United States and Alaska; recognition of the principle of percentage depletion for metals and minerals; and advocation of removal of the present limitations on the expensing of exploration costs applicable to minerals. Technical sessions were held throughout the four days of the meeting. Included in the program were: Progress in Mechanication; Small Mines; Public Lands; Open Pit Mining; Manpower-Labor Relations; Shaft Sinking; Roof Support; Taxation, Gold, Silver and Monetary Policy; Advances in Mill Practices; Special Conference on Strategic Materials; Uranium Mining-Atomic Energy; Prospecting and Exploration; New Metallurgical Processes; and Rock Breaking. About 45 papers and several panels were presented during technical sessions. Formal and informal social functions consumed the remaining time of the convention. Three locations were needed to handle the huge throng attending the Mining Jamboree Monday evening. The only other sponsored social function took place Thursday evening. A great many informal gatherings, chiefly convivial, were held in manufacturers' courtesy rooms-called wet stopes. Field trips included Cripple Creek, Pueblo, Climax -Leadville-Gilman, Colorado Plateau-Grand

Jan 1, 1952

By Wm. Reuben Webster

BRASS is an alloy of copper and zinc. The brasses (using this term to denote all useful proportions of the two constituents) are the most valuable and widely employed of all [ ] nonferrous alloys, because of their high resistance to ordinary corrosive agencies and the very wide range of properties that may be imparted to them by variations in the proportions of the constituents and by variations in mechanical treatment and heat-treatment. Fig. I shows the normal physical properties, as determined by standard tensile tests, of the series when in the annealed condition. Fig. 2 shows the effect of varying amounts of cold-working on an almost pure brass containing 70 per cent copper and 30 per cent zinc. Fig. 3 shows the effect of annealing at various temperatures on the same alloy. This effect is somewhat modi [ ] fled by the degree of cold-working to which a brass has been subjected, as shown by Fig. 4. A fourth test, which is empirical, has been found useful because of its simplicity -the hot hammer test. Samples Y2 in. in diameter and ¾ in. long are placed in a suitable furnace. These are withdrawn one at a time at successively higher tempera¬tures and are subjected to the blow of a drop hammer weighing 50 lb. with a drop of 4 ft. The percentages of' reduction in length of the cylinders are plotted against temperatures and give a comparative measure of plasticity at different temperatures. The results of this test on several

Jan 1, 1942

By J. Q. Ehrgott

INTRODUCTION The U. S. Army Engineer Waterways Experiment Station (WES), under sponsorship of the Defense Atomic Support Agency, has recently developed a unique dynamic high-pressure triaxial testing device (DHT). The device permits acquisition of both axial and lateral deformation data while undisturbed soil and/or rock specimens are subjected to various states of controlled impulsive-type stresses produced by varying both the axial stress and the radial stress rapidly with time. The device is used to develop controlled dynamic pressure pulses within the triaxial chamber fluid on soil or rock test specimens to 3 inches in diameter. Controlled dynamic axial pulse loads are delivered to the specimen by a piston driven by an existing pneumatic ram loader (SECO). The DHT consists of a triaxial cell and a pressure supply and decay system which permits the chamber pressure to be varied with time. Together the DHT and SECO operate in a testing program so as to provide time varying confining pressures and axial loads to test specimens at independently controlled but synchronized programmed rise, hold, and decay times. Rise time is defined as the time from zero load or pressure to peak load or pressure; hold time is the time of constant peak load or pressure; and the decay time is the time from peak load or pressure to zero load or pressure. The maximum dynamic confining pressure attainable is approximately 15,000 psi and the fastest rise and decay times are 3 millisecond (msec) and 20 msec, respectively. This paper presents a description of the DHT, the necessary support equipment, and details of the measurement system. Performance evaluation tests conducted on clay siltstone and a Cretaceous sandstone are presented since the results demonstrate some of the capabilities of the device and show some of its characteristics.

Jan 1, 1971

By Xiaojie Yang, Gang Yang, Zhenli Hao, Manchao He, Ruifeng Huang, Zheng Wang, Chaowen Hu

Preventing the spontaneous combustion of remnant coal, which is indicated by carbon monoxide (CO), is a significant issue for coal mining safety. The N00 longwall mining method with Z-type ventilation is advantageous for the prevention and control of CO; however, research regarding this topic is limited. To investigate the distribution of CO in a goaf and working face, a sealing material and technique for blocking the goaf were introduced after proposing a forming method for a Z-type ventilation system; furthermore, a monitoring method was designed and applied in the field. The results demonstrated that the CO concentration during mining in the upper corner and return airway ranged between 4–6 ppm and 3–7 ppm, respectively. More importantly, no CO was generated in the goaf. The results indicate that the advantages and mechanisms regarding the prevention of spontaneous ignition using the N00 longwall mining method with Z-type ventilation are as follows: (1) The adoption of the downward ventilation technique is not only beneficial for reducing the air pressure difference between both ends of the working face, but also prevents CO accumulation in the upper corner. (2) The basis of a spontaneous combustion disaster is eliminated owing to the absence of coal pillars reserved in the goaf. This study proposes a superior method for mitigating spontaneous combustion disasters related to remnant coal in the goaf in a coal mining field and contributes to the better understanding of the N00 longwall mining method for coal mining safety.

Nov 28, 2022

By Arthur Mackwell

The role of the precious metals is changing rapidly. They are becoming primarily materials of modern industry, and their decorative and monetary functions are diminishing in relative importance. Certainly gold is still the premier metal for jewelry, as silver is for silverware. But these uses are not growing nearly so fast as are the uses of these metals in a variety of industries. This is even more true of the platinum metals. Moreover, this is true despite the fact that the precious metals are highly expensive and liable to substitution by the base metals in cases where this is feasible. For the fact is that the physical and chemical properties of the precious metals make them relatively invulnerable to substitution; where they can be replaced by the base metals, they have been, and the opportunity for further substitution is, therefore, limited. SILVER In November 1969 the United States Treasury stopped minting the only remaining coin with any silver content. That was the silver-clad Kennedy half dollar, which had a silver content of approximately 40%. The step was taken out of necessity, because of the rising shortfall between world mine production and consumption. It was important to divert the 35 to 40 million oz of silver per year used for the minting of this coin into the open market, where it would be available for industrial consumption. This decision was important, not only for its practical effect but also for what it symbolized. Only four years earlier, in 1965, the Treasury had used 320 million oz of silver" for the full range of coinage. Now not an ounce of silver goes into the United States coinage. The reason is simple and yet complicated. For many years the U.S. Treasury had purchased silver at prices which provided a subsidy to domestic producers. As a result, silver producers were eager to sell to the Treasury, and that agency built up a huge supply of the metal -almost 2 billion oz by- 1961. But, as the free-market price neared $1.29, the basic melt value of the coinage, the Treasury became a seller of silver, not a buyer, and its stock was depleted rapidly. The Treasury lost more :than a billion ounces of silver in the years 1962 through 1965, and it continued to lose silver, both through coinage and through sales to consumers, through 1969. The Government continued to sell silver to consumers at the rate of 1.5 million oz a week, even after terminating the 40% silver Kennedy half dollar. But it was apparent that the Government stocks could last no more

Jan 1, 1976

Four generations ago, the Mount Morgan ore deposit sustained the hurly-burly of frantic development common to the finding of a rich discovery. In this case, it was gold discovered in gossan capping on one of the hills of the Dee Range. The bonanza ore, like the flush of youth, has been spent. Today, one recognizes in this operation the orderly manner of the senior citizen, keeping up with the times and husbanding resources. As mining towns go, Mt. Morgan has an enviable situation. The approach is from Rockhampton, Qld, a peaceful, affluent agricultural and cattle center near the sea. To reach the mine, one goes 22 miles, first across farming country, passing orange groves and occasional children on horseback. The ascent into the Dee Range is winding and rapid. In the winter, the hills are green and Bougainvillaea and flowering yellow bracken grow wild on the hillsides. Around a bend, the brown waste terraces of the mine come into view, rising above the surrounding country. The top of the mountain has been sawed off and a deep pit sunk into the core. A little further on, around a few more curves, the town of Mt. Morgan is seen nestling comfortably in the hollows, reaching up the slopes.

Jan 10, 1964

By Friedrich Benthaus

"The natural and man-made realities on either side of the Atlantic are different. Therefore, a large part of the other side' s knowledge and experience cannot be transferred easily. In the following, the author will attempt to describe some of those developments in the German hard coal industry which may be of particular interest to readers on this side of the Atlantic.The area of the Federal Republic is quite small, especially if compared with a country as large as Canada. On a territory the size of the maritime provinces of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, Germany holds coal reserves roughly corresponding to the total Canadian reserves. More than 20 billion tons of hard coal down to a depth of 1500 m, and more than 30 billion ton s of brown coal of lignite are technically and economically extractable acording to current technology.However, not only are Germany's coal resources more concentrated; the country is also densely populated, and there are dense networks of railroads and highways All components of the so-called infra-structure are available everywhere, be it electricity, any machinery or personnel. Public opinion is likely in favour of an increased utilization of coal.The coal industry is well developed through a long evolution covering centuries. As a consequence, there is an effective and intensive cooperation of numerous bodies and institutions concerned with coal mining, from government agencies including the inspectorate to suppliers, trade union s, producing companies, to jointly operated management and research organizations. In the Federal Republic, hard coal is mined in deep mines only, and lignite in general, only from open-cast pits. There is a complete organizational and geographic separation of hard and brown coal in Germany. Because the Federal Republic holds only insignificant mineral oil and very little natural gas deposits, coal is essentially the only and consequently the most valuable source of energy."

Jan 1, 1984

By J. P. Smith

DURING the winter of 1946 to 1947 potash operations in Germany, France and Spain were visited by the author. The U. S. Department of Commerce, through its Field Intelligence Agency Technical, sponsored the inspection of German properties by representatives of the American Potash Industry. Vast deposits of potash salts occur in the above-mentioned countries, and the production and marketing of these salts are important in their respective economies. Germany An area of some ten thousand square miles of north central Germany is underlain by lenses of potash salts interbedded with greater thicknesses of sodium chloride or common salt. These salt measures are relict deposits from the evaporation of an arm of the Zechstein (Permian) Sea which formerly covered northern Europe. During the peak year of 1940, Germany produced salts containing 1,860,000 tons of K,O and, next to coal, potash is its most important mineral raw material. The German deposits are found in the synclinal areas flanking the Flechtingen, Hartz Mountain and Thuringian uplifts, and, to the north they lie beneath the plains of Hannover. The regional dip of the salt measures is to the north, hence, lenses of potash found at depths of 500 to 1000 m* in the Two general depositional provinces of potash concentrations are recognized: (1) the main basin, and (2) the subsidiary basin. The main basin embraces the producing districts of Stassfurt, Sud Hartz, Halle, and Hannover-Braunschweig. From J. P. SMITH, Member AIME, is Clzief Geologist, U. S. Potash Co., Carlsbad, New Mexico. New York Meeting, February 1948. TP 2621 H. Discussion of this paper (2 copies) may be sent to Transactions AIME before Feb. 28, 1950. Manuscript received May 26, 1948. 40 to 45 pct of the German production comes from this basin. The Werra-Fulda district, producer of 50 pct or more of the German potash, lies in the subsidiary basin. Salt Stratigraphy: Five commercial potash zones or beds are recognized. The three beds present in the main basin are: The Stassfurt bed that occurs near the top of the older salt, and the Ronnenberg and Riedel beds in the younger salt occurring 200 to 300 m, respectively, above the Stassfurt bed. The Stassfurt bed is found over the entire main basin, while the Ronnenberg and Riedel are restricted to the Hannover area. Two potash beds occur in the Werra basin. These are the Thuringian, or lower bed and the Hessen or upper potash bed that occurs 60 m above. These beds lie 210 and 150 m, respectively, below the position of the Stassfurt bed, and are restricted to the Werra basin. The upper bed is 2.5 to 11.5 m in thickness, and the principal ores are hartsalz with varying thicknesses of carnallite. The lower bed averages 3 m in thickness, and contains hartsalz. The upper bed is presently being mined, and the

Jan 1, 1951

By J. P. Smith

DURING the winter of 1946 to 1947 potash operations in Germany, France and Spain were visited by the author. The U. S. Department of Commerce, through its Field Intelligence Agency Technical, sponsored the inspection of German properties by representatives of the American Potash Industry. Vast deposits of potash salts occur in the above-mentioned countries, and the production and marketing of these salts are important in their respective economies. Germany An area of some ten thousand square miles of north central Germany is underlain by lenses of potash salts interbedded with greater thicknesses of sodium chloride or common salt. These salt measures are relict deposits from the evaporation of an arm of the Zechstein (Permian) Sea which formerly covered northern Europe. During the peak year of 1940, Germany produced salts containing 1,860,000 tons of K,O and, next to coal, potash is its most important mineral raw material. The German deposits are found in the synclinal areas flanking the Flechtingen, Hartz Mountain and Thuringian uplifts, and, to the north they lie beneath the plains of Hannover. The regional dip of the salt measures is to the north, hence, lenses of potash found at depths of 500 to 1000 m* in the Two general depositional provinces of potash concentrations are recognized: (1) the main basin, and (2) the subsidiary basin. The main basin embraces the producing districts of Stassfurt, Sud Hartz, Halle, and Hannover-Braunschweig. From J. P. SMITH, Member AIME, is Clzief Geologist, U. S. Potash Co., Carlsbad, New Mexico. New York Meeting, February 1948. TP 2621 H. Discussion of this paper (2 copies) may be sent to Transactions AIME before Feb. 28, 1950. Manuscript received May 26, 1948. 40 to 45 pct of the German production comes from this basin. The Werra-Fulda district, producer of 50 pct or more of the German potash, lies in the subsidiary basin. Salt Stratigraphy: Five commercial potash zones or beds are recognized. The three beds present in the main basin are: The Stassfurt bed that occurs near the top of the older salt, and the Ronnenberg and Riedel beds in the younger salt occurring 200 to 300 m, respectively, above the Stassfurt bed. The Stassfurt bed is found over the entire main basin, while the Ronnenberg and Riedel are restricted to the Hannover area. Two potash beds occur in the Werra basin. These are the Thuringian, or lower bed and the Hessen or upper potash bed that occurs 60 m above. These beds lie 210 and 150 m, respectively, below the position of the Stassfurt bed, and are restricted to the Werra basin. The upper bed is 2.5 to 11.5 m in thickness, and the principal ores are hartsalz with varying thicknesses of carnallite. The lower bed averages 3 m in thickness, and contains hartsalz. The upper bed is presently being mined, and the

Jan 1, 1951