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By Frank E. Cash, Max S. Petersen

"INTRODUCTION Explosives have been used in ever—increasing amounts since gunpowder was invented. For hundreds of years only low explosives of the deflagrating type were used, and they were fired by means of a flame or hot object. Ben¬jamin Franklin first ignited gunpowder from a distance in 1751 by means of an electrostatic spark. Further efforts to develop a satisfactory electrical method to ignite explosives from greater distances were overshadowed by the invention of safety fuse in 1831, as this offered a relatively simple and inexpensive means of firing explosives.The discovery and introduction of high explosives of the detonating type and the invention of the fulmitate of mercury blasting cap about the middle of the nineteenth century provided the needed impetus for inventors to develop means of firing the cap by electricity. The original high-tension igniter, following Benjamin Franklin's experiment in which the detonating compound was ignited by a spark, was discarded in favor of a low-tension igniter, in which the detonating compound was ignited by a heated wire. The past 2 decades have seen considerable improvement in the design and construction of electric detonators to make them safer and more efficient, yet in spite of the improvement it is estimated that less than 50 percent of the explosives used in industry today are ignited or detonated electrically. The trend, however, is toward the use of electric methods. In recent years numerous-mining companies have introduced electric blasting exclusively at their mines as a means of improving safety and efficiency."

Sep 1, 1946

By Meeok Kim, Paul Beljan, Gordon Chen

"Clinton combined sewer overflow storage (CSO) facility project developed by the Department of Water Environment Protection of Onondaga County, New York, is to improve sewer facilities and infrastructure in Syracuse, New York. The below grade facility will provide a storage of untreated stormwater during highflow periods to be treated later, thus reducing CSO discharges to Onondaga Creek.The CSO system consists of three parallel storage tunnels and two end chambers (west and east chambers) as main underground structure. The storage tunnels are about 850 ft. long, 55 ft. wide, 24 ft tall and located 20 ft deep below grade. The chambers, include above access and operation structure, are about 40 to 55 ft. deep and approximately 60 to 100 ft. wide.Kiewit Infrastructure and Weidlinger Associates Inc. developed an alternative approach for the tunnels to meet the facility completion schedule, strict design guide lines and quality control as an environmental and water tight concrete structure for the project. The original design anticipated use of a TBM machine to bore three parallel tunnels between two previously constructed chambers.The alternative design used a three barrel culvert cast-in-place structure in a cut and cover excavation supported by a soil bentonite wall. The SOE along the jet grouted bottom seal provided a ground water cut off as well.The SOE system is specially designed to enhance the quality of culvert CIP structure construction by providing enough space for a full height construction. Also it further reduces the construction time by having the less squarefootage of jet grout installation. The design of tunnel systems is accomplished effectively through the utilization of soil structure interaction using a finite element methodIntroductionTo avoid construction of an additional treatment plant to handle increases in combined sewage flows, the Department of Water Environment Protection of Onondaga opted to construct the Clinton combined sewer overflow storage (CSO) facility.The Clinton CSO facility provides an environmental friendly mitigation method for combined sewer overflows on Onondaga lake which is located in northwest of Syracuse."

Jan 1, 2015

By Stephen C. Tadolini

The U.S. Bureau of Mines conducted a laboratory investigation designed to evaluate the stress and deformation characteristics of fully grouted roof bolts subjected to various magnitudes of end loadings. The experiment and subsequent analysis were completed, utilizing axial deformation data obtained -ultrasonically from forty-one 4-ft, grade 40 roof bolts, with a total of 132 measurement locations along the lengths of the bolts. The ultrasonic measurement instrumentation used in this investigation allowed for elongation measurements without requiring extensive bolt modifications. The results indicate that approximately 39 pct o{ the applied end load dissipated within the first 3.4 in of the bolts. However, only 3 pct of the applied load was realized beyond 28 in of the grout column. Data are presented individually for every 6-in increment of bolt length, and analysis was performed using statistical, nonlinear equations developed for 5,000 and 8,000 lb loading conditions.

Jan 1, 1990

By K. S. Gritton

The U.S. Bureau of Mines has investigated methods for extracting metals from a variety of arsenic-containing smelter flue dusts. One proposed flowsheet includes a sulfuric acid leach, a cooling step to precipitate hydrated copper sulfate, and a reduction-precipitation of As2O3. Arsenic extractions greater than 90 pct were achieved, while copper extraction ranged from 50 to 85 pct under the conditions examined. Copper was removed from the leach solutions by crystallization followed by SO2 precipitation of arsenic which resulted in a 98 to 99.9 pct As2O3 product. Other metals, such as lead and zinc, were concentrated in the leach residue or in other byproduct streams for recovery of their valuable metal contents.

Jan 1, 1990

By Kun Wang, Xinhui Li, Huaqing Xie, Qingbo Yu, Qin Qin

"Three typical model compounds of bio-oil (ethanol, acetone and phenol) were studied in the steam reforming process for hydrogen production. In the thermodynamic analysis, the three componds showed the similar trends. The hydrogen yields increased with the increase of steam/carbon (S/C) ratios, and the temperatures of the maximum hydrogen yields moved afterward to low temperature zone. However, the hydrogen contents were just about 70%. For improving hydrogen yield, a new system for steam reforming of bio-oil with site CO2 capture was put forward. This system required the catalst with the larger granularity having greater mechanical strength and higher abrasion resistance. So, six Ni-base catalysts loaded on Al2O3 particles prepared were used and among them, Mg-Ni/Co catalyst showed the best catalytic performance. For the simulated bio-oil (the mixture of the compounds), the hydrogen yield can attain 63% with Mg-Ni/Co catalyst with the good stability and regeneration ability.IntroductionCurrently the interest in the use of hydrogen as a clean energy carrier is increasing, and the main way for producing hydrogen is steam reforming of fossil fuels, containing steam reforming of nature gas, naphtha and coal. But this way caused substantial amounts of CO2 emitted, and these sources of hydrogen which are non-renewable energy will eventually be used up [1, 2]. As a kind of renewable energy, biomass is recognized as an attractive alternative to fossil fuels, because of its neutral CO2 emissions [3]. There are mainly two thermochemical processes using biomass to produce hydrogen, gasification and flash pyrolysis followed by steam reforming (SR) of the biooil produced in the flash pryolysis process [4]. The latter was known as one of the most promising and economically viable methods for hydrogen production [5]. In the last decades, the biomass flash pyrolysis technology was adequately developed and fairly mature [6]. But the steam reforming of bio-oil is still at the research stage and yet has been leading to more and more concerns by the researchers. In their research, the catalysts were widely studied and yet mainly were powdery[7-10], and the reactors manily were fixed bed reactors[11-13], readly causing the carbon deposition and the catalyst deactivation, against the continuous running. In this paper, a new systerm was put forward and could realize continuous production of hydrogen, yet needed catalysts with the larger granularity having greater mechanical strength and higher abrasion resistance, as well as powdery CO2 sorbents which mainly calcium oxide based ones.In this paper, the thermodynamic analysis of the steam reforming processes of three typical bio-oil model compounds (ethanol, acetone, phenol) was performed, and the effect of S/C ratio and temperature on the hydrogen yield and the compositions of gaseous products were investigated. Then, a new systerm for steam reforming of bio-oil with site CO2 capture was put forward, and the catalysts with a certain granularity were prepared and studied."

Jan 1, 2014

By Benjamin Smith Lyman

PAGE I. ANCIENT HISTORY,........... 57 Accepted Fables ; Babylonian Mapping ; First Surveying. II. COMPASS,.............59 Chinese Invention; Marco Polo; First European Compasses ; Early Knowledge of Variation ; Plotting with the Compass ; Hanging-Com pass ; Supposed Gravitational Error ; Merit of the Compass. 111. Telescope,............63 Origin (Roger Bacon, Porta, Digges, Lippershey, Galileo) ; Improvements (Micrometer and Cross-Hairs, Rittenhouse's First Telescope, Platinum Cross-Wires, Telescopic Sights, Reflecting Telescope, Achromatic Lens, Kellner Lens in Erecting Telescope, Inverting Telescope). IV. Theodolite,.............81 Origin ; Derivation of the Name. V. TranBit,.............86 First Surveying Transit; Edmund Draper. VI. Instrument-Parts,..........89 Ramsdenl a Dividing Engine ; Fineness of Graduation ; Conical Gradua tions ; Full Vertical Circle ; Leveling-Screws ; Shifting Tripod-Heads ; Hoffman-Harden Tripod-Head ; Heller & Brightly's Improvements. VII. OTHER INSTRUMENTS AND APPLIANCES,......100 Sunflower; Plummet-Lamp; Chains and Tapes. VIII. SCOTT'S TACHYMETER,.........104 IX. Nomenclature and Classification,.......105 Names; Grouping. Surveyors are much indebted to Mr. Scott for so vigorously attacking the subject of the origin and history of mine-surveging instruments, the compass, the telescope, the transit and other apparatus. He is not afraid of the dark, nor yet foolishly bashful in broad daylight. He does not recoil from the obscurities of the earliest times and the most difficult historical points; and, with commendable public spirit, he makes his own invention known to his fellow-workers, and challenges their criticism. He has, moreover, elicited the praiseworthy emula-

Jan 1, 1902

By B. M. Currell, M. J. Neate, P. W. Bowden

Historically the hydrogen fluoride laden fume emitted from the electrolytic cells in the aluminium reduction process is further treated in pulse jet dust collectors. These dust collectors act as dry scrubbers performing two duties: adsorbing the gaseous fluoride emitted from the cells onto alumina dust; and collecting the alumina dust minimising particulate and fluoride emissions to the environment.Patented StarBag (TM) technology has been used in aluminium smelters in Australia as a means of increasing the dust collection and fluoride scrubbing capacity of existing collectors. This technology provides an alternative to major capital equipment upgrade where increased capacity is required, and potentially lowers the production cost per tonne of aluminium where capacity limitations are being realised and production expansion is required. This paper presents the findings of on-site pilot scale, and full production scale comparative tests, highlighting the operational and variable differences observed utilising the Star-Bag(TM) technology at Boyne Smelters Ltd in Australia. The results illustrate how this technology can be utilised to increase the hydrogen fluoride scrubbing efficiency and dust collection capacity of existing capital equipment.

Jan 1, 2006

By Robert H. Ridgway

This circular outlines salient facts regarding the pyrites industry of the United States and the world. It is founded chiefly upon published information available in the literature of the subject. The United States Bureau of Mines has in its files additional and more detailed data upon many of the subjects presented very briefly here, and will endeavor to assist the mineral industries and the public by giving further information in response to individual inquiries. The bureau will welcome comments, criticisms, and contribu- tions of data that may assist in making later editions of this circular of information more accurate, or may aid in developing more fully the files pertaining to pyrites.

Sep 1, 1931

By The Hollinger Mill Staff

MR. E. L. Longmore (l), in presenting this paper at the Annual General Meeting, suggested that it was neither desirable nor necessary to read any but the briefest portion of the paper. He wished to emphasize that the scale of the milling operations at the Hollinger not only provided several units in continuous operation to ensure that the test work was being carried on under normal conditions, but also provided a large and competent staff to supervise such an extensive experiment and to criticize intelligently the recorded results. He wished to acknowledge the enthusiastic co-operation of the group of assistants whose excellent work was responsible for the confidence with which the conclusions could be presented. The following data were given as a supplement to the published paper. Following conclusion of the test work described in the paper, the size of the balls fed to the mill was changed from 3-in. diameter to 2Yz-in. Within a short time, a gradual rise in the tonnage rate took place and, as no other condition had been changed, the increased tonnage was credited to the changed character of the ball load. At present, the average daily tonnage for the mill with low discharge is 1,507 tons, an increase of 77 tons over the 1,430 tons ground when feeding a 3-in. ball. A similar increase in tonnage should be credited to the high-discharge test, if the 2;Y2-in. ball had been used at that time. This would raise the 1,117 tons ground at that time to a new figure of 1,177 tons. From a study made to determine those factors influencing the rate of pulp flow through the low-discharge mill, it became evident that the ball screen used on the high-discharge mill must have been restricting the flow through the mill, although this was not recognized at the time. Accord-ingly, it was decided to repeat the high-discharge run. Additional length was added to the 21-in. ring grizzly originally used, and the length of the reverse spiral was increased. The end of the grizzly was left open so that, if necessary, excess pulp might flow out. A coarse mesh 3 ft. by 3 ft. flat screen was provided to catch stray balls.

Jan 1, 1937

By N. Melnyk

"FOREWORDThis paper provides a unique description of a method devised for mining a very thick steeply dipping seam of soft gassy coal which was prone to spontaneous combustion. The editors con¬sider that the information in this paper should be important to those who may have to consider mining such seams again at some time in the future and therefore believe that the paper warrants reprinting in the present volume. The author was ask¬ed to review the paper and to add any additional relevant in¬formation. He provided the accompanying footnote, only a month before his death on April 22, 1982.IntroductionIn the past, the Cadomin Coal Company has opened four mines, all in the same coal seam or its folds. Three of these were opened from river level by horizontal entries or rock tunnels. and the fourth, the present working mine, by vertical shafts. This paper deals largely with some operating phases of this fourth mine, with which the writer has been associated.The seam worked here is a thick, steep, bituminous seam, and the writer feels there is a paucity of published data on the mining of such seams. Possible reasons for this are that such seams do not lend themselves to intensive development or mining, there is little chance to mechanize because of the extreme pitch, and operations are fraught with many problems. In addition the present operations in this particular' seam are being carried on at a level below the former workings, introducing new problems, not encountered on the upper level.Coal will, without question, long continue to be an impor¬tant factor in the national economy, and some of the best coal is to be found in thick, steep seams. But with the exhaustion of the easily-mined coal near the outcrops, future coal will have to come more and more from lower levels. At Cadomin there is still considerable coal on the second level, below the old river-workings, and there is a possibility that, in the future, still lower levels will be worked. It is the purpose of this paper to indicate some phases of such lower-level operations and to invite discussion."

Jan 1, 1985

By H. Tomlinson

Fatalities from falls of roof and coal are responsible for the death Of more than 1,000 miners annually in the bituminous coal mines of the United States, or practically one-half of the total fatalities In and about these mines. The men are killed by falls singly or in small groups and little or no publicity is given these accidents as they lack the spectacular features of gas and dust explosions. As a result, the public and even the miners have the impression that accidents from falls of roof and coal are just one of the unavoidable hazards of the coal-mining industry. This belief is not true. Accidents caused by falls can be avoided largely by the application of sound engineering principles, by education, and by proper leadership in the industry, just as gas and dust explosions and accidents caused by explosives have been reduced in recent years. The necessity for studying falls of roof and coal becomes apparent by referring to the following data from a table by Adams and Chenoweth:3

Jan 1, 1933

By S. Chilka, I. Maloney, J. Brady

"The purpose of this project was to design the Electrical Service Platform (ESP) for the Cape Wind Offshore Wind Farm. The ESP structure comprises two primary parts: the topside platform housing the electrical equipment and the two jacket substructures providing foundation support to the platform. The topside is supported only by the two inner legs of each jacket. The site water depth is relatively shallow and the seabed comprised of loose sediment subject to severe local scour up to 18 feet. The piles are designed for local scour, storm conditions, vessel impact, ice loads and pile installation fatigue. This paper focuses on the design and construction aspect of this project.PROJECT DESCRIPTIONBackgroundThe Cape Wind project will be located in Nantucket Sound between Cape Cod on the Massachusetts mainland (northeastern coast of the USA) and the Islands of Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket (Fig. 1). The project is to be sited on Horseshoe Shoal, about equal distances from the mainland and the two islands. The project will produce 75% of the electricity used on Cape Cod and the Islands of Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket with zero pollution emissions and resulting in the reduced operations, fuel consumption and pollution emissions from the fossil fuel power plants in the region. The wind farm, if constructed per plan, is expected to be America’s first offshore wind farm.The wind farm will consist of an array of 130 Siemens 3.6-megawatt offshore wind turbines with a combined production capacity of 468-megawatts. The offshore wind turbine towers will be bolted onto the transition pieces supported by monopile foundations driven into seabed. The power from the 130 wind turbine generators will be delivered to the Electrical Service Platform (ESP) by an array of up to 14 seabed conductors."

Jan 1, 2017

By P. Fleming, W. Pascheto

"Rod mills processing nickel and copper ore experienced recurring failures of liner bolts. In some cases failures became very frequent, requiring constant mill intervention and consequently impacting process stability and operating costs. Investigation related to the causes of bolt failures involved a multidisciplinary approach with the participation of engineering, maintenance and operation. It included the determination of bolt failure mechanisms as well as the assessment of mechanical properties, fabrication quality and handling and installation procedures. In addition, other parameters affecting bolt performance such as mill and liner design, operating parameters and maintenance practices were studied. This paper reports the failure investigation results and proposed solutions for failure prevention. INTRODUCTIONOccasional liner bolt failures are common in rod mills. However, chronic bolt failures developed in rod mills processing nickel and copper ore caused frequent shutdowns for bolt replacement to an extent that affected process stability. At first, it was thought that the cause of recurring failures was related to bolt quality. The operation then submitted several failed bolts to failure analysis. However, it became apparent that bolt quality was unlikely to be the main cause of failures. The determination of root cause (s) then became more complex, requiring a multi-disciplinary approach to failure investigation, requiring the assessment of bolt installation methods, mill design, operating conditions and maintenance practices. The results of the metallurgical failure analysis and investigation of other possible causes of failures are reported here."

Jan 1, 2016

By Dan S. Nilsson

Small-scale mines are today expected to provide much of the increased production of metals, industnial minerals and coal this country demands in the future. But what is the size trend in the mining industry?

Jan 1, 1980

By Gennaro G. Marino

The Bureau of Mines and the University of Illinois investigated surface characteristics and damage to structures from mine subsidence over a room-and-pillar coal mine in Hegeler, IL. Data on three adjacent subsidence sags and associated structural damage were collected, summarized and evaluated. The subsidence sags developed over a 10-year period and took place above a modified room-and-pillar operation mining the Herrin (No. 6) coal at a depth of 130 to 135 ft. Surface vertical displacements of 3.0 to 3.5 ft resulted from extracting 6.1 to 6.4 ft of coal. Ground movements associated with sag formation severely damaged three houses and a radio station building, broke numerous utility lines, and structurally distorted three radio transmission towers. The radio station was remodeled and the towers repaired, but the three houses were subsequently demolished. Surface waters collecting in the subsidence depressions caused failure of radial ground transmission systems. The following subsidence profile characteristics were determined at the radio station and one of the houses, respectively: profile slopes, 0.02 and 0.07; maximum curvatures, 2.3 x 10-4 ft-1 and 3.0 x 10-4 ft-1; and angular distortions, 6.6 x 10-3 and 62.0 x 10-3. Although the house was more severely damaged than the radio station, both structures are classified as severely to very severely damaged.

Jan 1, 1986

By R. A. V. Raff

Although falls of roof, face and rib (or side) of coal mines were the third ranking cause of disabling accidents in 1966, the accidents from these falls resulted in the most serious injuries and accounted for approximately 50 percent of the total fatalities (I). Further breakdown of these statistics shows that 88 percent of the fatal accidents occurred within 100 feet of the working face and that 96 percent of the deaths were in bituminous mines, with only four percent taking place in anthracite workings. These figures demonstrated the need for improved reinforcement procedures in operational coal mines, and they provided ample justification for research in the area of accident prevention. The purpose of this project was to investigate the use of polymers and of related techniques to achieve rock bonding and reinforcement of coal mine structures, in order to obtain better or permanent ground support (e.g., drifts, entrees, coal and ore passes, galleries, tunnels and shafts) by the fill ing of fissures in the rock, thereby preventing or delaying the onset of serious rock degradation processes.

Jan 1, 1973

By Frederico Muylaert Margem, Jarbas Bravo Neto, Sergio Neves Monteiro

"The mechanical behavior and the fracture characteristics of composites with DGEBA/TETA epoxy matrix reinforced with up to 40% in volume of continuous and thinner ramie fibers were evaluated by tensile tests. Specimens with selected thin fibers aligned along the tensile axis were room temperature tested to rupture. The fracture surface was analyzed by scanning electron microscopy. The results showed significant increase in both the ultimate tensile strength and the elastic modulus. The fracture analysis indicated the possible mechanism for the fiber/matrix interaction, which could be responsible for the composite performance.IntroductionThe fiber reinforced polymer composite emerged in the middle of last century as a versatile engineering material for applications requiring mechanical resistance in association with lightness. Its most commonly used example is ""fiberglass'', i.e., a thermoset polymer matrix composite reinforced with glass fiber. Indeed, ""fiberglass"" has a specific strength of the order of 500 MPa.cm3/g, which is the double of the strongest steels like the maraging. This motivated, at earlier times, ""fiberglass"" to replace many conventional materials including wood and natural fiber composites. Today, ""fiberglass"" has a wide range of uses from aerospace systems and appliances to sport and leisure components. However, its fabrication as well as those of any synthetic fiber such as carbon and aramid composites, requires a relatively large amount of energy. Presently, a growing concern exists regarding the consequences to the environmental by gases like C02 associated with both the energy consumption and the processing of synthetic fibers and their composites. These gases are well known responsible for global warming [1]."

Jan 1, 2011

By G. E. MeGlelland

During the 1970?s, the Bureau of Mines investigated a particle agglomeration technique for improving the flow of leaching solution through heaps of clayey or crushed, low-grade gold-silver ores. This technology has been adopted on a broad scale by the precious-metal-processing industry. This report presents information on the application of agglomeration technology to finely ground precious-metal-bearing tailings. Two commercial operations that have benefited from agglomeration technology are discussed. The technology is cost effective because of decreased leach times and improved precious metal recoveries.

Jan 1, 1985

By Andrew B. Allen, Charles W. Robinson, Robert L. Schneider

In April, the US Synthetic Fuels Corp. broke a three-year silence and made its first financial award by approving a $820,750 loan for the First Colony peat-to-methanol project in North Carolina (ME, May, page 403). Peat Methanol Associates (PMA), a partnership between Koppers Co., ETCO Methanol Inc., Transco, Peat Methanol Co., and l. B. Sunderland, broke ground at First Colony last year and plans to begin production in Dec. 1985. Although the award is only a small part of Synthetic Fuels Corp.'s $15-billion budget, it does signal the corporation's intention to move aggressively ahead. It also is a positive indication that First Colony will be completed and operated successfully. This article describes the methods and equipment that will be used to harvest peat at First Colony, as well as how the peat will be converted to methanol. Introduction Peat deposits found along North Carolina's coastal plain contain high-quality fuel-grade peat with an average heating value of more than 23.3 MJ/kg (10,000 Btu/lb) (dry), with a low sulfur and ash content. The deposits differ from other US peats in that they contain large, sound Atlantic White Cedar and Cypress logs, stumps, and roots that may extend throughout the full depth of the deposit. A second difference is that these deposits are much more highly decomposed and, in the raw state, have the appearance and feel of a heavy, reddish-brown grease. These factors make it impractical to use standard production equipment so a new line was developed. Also, because of these conditions, techniques were modified to facilitate production. First Colony Farms, located near Creswell, NC, developed and evaluated a milled peat program. Equipment for this production method was designed and built, production rates were established from field operations, drying rates were established, weather data were analyzed, and total operating and capital costs were estimated. The method depends on the sun and wind for drying peat to the desired moisture content, in this case around 40%. Therefore, field preparation is actually the construction of a large solar collector to dry the peat so it can be harvested and stockpiled. It is essential that this collector be properly profiled initially and maintained during production to prevent precipitation from ponding. Initial Field Preparation Initial field preparation includes cleaning existing canals and constructing ditches and water control structures for proper drainage of rainwater run-off, building adequate roads for site access, removing surface vegetation, and profiling and sloping the fields. At First Colony, the 60.7-km2 (15,000-acre) harvesting area was divided into 129.5-hm2 (320-acre) blocks about 1.6 km (1 mile) long and 805 m (0.5 mile) wide. This was accomplished by cleaning main outfall canals with adjacent roads built from canal spoil at 1.6-km (1-mile) intervals. Existing intermediate canals that feed into main outfall canals at 805-m (0.5-mile) intervals also are cleaned. Headland roads are constructed from canal spoil along each side of each intermediate canal. This 129.5-hm2 (320-acre) block is then divided into 32 harvest strips by small V-ditches constructed at 50-m (165-ft) intervals. At the end of the field with the lowest elevation, corrugated steel pipe culverts are installed under the headland road in each V-ditch to control rainwater runoff into intermediate canals. Runoff water from the fields is diverted to a holding pond to prevent any increase in peak water runoff rates and to allow for more uniform drainage rate than experienced to date. After the drainage system is installed, harvest strips are ready for grinding and sloping operations. Surface vegetation, made up of small, waxy-leafed shrubs such as Gallberry, Bayberry, Magnolia, and scattered pond pine, can be effectively ground and incorporated into the upper surface of the peat layer. Here, it will rapidly decompose and have little effect on overall peat quality, thus eliminating the standard practice of pushing the vegetation and upper wood layer into long windrows with bulldozers and hauling this debris from the fields. Incorporating vegetation into the upper surface is known as the initial 102-mm (4-in.) surface vegetation grind and is accomplished by using a modified Bros Rota Mixer. Following this operation, and by using the same unit, a sec¬ond grind with a depth of 200-255 mm (8-10 in.) is made. This reduces the debris to a finer consistency, mixes it with the upper peat layer, and grinds any wood found in the upper 200-255 mm (8-10 in.). After initial grinding operations are completed, the augering or sloping operations can be accomplished with little or no hin-

Jan 7, 1983

By C. P. Bowie

"It is well known by all who are familiar with the oil industry in America that the oil pipe line is as fundamentally a part of this industry as the railroad is of most other American industries. The oil pipe line was first introduced about 56 years ago, and since that time has so demonstrated its superiority as a means of carrying crude oil froze the well to the refinery, that this method of transportation has largely superseded all others. This has made possible the building of refineries in or near the large consuming centers, rather than at the wells, which are usually remote from the centers of population.The pipes for conveying the oil are laid on the surface of the ground, or at a depth varying from 18 inches to 3 feet beneath the surface, and the main lines are generally eight inches in diameter. The oil is forced through the pipes by means of pumps operated either by steam or by internal combustion engines. The pump stations are located from 1 1/2 to 90 miles apart, varying with the condition of the country through which the pipe lines extend, and the viscosity of the oil to be handled.Some of the larger pipe-line systems and hundreds of miles in length. It is estimated by the U. S. Geological Survey that the total mileage of oil trunk lines in the United States today is approximately 34,000, and that the gathering systems, which are a fundamental part of the trunk systems, aggregate about 11,500 miles in length, making a total of 45,500 miles.Using those figures as a basis, some general conclusions as to the investment represented will be made. At the time most of the lines were constructed, the average cost per mile based on eight-inch pipe was about $6,500. The cost of the average pump station at that time varied from $130,000 to $250,000. The cost at the present time, on account of the increase in price of labor and materials, would be much in excess of these figures. The fixed investment in pipe lines is, therefore, very extensive. It corresponds closely with the actual cost of the property, and is estimated to be approximately $500,000,000."

Sep 1, 1920