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By Laurel A. Powers

The Bureau of Mines process for recovering Ni and Co from low-grade domestic laterites uses a reduction roast followed by an ammonia, ammo-nium sulfate leach. This investigation examined the waste streams of the process for their potential environmental impact and focused on the laterite residue produced. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's extraction procedure (EP) toxicity tests and column leaching showed that leachable metal concentrations would be low enough so that the residue would not be considered a hazardous waste under present definitions. Under nonacid leaching conditions, about the same amount of metal was extracted from laterites as from their residues, and the leachates were similar to water samples from an undisturbed laterite deposit. Washing tests on the laterite residue showed that ammonia and ammonium sulfate concentrations were reduced according to equilibrium stage calculations, resulting in residues that would be acceptable for revegetation. With water washing only, the residue would not be considered a hazardous waste even though significant amounts of Ni and Co were absorbed from entrained leach solution onto the residue. Washing first with fresh leach solution and then with water prevented this absorption and thus improved the overall metal recovery.

Jan 1, 1983

IT IS impossible to speak in exact terms of the effect that selective flotation has had, is having, and may have on the State of Utah. Its results enter into the economic structure of the state in so many ways and its ramifications are so widespread, that every line of industry is affected. Some effects can be definitely determined; others can be reasonably approximated; but the effect as a whole can not be set out in exact figures. Utah is essentially a mining state; mining is its basic industry and always will be. Agriculture, equally a basic industry, and of course, equally vital, can be practiced on only 6 per cent. of the 85,000 square miles of its area. It follows, therefore, that the economic future of this state depends upon a development of its natural resources. About 6 or 7 years ago, the mining industry in Utah was at a low ebb. This condition was caused partly by postwar conditions and other temporary causes, but prevailed also, which was most important, because the direct-smelting ores of the state were being rapidly exhausted and the cost of treatment of complex ores was almost prohibitive. Furthermore, the wet concentration of low-grade ores was unsatisfactory and did not result in producing a good smelting product. On visualizing this situation, one of the large smelting companies in the valley had the courage, ability and faith to develop and expand the principles involved in selective flotation of complex ores. This example has been followed by other smelting and reduction companies and the result has changed the entire aspect of the mining industry in Utah. The utilization of the zinc in the low-grade, lead-zinc-silver ores was the principal problem to be solved. The average yearly production from the State of Utah for the 10 years beginning 1914 and ending 1923, was something less than 10,000 tons of zinc concentrates. This period includes the world war, when abnormal prices stimulated production. In 1924, selective flotation began to be practiced on a considerable scale, replacing concentration by gravity and bulk flotation which had been used generally until this time. PRODUCTION AND VALUE OF ZINC CONCENTRATES The production of zinc concentrates during 1924 was approximately , 24,000 tons, or twice the average yearly production of the previous 10

Jan 1, 1928

By Richard A. Brown

The direct precipitation of uranium with hydrogen peroxide has been known since 1877. Commercial use of the process began in the 1960's. During 1967 the Bureau of Mines assisted the Climax Uranium Co., Grand Junction, Colorado in the development of a uranyl peroxide precipitation process to control a molybdenum impurity problem (1). Atlas Minerals, Moab, Utah has used hydrogen peroxide to control vanadium and sodium levels in their uranium concentrates since 1969 (2). Recently, the use of hydrogen peroxide by the uranium industry has grown, particularly since the increased demand for uranium has led to the processing of low grade ores. Impurities present in low grade ores can be concentrated with the uranium during milling and will substantially complicate the refining of uranium yellowcake concentrates. Consequently, commercial nuclear fuel processors have imposed stringent specifications and penalties to control these impurities. The ability to produce a pure uranium yellowcake can eliminate penalty or reprocessing costs. Hydrogen peroxide precipitation of uranium is specific and quantitative, producing a very high purity product.

Jan 1, 1980

By S Hapugoda, H Han, L Lu

Charcoal produced from Syzygium Zeylanicum trees was widely used in ancient Sri Lankan iron smelting practices. Charcoal made from Syzygium Zeylanicum tree trunks, branches and leaves were analysed by optical mineralogy and SEM and found to contain unusually high concentrations of calcium oxalate (CaC2O4.H2O – CaOx) crystals in plant cells. Partial and full reduction tests of a high-P Brockman ore were conducted at several temperatures with coke and coke doped with CaOx and CaCO3. It was observed that CaOx promoted reduction and generated comparatively more metallic iron in reduced samples. Furthermore, CaOx encouraged phosphorous partition into slag phases than into the metallic iron, suggesting CaOx can a potential alternative fluxing material to calcium carbonate for treating high-P iron ores in ironmaking processes.

Sep 18, 2023

By Norman B. Davis

THE ceramic group of industries is comprised of those engaged in the manufacture of cement, glass, artificial abrasives, whiteware, including earthenware, stoneware, porcelain tableware, porcelain sanitary ware, electrical porcelain, floor and wall tile, porcelain enamel on metals, refractories of all kinds, sewer-pipe and structural clay products, such as terra cotta, brick, and hollow tile. The various sub-divisions of the industry produce a wide range of articles on which we depend for our creature comforts from day to day, perhaps to a greater extent than we generally realize. The industry, in turn, depends on a great number of minerals, and chemical products derived from minerals, and it is the object of this brief paper to present a list of these with notes indicating the particular applications. In order to bring home the importance of the industry to your daily life, stop and consider the many things around you accepted as a matter of course. Cement provides the smooth surfaces of many of our highways, city streets, and sidewalks. It enters into nearly all types of construction, alone or in combination with other clay products. Glass we hardly appreciate because we can see through it so easily, but it is there to serve us in windows, doors, and other light-transmitting structures. Glass is the universal means of transporting liquids and beverages, our beverages are usually served in it, and, with the recent development in fine spun glass textiles, there is a possibility of glass clothing in the future. Chinaware, a general term for table dishes, may be earthenware (not vitrified), semi-porcelain, or bone china, but it is before us three or more times a day ?and we seldom think of the minerals that have made these products possible. Floor tile, wall tile, and other ceramic specialties for interior and exterior use and decoration please the eye and provide sanitary surroundings.

Jan 1, 1938

By D. J. Parker

Ability to signal the hoisting engineer in shaft mines is of utmost importance from the standpoint of safety and economy. The problem of signalling from the cages and especially from the moving cages has received too little attention from mine operators; however, this problem has been given considerable thought and attention by at least one large metal-mining company in Utah which has devised successful, economical, and safe systems of signalling from the cage whether it is moving or at rest. A Report of Investigations on "Methods used in Utah for signalling mine hoists from moving cages," by C. A. Allen, then a metal-mining engineer in the Bureau of Mines, was issued in June, 1920. As this report contains interesting history of systems of signalling from moving mine hoists, and describes several systems then in use, it is here quoted in full.

Jan 1, 1929

By Paul Mulcey

El presente texto señala los usos de la antracita en la industria del cemento, refinerías de azúcar, fábricas de vidrio, fundiciones y las aplicaciones inyectadas (gas de síntesis, plantas de energía, planta de laminación en Chimbote y los estudios en combustiones y aplicaciones. La formación de estos yacimiento se debe a que la mayor parte de la oxidación parcial ele s ulfurn dr\ hidl'ógeno de origen Yolcánico,con la PXCPpc ión dt> los yarimienfos ele Pinra y Ba~·oyar Pll que apar·pnf.Pme nlc Sf' nncnc•nt ra como producto r es idual dPI ¡wlrólPo.

Jul 1, 1956

Research workers From the Bureau of Mines and industry met with other government and industry representatives in Pittsburgh, Pa., on January 22, 1975, to discuss the results of research under the Bureau of Mines Noise Control Program. The program, aimed at reducing noise in mines, is functionally divided into three major areas: Instrumentation, personal protection, and noise abatement. This proceedings contains the opening remarks to the seminar and seven technical presentations based on various aspects of noise abatement and control.

Jan 1, 1975

By Kumara S. Rachamalla

Mineral activity in Ontario represents an annual production in excess of $4 billion. The Ontario government encourages the mining industry to undertake mineral development through grant programs and incentives offered by mineral resource taxation. Computers are playing an increasingly important role in improving productivity in the administration of incentive programs and the Mining Tax Act in Ontario. This has meant speedier processing of grant applications and tax returns which is resulting in a streamlined approach to incentives and taxation in Ontario. The use of computers has resulted in significant contributions to key areas of concern such as assessment of mining tax returns, analysis of the changes, if any, to the Mining Tax Act and modeling of the Ontario Mineral Exploration Program (OMEP). Implementation of state-of-the-art technology such as Local Area Networks (LAN's), fourth generation languages and integrated micro-mainframe information processing has resulted in improved productivity as well as lower costs. As a result, the respective services provided to the mineral industry by these two programs are now delivered in an efficient and cost-effective manner utilizing the latest available computer technology.

Jan 1, 1986

By ROY BERENTZ

MANUFACTURE is the transformation of material by the application of energy and power. The energy of a man exerted throughout a day is equivalent to about one horsepower-hour of mechanical work an amount which can be purchased for less than 2c. It is evident that manual labor is uneconomical if mechanical energy can be applied effectively, or without disproportionate expense. Since manual energy is relatively so costly, economy demands that mechanical power be employed so as to reduce the human effort connected with mining operations to a minimum. Power, like other commodities, is most efficiently produced in large quantities. Mechanical transmission, once prevailing, is being rapidly superseded by electric drive. There are many reasons for this change; such as increased production, ease and accuracy of control, convenient application, ease of moving, etc.

Jan 1, 1930

By Zhian Liang, Xiong Huang, Weixin Wu, Lifeng Cui, Zhuanhua Wei, Guoyao Li, Xiao Ni, Junrong Wang, Shuiping Zhong

ZJ 201 (modified starch) is a non-toxic, odorless, and biodegradable polymeric depressant, which selectively depressed galena in batch flotation tests while chalcopyrite was not significantly affected. In a plant trial, copper-lead separation was successful for the first time without using dichromate. Moreover, the plant process could be changed to sequential Cu-Pb flotation using ZJ 201 for higher grade lead concentrate. A copper concentrate was obtained with a Cu grade of 24.91% and a Pb grade of 5.11%, which recovered 76.6% of the copper from the original ore; a lead concentrate was also obtained with a Pb grade of 21.90% and a Cu grade of 5.31%, which recovered 52.6% of the lead. In addition to the effective copper-lead separation observed in the plant trial, another improvement observed is that gold was recovered mostly in copper concentrate, which could be sold for higher prices. Au grade reached 230.64 g/t, and its recovery reached 65.8% in the copper concentrate. Au grade in lead concentrate was only 18.90 g/t.

Aug 27, 2021

By Zhiyang Long, Ruiling Xiao

"A mine shaft is one main development method of establishing access in an underground mine. The construction technology of the mine shaft sinking is complicated and large equipment setup on surface and in the mine shaft. The paper briefly reviews a single-line operation method, parallel operation method and mixed operation method as well as the features of the one operation method with the excavation, lining and installation. The special construction technology mainly would include ground freezing methods, full diameter shaft drilling methods, caisson methods, grouting technology and concrete curtain methods as well as other methods. The paper summarizes the shaft sinking numbers and effects by the special construction methods during different periods. The paper states the shaft sinking conditions and the each created record conditions in the coal, metallurgy, non-ferrous metal, hydropower, highway, railway, nonmetallic and other industries. The paper has a prediction on the shaft sinking requirements and development tendency in the future for China.INTRODUCTIONA mine shaft is one main development method of access in an underground mine. In recent years in China the new shaft mines represent 45% of the total number of new mines. With the development of new mining area under construction and the development of deeper mines, the ratio of the mine shaft as access for underground mines will increase. The construction technology of the mine shaft engineering will be complicated, the operation site footprint will be small and the working environment will be more difficult. The mine shaft sinking operation will often be varied by the geological conditions and affected by underground water inflows, seam gas outbursts, geothermal and other natural conditions. The safe construction of the mine shaft sinking will be challenged by all these conditions. Although the mine shaft engineering will only be about 5% of the total mine roadway engineering, the mine shaft construction period often will take over 40% of the total mine construction period. With the progress of modernized mine production technology and the construction of a high production and high efficient mine, the mine transportation roadways mostly would be set in the seam and the engineered amount of the mine rock roadways reduced year by year could cause more prominent long extensions of the mine shaft construction period. Therefore, in order to speed up the construction, to shorten the mine construction period and to realize the investment benefits as early as possible, the technical level of the mine shaft sinking should firstly be improved and the construction speed of the mine shaft engineering and sinking should be speeded up, which would have important significant benefits."

Jan 1, 2019

By Erhard Hornbogen

Twins were propagated into large, well-annealed crystals of a, iron-phosphorous and a, iron-molybdenum solid solutions. Strain fields caused by interaction of these twins were made visible by precipitation. These strain fields can be explained by assuming that transmitted and reflected plastic waves are created when a twin strikes an obstacle with high velocity. The twin front itself can be regarded as a shear wave that may be able to develop a one-dimensional shock front. The occurrence of {WO} fracture by the reflected stress is also discussed. The described effects were not found when twins propagated at lout velocity into disturbed crystals, for example, into crystals previously deformed by slip. DEFORMATION twinning leads to shearing of a crystal lattice under external load. The shear appears to be homogeneous over a large number of crystal layers. In a iron, shear occurs on the (112) planes and in the <1ll> directions. The formation of a twin proceeds by the movement of partial dislocations that change the stacking at the twinning plane.l, In the bcc lattice, this partial dislocation can be created by dissociation of a sessile a/2[111] dislocation that lies in the (112) plane: Cottrell and Bilby&apos;s spiral mechanism can explain the homogeneous shear, but has not been proven experimentally. Nevertheless, this mechanism can explain the possible high velocity of formation of a twin. In Cottrell and Bilby&apos;s model, as in other models of twinning or phase transformation, a much higher energy is required to spread the first stacking fault than to add new layers by further movement of the partial dislocations. The dislocations will therefore become accelerated proportional to the difference between the stress, tN, to nucleate and tp to propagate the twin. It has been assumed3,4 that tn is the stress required to make two partial dislocations of apposite sign pass for the first time. After the first layer of new stacking has been formed, the maximum stress is TN=Gb/4pd where G is the shear modulus, b is the Burgers vector of the partial dislocation, and d is their perpendicular spacing so that the amount of shear is S = b/d. From this formula, a value of 25 kg per mm2 has been estimated for twinning in Zn3. The measured values are smaller, but local internal stresses may help to provide the necessary stress. For a iron, a higher value can be expected, mainly due to the higher value of G. That agrees with the observation that "burst" twinning occurs if the yield strength is in-

Jan 1, 1962

By Beatryz C. Mendes, Henrique de Paula Santos, Kléos M. L. Cesar, Eduardo Antônio G. Marques, Maurício Paulo F. Fontes, Rita de Cássia S. S. Alvarenga

Inadequate discard of industrial solid waste is a risk to human health and to the environment. Aiming at softening environmental damage caused by deposition on soil of an ink residue, from washing of printers used in carton box packages, it is intended to incorporate this residue into soil-cement bricks. The residue has other use potentialities such as in screeds, pavement parts, fertilizer, paints, etc. However, to explore these potentialities it is fundamental to assess the risks that the several forms of use of this residue can cause. For such, in this work the chemical analysis of the residue was performed in order to know its main chemical compounds, in addition to its characteristics of leaching and solubilization. The chemical composition assay showed traces of some heavy metals such as Pb, Cd, Cr, Zn, Al and Cu, although the residue-generating company uses ink labeled as heavy metals free. Among the elements analyzed in leaching and solubilization, some had concentration above the limit allowed by The Brazilian Codes. This code is based on CFR—Title 40—Protection of Environment—Part 260–265—Harzardous waste management. Therefore, it is suggested that the residue has a limited use to avoid contamination of ground water.

Mar 1, 2017

By AIME AIME

THE papers presented at the geophysics session" on Feb. 17 were concerned largely with three aspects of the science. The first ones dealt with the transmission of elastic waves through the earth, then electrical methods came in for their share of attention and finally, the question of the teaching of geo- physics came up for the first time at these meetings. Also, for the first time, there was a symposium of mining men on the practical value of the new science. The paper (T. P. 267) entitled "Seismic Propagation Paths" was presented by Donald C. Barton in the absence of the authors. It dealt with an investigation of the speed of propagation of seismic waves. The latter travel in a straight line when proceeding at a constant velocity, but if the velocity increases at increasing depths, the line of travel becomes a curve. Under the assumption of the authors this curve is found to be the arc of a circle, and their paper gives calculations for reflected and refracted wave paths under these circumstances.

Jan 1, 1930

By A. J. Miscoe, W. M. McKewan, J. R. Bartels

The U.S. Bureau of Mines has established a wire rope research laboratory to examine the factors that affect the life of wire rope. Two 2 in-diameter 6x25 fiber core (FC) ropes were degraded on a bending fatigue machine. These were the second and third ropes in a series of tests on this construction and size rope. Tensile and nondestructive tests were performed on samples of the rope Lo determine the relationship between rope deterioration and rope breaking strength. The tests indicated that once a wire rope nears the end of its service life, both deterioration and the consequent loss of rope strength begin to increase at an accelerated rate.

Jan 1, 1992

By Deborah A. Kramer

Although beryllium was initially discovered in 1797, it was not until 1916 that the first significant quantity of beryllium metal ingot was produced in the United States. Before 1940, most of the small quantity of beryllium metal used in the United States was supplied by Germany. Beryllium was not used in its metallic form; it was used as an alloying addition to other metals, mainly copper and nickel. World consumption of beryllium at that time was estimated to be a few hundred kilograms annually. Because of increased tensions in Europe before World War II, imports of metal from Germany ceased in 1940, and domestic production was required to meet the needs of the military. As a result, by 1946, the United States became the principal supplier of beryllium products for the world, a condition that prevails today. Because of beryllium&apos;s high strength, light weight, and high thermal conductivity, it has been used in a large number of industrial and defense applications as a metal, alloy, and oxide. The United States is the only country other than China and the former USSR currently producing beryllium products from beryllium ores and concentrates. Bertrandite, mined in Utah, is the principal ore source of domestically produced products. Imported ore, mainly from Brazil, supplements domestic ore supplies. Production and consumption data for the United States is shown in [Figs. 1 and 2]. Production data for 1969-1979 is withheld to avoid disclosing company proprietary data.

Jan 1, 1994

By George N. Aul

This report describes a method developed by the Bureau of Mines for sealing horizontal degasification holes so that they do not create a gas explosion hazard when intercepted by mining. A cement slurry is pumped into the hole through an injection pipe that extends to the back of the hole. Pumping continues until the slurry returns through the annulus to the hole collar. The hole is then shut in and the grout allowed to harden. Application of the procedure to six horizontal degasification holes at Eastern Associated Coal Corp.&apos;s Honey Run shaft is discussed.

Jan 1, 1979

By Charles A. Ashburner

VERY little is known of the economical value of the coal-betas of. the State of Texas. The first authentic statement in regard to their occurrence is that contained in the reports of the United States Explorations for the Pacific Railroad, near the 32d parallel of latitude, published in 1853-55. Professor William P. Blake reports, "that a number of seams of bituminous coal, varying, in thickness from two to four feet, have been opened along the Brazos River, in Young County, about one hundred and fifty miles west of Fort North." Dr: Shumard also states, "that the characteristic fossil forms of the Carboniferous Era have been found with this coal, and considers the ago of the formation established. Fossils obtained from the carboniferous limestone remove all doubt of the age of these deposits."† In the spring of 1879, I was called upon by. some Eastern capitalists to make an examination of the Brazos coal-field, in order to obtain the thickness, extent, and value of the coal which could be mined and be- made merchantable for steam, heating, and metallurgical purposes. The demand for coal in this section of the country is great, and a fuel. which in our Eastern markets might be considered of inferior quality, would here find a ready sale. It must be remembered that the market value of a coal does not depend upon its absolute purity, but upon its actual value in heat units which it is capable of producing. A poor coal which can be cheaply mined near the: consumer, is infinitely more remunerative to a mining company than a superior coal whose cost to the consumer is greatly increased by high mining charges and railroad freights. The value of the Texan coals does not depend upon their purity but upon their low first cost and nearness to a market. A glance at a geological map of the United States, will show that the Brazos coal-field is the extreme southwestern extension of what may be called the Missourian, Fourth or Western, bituminous coal * I am permitted by the gentlemen for whom the examination was made to publish the general statements contained in this paper. † Macfarlane&apos;s Coal Regions of America. More recently brief mention has been made of the coal-field in the pamphlets of the State geological survey. These reports are, however, too general, too indefinite, and too impracticable to permit of any conclusions as to the value of the coal as an economical, merchantable fuel.

Jan 1, 1881

By Jorge A. Vargas

El proyecto Antapaccay es un depósito tipo pórfido-skarn de Cu (Ag, Au y Mo) perteneciente a la División Sur de Xstrata Copper, donde se tiene planificado la explotación a través de dos tajos abiertos denominados Norte y Sur. Para ello, se realizó una extensa campaña de investigaciones geotécnicas con la finalidad de determinar los parámetros geotécnicos y el comportamiento geomecánico del macizo rocoso presente y así evaluar la estabilidad de los taludes de diseño. En ese sentido, el presente textoseñala los análisis geoestadísticos (variografía) de los parámetros geotécnicos empleando el método de interpolación espacial kriging, presenta el modelo geotécnico a través de los parámetros geomecánicos de resistencia, así como la metodología seguida en los análisis de estabilidad con el método rígido plástico bidimensional de equilibrio límite.

Sep 14, 2009