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By Dale R. Spangenberg

This Bureau of Mines Information Circular on phosphate is one of a series of minerals availability commodity directories. Nonconfidential information from the Minerals Availability Program data base covering 148 domestic and 103 foreign phosphate properties and deposits has been abstracted for use in this directory. Abstracts include applicable data on location, published reserves and resources, geology, mine and beneficiation systems, and operational information.

Jan 1, 1983

By Michael J. Garlich

Steel sheet piling has a long history of use in a variety of permanent and temporary structures. Current engineering practice uses numerous publications and standards for design guidance. U.S. design guidance is fragmented, with numerous inconsistencies between design guides. To improve current U.S. design practice, the North American Steel Sheet Piling Association has initiated a project to produce a design standard that will unify design procedures and provide specification guidance for engineers and users of steel sheet piling. The wide range of uses for sheet pile structures presents a challenge in developing such a standard. Load factors or allowable stresses acceptable for a temporary retaining wall in soil may reasonably vary from those for a river cofferdam or a dockwall located in sea water. However, it is still possible to provide consistent and rational guidance for such varying uses. The standard also can address sheet pile design aspects often neglected in U.S. publications, such as vertical load capacity and resistance to loads applied parallel to the sheeting.

Jan 1, 2008

By Edwin B. Wilson

The purpose of the panel's examination of coal mining research and development is to explore how the various groups that make up this research community might work together more efficiently and be more productive. The community, as defined here, includes federal and state governments, coal producers, manufacturers, unions, universities, and industry sponsored research organizations. The framework chosen for these discussions consists of brief presentations by the panel members on their views of the proper role and function of the group they represent. The panel members were also asked to highlight the economic, technical and institutional constraints that affect the performance of research and development and the use of the results. Following these presentations, a number of prepared questions will be discussed by the panel, and audience participation is invited. These questions were given several weeks ago to the panel members for their study. Before proceeding with the panel member reports, a brief review of the importance of R&D to the coal mining industry would be helpful to setting the stage for a constructive dialogue. It is appropriate to begin this review by mentioning that there is complete agreement among the research community that the major goals are: Improve health and safety Protect the environment Increase capital and labor productivity Increase resource recovery Since the basic functions of the academic, industrial and government sectors are different, we should expect that the research and development objectives and priorities, roles and responsibilities under each major goal will be different for each research group. The differences do not represent problem areas. However, problems will arise if the objectives are not properly interfaced at the appropriate time. The consequences of railing to understand the need for integrated programs will be the classic result, best described by the phrase --"a technical success but a commercial failure."

Jan 1, 1978

By Stefan Medel

As a pioneer Herrenknecht started in 2018 to automate the production of tunnel lining segments. Since then, many automation processes became state of the art. Robots cleaning and oiling the moulds, hydraulic units opening and closing them fully independently. Artificial Intelligence (AI) controls the works and ensures the quality requirements. Data management has become a massive tool from a simple data collector towards a control and optimization tool. Sensors controlling concrete maturity and supporting the precast team to optimize the concrete mix. These state of the art and new innovations will be presented in this paper.

Jun 23, 2024

By Todd Clarke, Ralf Winterberg

For more than a decade the tunneling industry has explored the potential and benefits of macro synthetic fiber (MSF) reinforced concrete solutions for precast tunnel segments. Parallel to industry investigations, academic research is being undertaken to better understand this material when subjected to the typical loads expected during mechanized tunneling. This paper investigates the performance of MSF reinforced precast concrete tunnel segments by means of an experimental program comprising testing of full-scale tunnel segments. The presentation of the satisfactory results of the experimental testing regime will be complemented by a brief case history from a successfully executed project—an America’s First.

Jun 13, 2021

By David Butts

Solar ponding to crystdlize sodium chloride has been used for thousands of years.1 The systems used were inefficient and usually small compared to the large 25,000 acre pond areas seen today. It has only been in the last 25 years that any real effort has been applied to develop solar ponding technology. Many large solar pond systems have been constructed without much thought to efficient and optimum production rates. The recent high costs of labor, of equipment and of energy have forced producers to take a closer look at their solar pond systems in an attempt to squeeze out the highest possible yields. Other companies such as the Arab Potash Company, the Dead Sea Works, Texas Gulf (Moab, Utah) and San Francisco Salt Companies have no more land area in which to expand and therefore efficient ponds are essential. This paper is written to show how the subdivision of solar ponds can result in production increases of up to 20% and beyond.

Jan 1, 1984

By M. Gangal

CANMET-MMSL, in cooperation with Dry Systems Technologies and Quinsam Mine, conducted a study to determine the effects of B50 biodiesel on the emissions of a flameproof diesel power package in comparison with mining diesel fuel for application in underground coal mines. The emissions testing for coal mine application requires that the intake air mixture to the engine should be at 1.25 percent methane by volume in air. The tested power package system included a naturally aspirated, mechanically-controlled diesel engine with a diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC), a heat exchanger, flame arresters, and a low temperature disposable diesel particulate filter. The engine dynamometer tests were conducted at the CANMET-MMSL Diesel Emissions Research Laboratory in Ottawa using the ISO 8178-C1 test protocol. The separate and combined effects of a B50 biodiesel blended fuel, and with and without 1.25% methane enriched intake air were measured on a diesel power package. Fuelling the baseline engine (without methane), with B50 biodiesel blend reduced carbon monoxide (CO) by 44%, and increased nitrogen dioxide (NO2) by 19%, and particulate matter by 31% relative to the mining diesel fuel. Similarly, injection of 1.25% methane to the intake air for baseline engine with mining diesel fuel increased engine power by 15%, CO by 124%, and NO by 15%, and decreased NO2 by 13%. The effect of B50 biodiesel relative to the mining diesel for coal mines application (with methane for both fuels) was to reduce CO by 27%, and NO by 6%, and increase NO2 by 23%, with no change in engine power. The overall results indicate that the minimum ventilation rate for the equipment application in coal mines with B50 biodiesel was 4.11 m3/s (8,700 cfm), slightly higher than the ventilation rate of 4.01 m3/s (8,500 cfm) with the mining diesel fuel. This slight increase in ventilation rate for B50 biodiesel fuel was due to an increase in NO2 at one of the operating test points, and the ventilation rate for this equipment was governed by NO2 in the exhaust gas.

Jan 1, 2009

By G. W. Jones

[A survey of the literature relating to ignition temperatures of acetylene-air and acetylene-oxygen mixtures reveals rather wide disagreement in the reported results. In some instances the ignition temperatures of acetylene-air mixtures were reported to be lower then those of acetylene-oxygen mixtures, which is contrary to experience with other combustibles. To clear up some of the reported discrepancies, the authors have investigated the ignition temperatures of acetylene both in air and oxygen, and their results are presented in this report.]

Jan 1, 1941

By Kimiz Dalkir

Some things to keep in mind? ! What is your role in knowledge management? ! What knowledge-related challenges are you facing today? ! How does important knowledge get shared in your organization? ! Can you name factors that enable/block innovation and organizational learning in your work context? A brief history of KM? ! Top-down / imposed ! Rigid / bureaucratic ! Slow deployments ! Expensive ! Unpopular: empty libraries, info-junkyards, low adoption rates ! Problems measuring success ! The result: traditional KM is not the answer

May 1, 2003

The coal reserve base is defined for coalbeds having sufficient thickness for underground mining within a depth range compatible with economic recovery. The reserve data are compiled by the Federal Bureau of Mines by updating and reevaluating previous estimates of the U.S. Geological Survey, State geological surveys, and others. Through the application of computer techniques, the tonnages are compiled by State, county, coalbed, and rank. Coal reserve base is allotted to sulfur categories by a statistical apportionment of data from available Bureau of Mines reports and records. The coal reserve base in those States east of the Mississippi River, minable by underground methods, is estimated to be 169 billion tons in coalbeds greater than 28 inches in thickness to a maximum depth of 1,000 feet. Excluding those coals in reliability categories other than measured and indicated, the underground reserve base includes 162 billion tons of bituminous coal and 7 billion tons of anthracite. Of the total, 27 billion tons contains 1.0 percent or less sulfur. Most of this low-sulfur coal is in the southern Appalachian area. Approximately 16 percent of the underground reserve base is without available analyses. Included in this report is a glossary of terms applicable to a classification system for coal resources and reserves. The purpose of this system is to provide a common yardstick for determining coal resources and reserves.

Jan 1, 1974

By Gerardo Vargas

Without an adequate data sample there can be no Reliability Analysis (RA). Without analysis there can be no systematic, verifiable improvement in reliability or in operational economy. A sample is a collection of life cycles. A beginning and ending event define a failure mode life cycle. Well known obstacles impede the reliability engineer in his role to analyze maintenance data. The main problem lies in the difficulty to obtain analyzable data samples. Although modern Computerized Maintenance Management Systems (CMMSs) should provide the needed information they rarely deliver samples of adequate quality. Cerrejon, an integrated mining operation in Colombia, South America solved the information management problem by applying a "Living Reliability Centered Maintenance (LRCM)" process to its fleets of Trucks, Graders, Dozers, Loaders, and Shovels. This paper describes a method wherein completed work orders capture reliability analysis enabling information. The 'right' maintenance observations reference significant failure modes. Work orders link to records in a continuously growing Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM) structured knowledge base. Grouped and filtered knowledge-to-work order links, being instances of failure modes, provide the samples required by reliability analysis software tools and methods. LRCM software and related procedures facilitate the growth of knowledge, manage the work order-to-RCM relationship, and generate samples for subsequent reliability analysis.

May 1, 2011

By R. A. Kleiv, H. Havskjold, N. Church, T. Malvik, M. Tro, E. Larsen

Liberation is one of the major purposes of comminution in mineral processing. In the simplest form, two or more minerals are present in a particle and have to be reduced such that the individual particles contain only one mineral. The complexity of the mineral intergrowth varies from ore to ore. Poor magnetic separation of iron ore may have many causes. In this paper, the emphasis is given to the problem of fine magnetite inclusions in quartz or other gangue minerals. This is highlighted by two Norwegian cases: one on a magnetite ore and the other on a hematite/magnetite ore. The inclusions in question are so small that they are not liberated by reasonable grinding. In both cases, the result has been either poor recovery or lower grade concentrates than desired. The first example concerns production of direct reduction concentrates from magnetite. Magnetic inclusions in gangue particles will be magnetized enough for the particles to pass into the concentrate. The second example is given a more detailed study, where the problem is caused by silicates with small inclusions of magnetite in a combined LIMS and WHIMS separation. This study included microscopy, Davies tube testing, and magnetization measurements. In particular, large gangue particles with magnetite inclusions were shown to have a tendency to bypass the LIMS separators as drag forces in presence of hematite are large. Such particles will then be picked up by the WHIMS as their magnetization is higher than for hematite. This was demonstrated by Davies tube tests, which indicated that such particles were picked up in preference to hematite particles. However, the Davies results did not give a good quantification. Magnetization measurements of gangue particles with magnetite inclusions was shown to be a better tool to quantify the magnitude of the effect of magnetite inclusions in magnetic separation.

Jan 1, 2018

By S. L. Weber, V. Castranova, D. E. Banks, J. K. H. Ma, Y. Rojanasakul, J. Y. C. Ma, M. Bhat

"The mechanism of bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis is not ye: clear. Recent studies have shown that alveolar macrophages (AM) can be stimulated by bleomycin in vitro releasing inflammatory cytokines, suggesting that the interaction of bleomycin with AM is an important step in the drug-induced fibrotic process. Bleomycin is known to bind DNA and generate oxygen radicals through complexation with Fe2+ and oxygen. To provide,more insight into the cellular oxidative property of bleomycin, v.s have developed a fluoromicroscopic method using 2',7'-dichlorofluorescin diacetate (DCFHDA) as an oxidative fluorescence probe to study the deomycin-induced intracellular oxidation in rat AM and the inhibition of the oxida¬tion by taurine, a compound known to inhibit the bleomycin-induced fibrosis. Bleomycin at 5 to 20 ug/ml has a moderate stimulatory effect (1.87- to 2.66-fold) on the secretion of superoxide anion. A high concentration of bleomycin (20 ug/ml), however, inhibits cell response to zymosan-induced secretion of superoxide anion. At 4 ug/ml, bleomycin has no effect on cell membrane integrity or morphology but results in a significant increase in intracellular oxidation. This oxidative process is Fe2-,-dependent and is accompanied by an increase in intracellular calcium (35 nM). Both the intracellular oxidation and calcium rise induced by internalized bleomycin are inhibited by pretreatment of cells with varying concentrations of taurine (25, 125, and 187.5 uM). The inhibitory effect on intracellular oxidation .vas found to be 36, 57, and 60%, respectively. These results demonstrate a stimulation-inhibition relationship between bleomycin and taurine on re cellular oxidation at a subcytotoxic dose of bleomycin, suggesting that the oxidative effect of the intracellular bleomycin-Fe2 complex is important in the initiation of the fibrotic process. — Environ Health Perspect 102 (Suppl10):91-96 (1994) IntroductionThe pulmonary system is most susceptible to oxygen radical-induced diseases due to its constant exposure to the highest oxygen tension, and the potential encounters with oxidant gases such as ozone, nitrogen oxides, and toxic doses of dust particles. The lung is also a well-perfused organ and thereby vulnerable to the effect of circulating xenobiotics such as paraquat, and, bleomycin, which is known to cause pulmonary injuries (1). Alveolar macrophages (AM), which act as a means of defense by phagocytizing inhaled dust particles and microorganisms while increasing production of reactive oxidative species, have been shown to play an important role in mechanisms leading to oxidative lung injury and fibrosis (2-4)."

Dec 1, 1995

By Nicholas P. Callas

This report presents research results obtained in the investigation of deviation control of boreholes in the rotary drilling process. The approach taken in this research is the passive method of placing stabilizers in the bottom-hole assembly to control deviation. Extensive use was made of the drill string mechanics theories of Lubinski and Woods. Analog, digital and hybrid solutions to variety of boundary value problems were investigated in order to determine the best models for bottom-hole assemblies. Field drilling data was analyzed and the results obtained from various models were compared to the actual drilling results. Various accomplishments of this work have been published in open energy industry literature, with more publications to follow.

Jan 1, 1981

By Gordon A. Irons

"Powder injection for melt refining is widely practiced in the steel industry, and is gaining acceptance in the non-ferrous industries. In these commercially-important systems, the thermodynamics and kinetics may be very complicated. More than one element may be removed by refining, and often the refining agents are not just one compound. In this paper, the thermodynamic and kinetic aspects of these processes are reviewed. A number of examples are given, such as the desulphurization of iron with a variety of reagent mixtures, and selenium removal from copper with several different reagent combinations.IntroductionI am very pleased and honored to present a paper at this Symposium recognizing the many contributions of Professor Howard Womer. Even at the time I was an undergraduate student, the WORCRA process was part of the curriculum. I remember at the time that I was fascinated by the concept, and due to it and the many other rapid developments in Process Metallurgy, I chose it as my field of study. I think the Symposium is testimony that Professor Womer has touched the lives of many others as well.My original assignment was an overview of the basic aspects of gas and solids injection. However, I reviewed most of this material at the Savard/Lee Symposium [1]. In the present paper, I will present some of the basic issues related to refining with powder injection, using work that we have recently completed in both ferrous and non-ferrous systems."

Jan 1, 1996

By Ihsan Berk Tulu, Mustafa Can Suner

The synthetic rock mass (SRM) approach and discrete fracture network (DFN) model, generated from the field surveys, are novel methodologies to study fracture rock mass behavior. In this paper, SRM and DFN methodologies were used to understand the influence of natural fractures on the mechanical response and failure mechanisms of stone mine pillars. First, a multi-stage up-scaling procedure with the homogenization process is established. Later, a stochastic sampling process on the SRM model to have further insight on the stone mine pillar mechanics is performed. Two-dimensional Universal Distinct Element Code (UDEC) is utilized to represent intact rock with the Voronoi-Trigon discretized blocks and to capture fractured rock mass behavior. The laboratory-size limestone mine rock specimens are systematically up-scaled to the average width of the field-size stone mine pillars. Then, the DFN model, generated from field data, is sampled to construct the SRM of the field-size pillars. By doing so, the effect of discrete discontinuities on pillar stability is studied by assessing the pillar strengths and failure mechanisms in various width-to-height ratios.

Jul 8, 2022

By K. K. Kelley

Thermodynamics data for silicates have applications in the fields of extractive metallurgy, ceramics, and geochemistry. To facilitate these applications, up-to-date tables of heats and free energies of formation are needed. It is the purpose of this report to supply such tables for anhydrous silicates. During the last 15 years the heats of formation of a substantial number of anhydrous silicates have been reliably determined at or near room temperature. This resulted from the development (first by the Bureau of Mines and later by the Geophysical Laboratory of the Carnegie Institution of Washington, by the Institute of Geology of the University of Helsinki, Finland, and by the Department of Geology of the University of Chicago) of accurate solution calorimeters, employing hydrofluoric acid as the reaction medium. Specific references to work of these laboratories will be made in the next section of this report. Also, entropy data at 298.150 K. and high-temperature heat-content values are available for many of these silicates, mainly owing to work of the Bureau of Mines. Most of these entropy and heat-content data have been compiled in Bureau of Mines Bulletins (13, 15).3

Jan 1, 1962

By R. E. Cech, J. H. Hollomon

KURDJUMOV and Maksimova reported experiments with manganese steels and high carbon steels' and with an Fe-Ni-Mn alloy' in which mar-tensite was formed isothermally over a range of temperatures. They found in some cases that mar-tensite formation could be suppressed by rapid quenching to liquid nitrogen temperature. From their microstructural observations of martensite formed isothermally, they concluded that the rate controlling step is nucleation rather than growth. Kulin and Cohen,3 in an attempt to reproduce these experiments, found that with a steel having the same composition as that reported by Kurd-jumov and Maksimova, the transformation to martensite was essentially complete above the temperature range of Kurdjumov and Maksimova's isotherms. The possible reasons for this disagreement were not considered. Recent papers by Das Gupta and Lement4 and Kulin and Speich5 report the formation of isothermal martensite in a high chromium steel and in an Fe-Cr-Ni alloy, but neither paper can be considered a verification of the original Kurdjumov and Maksimova results. Further, in neither case were the authors able to suppress the formation of martensite entirely. Because of the important bearing the Kurdjumov and Maksimova results have to an understanding of the mechanism of martensite reactions it was felt that an experimental investigation directly concerned with checking the validity of their results was in order. This paper describes the results obtained on the isothermal transformation over the temperature range from —79" to —196°C of an alloy of iron, nickel, and manganese. Experimental Apparatus A 15 lb heat of an alloy containing 73.3 pct Fe, 23.0 pct Ni, and 3.7 pct Mn was melted by induction and cast under argon. The ingot was forged to 1-in. bar and a portion rolled to 1/16x1 1/2-in. strip. This strip was pack-homogenized 300 hr at 1100" in a helium-filled sealed iron tube. The composition after homogenization was 73.2 pct Fe, 22.94 pct Ni, 3.73 pct Mn, 0.05 pct C, and 0.015 pct N. The strips were cut to 1/2-in. width for dilatometer and metal-lographic specimens. Only the center portion of the 11/2-in. strip was used in the present investigation. The dilatometer employed was similar in design to one described by Flinn, Cook, and Fellows." A concentric fused auartz rod and tube assembly with hooks for holding the specimen was mounted so as to transmit the specimen dilation to a 1/10,000 in., 1/10 in. travel dial gage. The dilatometer proper was mounted by means of extension arms to a counterweighted sliding member on a vertical standard. This method of mounting permitted rapid transfer of the dilatometer from the austenitizing furnace to the quenching bath and low temperature chamber. A small electrical vibrator on the dilatometer kept frictional effects of the quartz members at a minimum. The austenitizing unit was a vertical, molybdenum-wound, hydrogen atmosphere furnace maintained at a constant temperature ±3°C by means of constant power input. A 12-in. stainless steel jacketed copper liner having 1/2-in wall thickness acted to equalize the temperature in the hot zone of the furnace. This liner, closed at the bottom end and open at the top to permit entrance of the dilatometer and specimen, was kept filled with dry nitrogen gas. A chromel-alumel thermocouple was placed inside the tube to determine the temperature. The 4-in. dilatometer specimens in the chamber varied less than 1/2° across the specimen length except for a 1 1/20 drop at the end nearest the open end of the furnace. The low temperature isothermal holding bath was a double Dewar arrangement similar to one described by Turnbull7. The outer bath was filled with a refrigerant at a temperature lower than the desired holding temperature. The inner bath was filled with Freon "11" or "12" or a mixture of both, depending upon the holding temperature. This inner bath which tended to be cooled by the outer bath was kept at a constant temperature by introducing a small amount of heat with a manually controlled electric heater. Stirring was accomplished by bubbling dry air through the bath. A Leeds and North-rup type K potentiometer was used to measure the inner bath temperature as indicated by a five element copper-constantan thermopile. The bath temperature was maintained within ±0.2°C of the desired temperature by occasionally adjusting the heater current so as to keep the Leeds and Northrup galvanometer at zero deflection with a constant setting of the potentiometer. Isothermal tests were usually continued for 300 to 400 min and another reading made at approximately 1000 min if the bath, unattended overnight, had not deviated in temperature more than 5°C. Transformation curves are drawn dashed (Fig. 1) through the time region where temperature was not controlled precisely. Experimental Procedure Dilatometer specimens of 1/2x1/16-in. strip were cut to 41/2-in. length and holes were drilled for the quartz hooks with proper spacing to give a 4-in. measured length. A thermocouple consisting of 0.012-in. diameter chrome1 and alumel wires was spot welded to the specimen and threaded between the dilatometer rods to binding posts near the dial

Jan 1, 1954

By D. J. Donaven, Manuel Gomez, W. S. Landers

Bulk density tests were made on a Western U.S. coke oven plant blend to obtain bulk density control data that would be directly transferable to plant practice . Maximum bulk density values were obtained at zero surface moisture . Increase in surface moisture to about 6 percent decreased the bulk density to a minimum value . Increase in the fine grinding of the blend , at constant surface moisture , decreased the bulk density . The effect of oil on bulk density was observed with five oils at concentrations ranging from 1/8 to 1-1 / 2 gallons per ton . Maximum bulk densities were obtained within the 1 / 2- to 1 - gallon - per - ton range . Essentially the same bulk densities were obtained with petrolatum- and nonpetrolatum- containing oils . Storage effects were observed on samples tested at selected intervals from 0 to 56 days . No significant change in bulk density took place if no surface moisture was lost during storage .

Jan 1, 1964

By J. W. Langford

A more effective method of fracturing and chipping the formation is necessary to significantly increase the productivity of blasthole drilling with a roller cone bit. The conventional rotary blasthole bit engages the formation and initiates spalls, chipping and fractures in the formation at a rate dependent on the amount of pull down force applied by the drill. The rotary speed of the drill increases the number of fractures and creates drilled chips that are removed from the hole by the air circulation. An engineering project was motivated to develop a low pressure, low impact downhole percussion hammer to provide an overstrike force to a blasthole bit, in addition to the conventional pull down force and rotary speed. The objective of the project was to utilize existing rig air packages in the range of 50-110 psig and provide an overstrike force to the bit in the range of 1100-1500 impacts per minute. Laboratory testing performed on Barre granite achieved, on average, a 40% improvement in rate of penetration. This performance has been confirmed in actual blasthole drilling in copper and iron ores mines. During the testing phase, additional unexpected benefits have also been realized.

Jan 1, 2011