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By E. H. Burroughs

This bulletin is the fifth in the series of petroleum bibliographies publis:\:l.ed by the Bure.au of Mines, Bulletins 149, 165, 180, and 189 being compilations for the years 1915, 1916, 1917, and 1918, respectively. In this bulletin the same general plan has been followed in arranging the references, but a few changes and additions have been made in the classification.

Jan 1, 1923

By R. V. Ramani

This volume is the second of a four-volume final report on research carried out under a contract from the U.S. Bureau of Mines on the development of a computer simulation model for surface mine reclamation planning. The other volumes are titled as follows: Volume I: Ore Reserve Estimation, Volume III: Mine Coordinate Generator System, and Volume IV: User's Manual for OPMHS/2. The dragline model described in this report simulates the movement of the dragline bucket across the digging face, the swing load, the dump, and swing back. It is programmed to handle chopdown, key cut, main cut, and rehandling operations. Provisions have been made for simulating equipment and mining delays. Any mining method can be specified in terms of numbered blocks, the dragline positions for the mining block and the dumping location for the block. Accounting procedures permit the calculation of production rates, rehandle volume, dig and delay times. The model can be used to study the effects of varying mining conditions, cut width, and spoiling sequence with special reference to toxic spoil, overburden and bench removal procedures. The basic input data for the model include machine parameters, the geology and material characteristics, the mining parameter, and the delay characteristics of the equipment.

Jan 1, 1985

By Robert C. Merritt

This report describes laboratory as well as pilot heap leaching investigations of low-grade sandstone ores from Wyoming, New Mexico, and Colorado. Sodium carbonate-bicarbonate solutions containing sodium hypochlorite extracted up to 86, 54, and 16 percent U308 from Wyoming, New Mexico, and Colorado ores, respectively. Ammonium carbonate-bicarbonate solutions containing sodium hypochlorite were less effective at leaching these ores. Acid leach in replicate pilot plant testing resulted in U308 extractions of 96, 88, and 81 percent from the Wyoming, New Mexico, and Colorado ores. The development of cost-effective processes for extracting uranium from low-grade ore is essential to the assurance of a continuing domestic supply of uranium.

Jan 1, 1977

By A. Brown

This report details work performed and results obtained in a study of the water management aspects of oil shale mining and retorting in the Piceance Creek Basin. Three specific sites were investigated, and optimal water management systems for both conventional and in-situ extraction processes were generated. Water-related legal and environmental constraints on development were identified and the water management schemes were developed in compliance with these regulations. Limitations on shale oil production implied by limited water supplies were evaluated. Potential Basin-wide effects of development were evaluated using a computer model, and mitigation strategies were developed. Recommendations for additional investigation and analyses were presented.

Jan 1, 1977

By J. D. Davis

THIS-report gives results of in investigation of the carbonizing properties of 18 coals, including 2 from Alaska, 12 from British Columbia, 3 from Washington, and 1 from Utah. Each coal was carbonized in the standard 13-inch Bureau of Mines-American Gas Association (BM-AGA) retort at 900° C. Plastic properties were determined by the Gieseler and Davis methods, and agglutinating and free-swelling properties were determined by standard methods. Expanding properties were measured in the Bureau of Mines sole-heated oven. From the results of the tests on these single coals, three coals from the Crowsnest area in British Columbia, representing Elk River Nos. 4, 9, and 10, were selected for blending with the Utah coal, which was from the Lower Sunnyside bed, Horse Canyon mine, Emery County. Lower Sunnyside also was blended with Wilkeson -Nos. 2 and 3 (Washington) coals, Pocahontas No. 3 from McDowell County, W. Va., and the Oklahoma low-volatile coal used in the blend carbonized at, the Provo, (Utah) coke plant at the time this investigation was started. Most of the blends contained 3 percent hard pitch, which is the proportion used at the Provo plant. The blends were also carbonized in 13-inch BM AGA retorts at 900° C. High-volatile B coal from the No. 3 bed, Evan-Jones mine, Lower Matanuska, Valley, Alaska, yielded poorly fused coke or char. M-bed coal from the Chickaloon mine, Upper Matanuska. Valley, Alaska, ranked as medium-volatile bituminous and coked strongly. It expanded 39.6 percent in the sole-heated oven at a. charge density of 55.5 pounds per cubic foot..

Jan 1, 1952

By C. S. Simons

The aphorism that provided the title of this paper is probably a couple of hundred years old, but it still expresses a fundamental truth in the metals industry. This truth will be illustrated through a brief review of the major developments in the extractive metallurgy of the oxidized ores of nickel - the "laterite" ores. While the details to be discussed are for the most part specific to nickel, a close parallel with other commodities - particularly in recent years - will be apparent even to those whose interest in nickel itself is slight. Thus it is hoped that this paper will be stimulating, at the least, to anyone who is concerned with the implementation of process improvement, "Invention" in the present context means any change from "conventional" process technology that shows a reasonable chance of reducing costs, increasing revenues, or both, in the production of a commodity. This can be anything from a simple rearrangement of flowsheet steps to a completely different basis for processing. And the result may reduce costs by more efficient use of energy or labor or reagents; may increase revenues by better recovery of the primary product or by introducing the recovery of previously ignored by-products; may insure sales volume (and thereby cash flow) through higher product purity or an improved product form. "Necessity" is the perceived need to attain at least one of these classes of results. This perception of necessity, however, varies widely from management to management and from project to project.

Jan 1, 1983

By Raymond L. Lowrie

Coal deposits in the Boulder-Weld County coalfield in Colorado are analyzed in relation to economic factors governing the growth, stability, and competitive potential of the coal industry. Recoverable reserves, estimated to be 571 million tons, are discussed in detail, particularly those in the Erie and Frederick Quadrangles. Geology of the coal measures, quantity and quality of water resources, and chemical and physical properties of the coal are described. Coal production factors, including mining techniques and equipment, labor requirements, transportation facilities and rates, and markets, are considered for coal's position in competition with alternate fuels. Growth of the fuels market, through increasing thermal-electric power generation in the Denver Metropolitan Area, will stimulate coal production in Colorado. Reserves of the contiguous Boulder-Weld coalfield, if mined in a sustained, year-round, high-tonnage operation, could be used to supply much of that fuel demand.

Jan 1, 1966

By J. R. Thoenen

In June 1929 the Bureau of Mines issued a 13-page information circular entitled "Mineral Wool," which was one of the first publications to present to the public Rome technical aspects of the mineral-wool industry. Since then several articles on the subject have appeared in the technical press as well as in publications of State organizations. Inquiries for information on mineral wool have continued to be received by the Bureau of Mines in large number, and in 1935 it was decided to make a field survey of the plants then producing and to collect therefrom technical data to be compiled in a paper for nubile distribution. With the cooperation of the industry, this survey was made, and Information Circular 6984, Mineral Wool, was published in January 1930. The issue was exhausted after a few months, and requests for copies continued to come to the Bureau. As opportunity arose, further field studies were made in American as well as Canadian plants. The present circular contains the essential information in Information Circular 6994 together with date from later field studies.

Jan 1, 1939

By L. R. Verney

About 75% of the market economy countries's supply of cobalt is produced in Central Africa by Zafre and Zambia. Zafre alone accounts for more than 55% and has the resources and capacity to increase output significantly at any time so its dominant position is unlikely to be challenged in the foreseeable future. Other producers from domestic resources are Canada, Australia and South Africa; and Cuba, probably the most important producer outside of the Market Economy countries. Belgium, Norway, France, Japan and Finland produce cobalt from imported materials. While there are "cobalt ores", inMorocco, USA, Canada and the USSR, the mineralisation is complex and cobalt extraction is costly. In ZaPre and Zambia cobalt is a by-product of copper; in Canada, Australia, France, and Cuba it is a by-product of nickel; and in South Africa it is a by-product from the production of Platinum Group Metals. Thus the levels of cobalt production are inevitably related to the production of other primary metals. While some cobalt is produced by predominantly pyrometallurgical methods most of the world's cobalt is produced hydrometallurgically. The existence of large hydro-electric power plants and the mineralogy of the copper and cobalt concentrates encouraged research and development in Zafre of the recovery of copper and cobalt by electrowinning from sulfate solutions; much pioneering work was carried out, which lead to construction of the two largest copperlcobalt hydrometallurgical plants in the world, at Shituru and Luilu. Similar systems were adopted in Zambia. In Canada high pressure hydrometallurgical processes based on the sulfate system were developed and adopted in Australia, the Philippines, Finland and South Africa. Meanwhile developments in chloride hydrometallurgical extraction of nickel and cobalt lead to its use in the extraction of cobalt in Norway, France and Japan.

Jan 1, 1988

By Wilbert J. Huff

[This is the fifth of a series of annual reports of the explosives Division, Bureau of Mines, United States Department of the Interior.3/ It deals particularly with work done during the period July 1, 1939, to June 30, 1939. The writer and the respective unit leader to whom credit is indicated have directed the various studies outlined.]

Jan 1, 1940

By W. F. Dietrich

1. On St. Thomas and St. Croix, and possibly also on St. John, low-quality red-burning clays probably can be developed to provide the major part of the raw materials for structural clay products and earthenware pottery. 2. The potential sales volume for structural clay products is too small to sustain a plant in the Virgin Islands to manufacture such products in competition with Puerto Rico; however, handmade patio tile might be produced successfully. 3. The market for pottery utility wares in the Virgin Islands is too small to justify a plant devoted solely to the production of such wares; but it may be feasible to evolve a diversified community activity to make jugs, pots, casseroles, bowls, charcoal burners, patio tile, and other items.

Jan 1, 1955

By R. T. MacMillan

Many bench-scale tests and studies have been conducted in developing and testing a chloride-volatilization procedure Ear treating low-grade manganese ore from the Maple Mountain-Hovey Mountain deposit of Aroostook County, Maine. The ore, averaging 10 to 12 percent Mn, contains manganese in several forms and is resistant to concentration or extraction by usual physical and chemical procedures. Over 90 percent of the manganese, content of the ore has been recovered using a chloridizing roast in which the ore was heated at 950°-9b0' C. in a circulating stream of hydrochloric acid gas. Chlorides of manganese and iron were volatilized and swept to a fume collector, where they were condensed and separated from the [as] stream. Operation of a small, 1-pound-per-hour shaft Furnace produced enough chlorides for studying other factors in an integrated process such as: (1) Conversion of the chlorides to oxides; (2) recovery of HC1 gas of suitable concentration Ear recycling to the chloridizer; and (3) control of the Mn-Fe ratio in the oxide product to produce a suitable feed for ferromanganese production.

Jan 1, 1956

By K. F. Unrug

The research work reported in in this paper deals with the monitoring of roof behavior in a drift mine located in Eastern Kentucky operating in the Coalburg Seam. The thickness of the seam at the monitoring site ranges between 9 and 10 feet with the immediate roof changing from sandstone to shale then back to sandstone. Shale thickness varies between 0 and 2.5 feet. The characteristics of the immediate shaly roof were monitored with 38 dynamometers which were set up in three survey lines to cover the entire range of shale distribution. The dynamometers are capable of providing accurate load readings in the range of +/- 5 pounds. To closely observe the contribution of moisture toward roof deterioration the dynamometers were set up in intake and neutral airways. A television borescoping camera was used in conjunction with the dynamo- metric instrumentations at pre- determined observation holes to physically observe and record the separation process of the shale and sandstone stratum with respect to time. Monitoring took place between January 1985 through January 1986 in order to cover a full cycle of dry and wet mine conditions associated with the seasonal changes. Analysis of the data show a trend of roof deterioration induced by condensation and eventual penetration of moisture within the immediate roof bedding planes, leading to rapid disintegration of the mine roof.

Jan 1, 1986

By M. P. Ahola

This U.S. Bureau of Mines report presents an overview of the use of three unique numerical modeling methods to analyze cutter roof problems in underground coal mines. Cutter roof failures are common in coal mines where the immediate roof is comprised of thin laminae exposed to highly biaxial tectonic stress fields. The predominant mechanism for failure is assumed to be excessive shear stress at the entry corners exceeding the shear strength of the rock. Early work in this area utilized the finite-element method and then the boundary-element method to analyze several cutter roof control measures. Various stress control measures were simulated to estimate their respective effects on reducing the high levels of shear stress at the entry corners. More recent studies made use of the discrete-element method. This method was used to take the analyses beyond the elastic continuum limits to simulate the propagation of a shear fracture and subsequent redistribution of stress within the mine roof. A simple roof bolt model was implemented to show the benefits of bolting to increase the resistance to shearing and separation along horizontal bedding planes and maintain roof stability.

Jan 1, 1991

By J. T. Matson

This paper describing the mining practice at the Pecos mine of the American Metal Co. of New Mexico, a subsidiary of the American Metal Co., Ltd., is one of a series being prepared by the Bureau of Mines on mining methods, practices, and costs in the various mining districts of the United States. The mine is producing about 18,000 tons per month of zinc-lead-copper ore, chiefly by the square-set and cut-and-fill methods. Costs are given for 1927, 1928, and 1929, the whole producing life of the mine to date.

Jan 1, 1930

By Matthew J. Sheridan

The Bureau of Mines study described in this report was conducted in the Denver, Colo., area (1) to summarize existing conservation practices as related to the most beneficial utilization of deposits of sand and gravel; (2) to identify the conflicting positions of the aggregate producer, the mineral owner, nearby residents, and local government officials responsible for determining land status and for issuing operating permits; and (3) to show the need for planning in Denver and in other expanding communities toward obtaining the benefits of conservation of our rapidly dwindling mineral resources. In order to determine the effects of urbanization on the Denver aggregate industry, interviews were held with owners of sand and gravel operations, with producers of concrete and bituminous pavement, with city and county planning and zoning personnel, and with representatives of various interested organizations. The conservation and ultimate utilization of deposits of construction raw materials near expanding urban areas can best be accomplished by long-range land-use projection and the requesite cooperation of technically advised planning and zoning administrators, government officials, mineral producers, and land developers.

Jan 1, 1967

By S. Bhamidipati

Abstract. Controlled flow is an aspect often desired in mine ventilation. This is normally obtained by using fans and regulators to achieve the required pressure balance in the system. Preference for a certain network layout of these control devices is influenced by technical as well as legal and economic factors. In this study, a model is developed based on an economic criterion by which an optimum layout of fans and regulators for a controlled flow system can be determined. The concept is analo¬gous to the critical path crashing. However, a linear programming package is used to demonstrate the solution procedure for a hypothetical venti¬lation network.

Jan 1, 1983

By N. W. Bliss

"Bauxite has been the almost universal ore of aluminum for about 100 years, with most of the world's reserves oc¬curring in the developing countries. As a result of fiscal and political activities prompted in part by the energy crisis, the formation of the IBA combined with increasing freight and labour costs, these reserves are no longer as competitive or as secure as they once were. This has given fresh impetus to the development of processes for alumina production that utilize raw material other than bauxite. Canada has no bauxite and it is prudent to look for alter¬native raw materials within our own boundaries suitable for one of these processes.Of the three igneous rocks that have been used as a source of alumina, only anorthosite is considered as a potential source in Canada. The Al content would be extracted by a sinter process, which currently requires a raw material with a. minimum of 28% Al2O2. Thus, about 4 tons of anorthosite and 10 to 12 tons of limestone are needed to produce one ton of alumina. There are two petrologically distinct types of anorthosite, one containing the plagioclase andesine-labradorite and around 26% Al2O3, and the other containing upwards of 30% Al2O3, in by¬townite-anorthite; for our purposes they may be con¬sidered as low- and high-alumina anorthosite respectively. The high-alumina anorthosites are somewhat rare; the low-alumina anorthosites are much more common, partic¬ularly in Eastern Canada. Geologically speaking, there is no shortage of anorthosite in Canada. The reserves are im¬mense, although their low Al2O3 content coupled with con¬siderations of location, access and proximity to limestone could be constraints to their development. Fly ash from coal-fired thermal power stations and nepheline syenite can also be used in a sinter process, but neither is likely to be utilized in Canada in the immediate future.The H+ process utilizes an acid attack to leach Al from a raw material with at least 20% Al2O3. One of the best raw materials is kaolinite-bearing clay; not only is it high in Al, but most of it can be extracted. With the possible exception of the Whitemud clay in Saskatchewan, Canada is apparently deficient in clays with sufficient reserves to support an alumina plant utilizing the H+ process. Low-alumina clays with illite and montmorillonite may also prove to be a suitable raw material if advantageously sited with respect to industrial centers. The average shale con¬tains only 15% Al2O33, much of which may be contained in minerals, such as feldspar, not amenable to acid leaching. If shale is used as a source of alumina, it will be because it contains some other valuable commodity, such as oil or uranium, the extraction of which leaves the spent shale upgraded in extractable Al2O3 and lowers the over-all costs to a point where it is economic, Thus, rejects from coal washing plants are most commonly considered as a source of alumina; they are already mined, are available in large and ever increasing amounts, and may contain significant amounts of combustible material which upgrades the Al2O3, content of the resulting ash. Coal rejects from existing and developing coalfields in Alberta and British Columbia are a possible source of raw material, but present data indicate they may contain insufficient Al2O3."

Jan 1, 1976

By S. Sinha, S. Ganguly

"In an opencast mine explosives are used for fragmentation of rock. Inefficient use of explosive energy in an opencast operation produces excessive ground vibration, which is measured by peak particle velocity (PPV). To mitigate ground vibration, it is essential to develop a model to predict PPV. At present empirical models are used. These models are based on only a few input variables, hence they fail to take into account the effects of the myriad factors that cause ground vibration. Due to lack of explicit knowledge about the complex mine blasting system the scope of application of mathematical and statistical modeling techniques is limited. The artificial neural network (ANN) technique is a learning algorithm that can remove some of these limitations and can be applied to predict PPV. In this paper an ANN model is developed for prediction of blast vibration using 248 data records collected from three coal mines with diverse geomining conditions. The correlation coefficient between measured PPV and model output was found to be 0.96 and the average error percentage 11.85. The ANN model output was compared with the output of three empirical models that are widely used for prediction of PPV. The correlation coefficient between the PPV predicted by an empirical model and measured PPV data was 0.63 and the relative error percentage 38.47. This result demonstrates the superiority of the ANN model compared to empirical blast models. By using site-specific structural discontinuities as input the model performance can be further improved. Sensitivity analysis and 3D plotting were used to gain further knowledge about blast-induced ground vibration. IntroductionIn an opencast coal mine explosives are used for fragmentation of coal and overburden. If the explosive energy is not fully utilized it causes blast-induced ground vibration, which may damage nearby structures. Ground vibration is expressed as peak particle velocity (PPV). During different stages of mine planning and operation, it is necessary to use a ground vibration prediction model for blasthole design. Selection of the modelling technique is crucial. Mathematical and statistical modelling techniques have limited application because of the lack of explicit knowledge about the complex mine blasting system. Vogiatzi (2002) highlighted the problem of multicollinearity in case of statistical modeling techniques. Mutalib et al. (2013) stated that mathematical models are unable to capture the nonlinear relationship between several blasting-related parameters due to the complexity of the model input data. However, the difficulty involved in modelling complex blast vibration problems can be removed by adopting an alternative soft computing modelling approach. One of the soft computing techniques is the artificial neural network (ANN). Ragam and Nimaje (2018) developed an ANN model for predicting PPV using six input variables. Kosti et al. (2013) stated that the conventional predictors fail to provide acceptable prediction accuracy. They showed that a neural network model with four mine blast parameters as input could make significantly more accurate on-site predictions. Sayadi et al., (2013), using a database from Teheran Cement Company limestone mines, found that a neural network resulted in maximum accuracy and minimum error. Khandelwal and Singh (2009) developed an ANN model using 150 data records from an Indian coal mine with site-specific rock characteristics and geomining setting. Khandewal and Singh (2007) built a ground vibration prediction model for a magnesite mine using four prediction variables with 20 data records. Kamali and Ataei (2010) predicted PPV in the structure of the Karoun III power plant and dam using an ANN. El Hafiz et al. (2010) evaluated ground vibration predictors using data from a single-station seismograph at a limestone quarry in Egypt."

Feb 1, 2019

By R. B. Elver

The St Lawrence Seaway, a deep-water canal system between Montreal and Lake Ontario, was opened for navigation on April 25, 1959. Prior to the opening of the new Seaway, small boats known as canalers and a few deep-sea carriers, primarily from Norway since World War II, were the only ships able to journey past Montreal into Lake Ontario through the old Canadian St. Lawrence canal system. Thus it was necessary for many tons of bulk and general cargo to be shipped all-rail to and from Atlantic ports or to be transhipped to and from canalers. With the opening of the new Seaway, large Great Lakes bulk carriers and a much larger percentage of the world's shipping fleet are now able to sail directly from the sea to the heart of industrial North America. In this paper, the historical events leading up to the construction of the Seaway and the physical nature of the Great Lakes transportation system are briefly reviewed. Following this, an attempt is made to evaluate the effects of the new Seaway on Canada's mineral industry. Because the Seaway has been in operation for only one season, this paper must be considered only an interim report. Because of the importance of the Seaway to iron ore, this commodity will be dealt with in detail, although the effect on other mineral commodities such as coal, petroleum, nonferrous ores, iron and steel will be mentioned. At this time the author wishes to thank the various company and government officials who provided both factual information and critical opinions.

Jan 1, 1960