Search Documents

The Bureau of Mines is responsible for a broad spectrum of programs for meeting the diverse and changing mineral resource needs of the Nation. These programs are managed by the Director and two Deputy Directors, who formulate general policy and program direction from the Washington, D.C., headquarters. A senior advisory staff, consisting of the Chief Staff Officer, Chief Scientist, and Chief Mining Engineer, provides advice and consultation to the Director on a wide range of scientific and technical matters and acts on behalf of the Director to maintain liaisons with other government agencies, mineral industries, and professional societies. Bureau program activities are classified into two major functions: (1) Developing new and improved technology that will make the production and processing of minerals more efficient, safer and more healthful for mineral workers and the public, and more compatible with a quality environment.

Jan 1, 1980

By Robert M. Baker

This document details the method whereby Allen Corporation of America gathered and analyzed data and developed an annotated bibliography of metal and nonmetal mine fire reports (1950-1979). The primary objective of this program was to develop the annotated bibliography which included MSHA accident reports and periodicals. Two additional objectives were to gather data on non-reportable fires and to conduct statistical analyses on the data to delineate trends. Data was acquired from three major areas: periodicals, MSHA fire reports, and mine safety directors. Data was separated into reportable fires (at least ½ - hour duration or injury), non-reportable fires, and opinion data. The data was then analyzed by time trends, state, ore, ignition source, burning substance, location, equipment, detection, duration, injuries, fatalities, and successful extinguishing agent. The authors make a number of recommendations: (1) improved stationary electrical equipment design and fire protection, (2) improved design of mobile equipment to separate combustibles from ignition sources, (3) improved maintenance, (4) improved housekeeping, and (5) improved training. The document is divided into two volumes and an appendix. Volume I contains data acquisition procedures, data analysis procedures, and conclusions and recommendations. Volume II contains a chronological list of mine fires and fifteen indexes to assist the reader in locating fire incident report of interest. The Appendix contains the annotated bibliography of over 300 metal and nonmetal mine fire reports and journal articles and a list of non-reportable fires.

Jan 1, 1980

By Erle C. Donaldson

A study of subsurface waste disposal in the United States shows that in eight States a wide variety of industrial wastes are being injected into formations ranging in age from Precambrian to Recent. More than 30 wells ranging in depth from 300 to 12,000 feet are used for waste disposal into subsurface formations which include unconsolidated sand, sandstone, vugular limestone, and fractured gneiss.

Jan 1, 1964

By Henry P. Chandler

[Diamond, because of its extreme hardness and abrasion resistance, has an important function in precision engineering and automation. With the increasing; requirements of modern production for fine tolerances, interchange-ability, and speed, it has become even more important. In spite of the supply of other abrasive and hard materials and of ultrasonic, electrospark rued other substitute grinding, methods, world industry seams likely to absorb large quantities of diamond for industrial purposes. An increasing part of the world's needs will be supplied by manufactured diamond, which was introduced commercially by General Electric Co. in 1957. Use of diamond for glass cutting roes bark several centuries, mid diamond drilling of rock became important to the mining industry M the 1870's. Today, diamond drilling is the most extensively used method of exploring the world's ore reserves; diamond drills two also used to determined the nature of bedrock below the foundations of buildings, dams, and bridges. Diamond drill bits are now used extensively in the petroleum industry, and replacement or steel rock bits with diamond drill bits in hard rock formations has affected substantial savings.]

Jan 1, 1964

By Henry P. Chandler

[Diamond, because of its extreme hardness and abrasion resistance, has an important function in precision engineering and automation. With the increasing; requirements of modern production for fine tolerances, interchangeability, and speed, it has become even hors, important in spite of the supply of other abrasive and hard materials and of ultrasonic, electrospspark rued other substitute grinding methods world industry seems likely to absorb large quantities of diamond for industrial purposes. An increasing part of the world's needs will be supplied by manufactured diamond, which was introduced commercially by General Electric Co. in 1957. Use of diamond for glass cutting goes bark several centuries, mid diamond drilling of rock became important to the mining industry M the 1870's. Today, diamond drilling is the most extensively used method of exploring the world's ore reserves; diamond drills two also used to determine the nature of bedrock below the foundations of buildings, dams, and bridges. Diamond drill bits are now used extensively in the petroleum industry, and replacement or steel rock bits with diamond drill bits in hard rock formations has effected substantial savings.]

Jan 1, 1964

By Laurance L. Oden

The Bureau of Mines is developing melting data for binary combinations of the alkaline earth fluorides and yttria to facilitate the formulation of slag compositions. The present report deals with the CaF2-Y203 system for which solidus and liquidus temperatures and solid solubilities were determined. The information is presented as the phase diagram. All specimen compositions were blended from high-purity materials and encapsulated in Mo or Pt20Rh prior toheat treatment. Liquidus temperatures were determined by ceramographic examination of heat-treated and quenched specimens. Solidus temperatures were determined by differential thermal analysis and by electron microprobe analysis of quenched specimens. Terminal solid solubilities were derived by parametric methods. The peritectic system was found to be pseudobinary due to the formation of yttrium oxyfluoride at temperatures near the liquidus. The peritectic point occurs at 7 mole pct Y203 and 1,438° ± 5°C. The terminal solid solubility of Y203 in CaF2 decreases from 7 mole pct at 1,438° C to 1 mole pct at 1,100° C, and the solubility of CaF2 in Y203 decreases from 9.5 to 7 mole pct over the same temperature interval.

Jan 1, 1970

By R. D. Berkenkotter

Titanium and iron assays obtained from cores of three diamond-drill holes from the Cebolla Creek titaniferous iron deposit were evaluated by statistical techniques to obtain information concerning the mineral characteristics of the deposit and to make a preliminary determination of sampling requirements for the deposit. A range of sample volumes representing sizes from one-sixth NX core 2 feet in length through full NX core 10 feet in length were prepared by split-ting the NX core with a diamond saw and combining pulverized splits. Results indicate the existence of at least two statistical populations having different average grades of iron and titanium. Each has an assay frequency distribution that is not normal but is highly peaked (leptokurtic). Frequency distributions of assays from specific altered zones of the drill holes appear to be normally distributed. Increasing the cross-sectional area of the sample unit to change assay volume did not result in significant changes either in assay values or the resulting frequency distributions of assays. However, when assay volume is increased by increasing sample interval, the shape of the assay frequency distribution changes, and a normal distribution of assays is approached. Positive correlation exists between titanium and iron assays. The degree of correlation, although very significant, is too low to use for prediction purposes. Although the amount of data from three widely separated drill holes is not sufficient to establish an average grade for this large deposit, it indicates a range of expected assay values and provides some information for determining requirements of future sampling for evaluation purposes.

Jan 1, 1963

By Wendell R. Peters

Shallow underground voids resulting from early coal mining and other resource recovery activities over the past several decades are now being recognized as a significant cause of ground subsidence problems in developing urban areas. Uncertain knowledge of abandoned coal mines also imposes potential hazards in coal excavation operations since water inundation or the release of methane gas is a pricnipal hazard when mine excavation operations break into an abandoned mine. U.S. Army requirements for an effective method for detecting and mapping subversive man-made tunnels have resulted in a surface-operated automatic earth resistivity survey system with a digital computer data processing system. Field tests aimed at demonstrating the system performance resulted in successful detection of tunnels having depth-to-diameter ratios up to 15 to 1. Under the sponsorship of the Bureau of Mines, a similar system was designed and constructed for use in the detection of coal mine workings. This report discusses the hardware and software aspects of the system and the application of the high-resolution earth resistivity method to the survey and mapping of abandoned coal mine workings. In the field tests reported, the targets of interest were both air-filled and water-filled workings.

Jan 1, 1980

By Donald W. Mitchell, John Nagy, Edwin M. Murphy

To increase safety and productivity in mining , the potential uses and hazards of rigid foam were investigated by the Bureau of Mines Experimental Coal Mine . This research resulted in the development of chemical formulations , spraying equipment , and application procedures that permit safe and effective use of urethane foams for improving mine ventilation , for reducing weathering of mine rock and steel , for constructing seals in fire areas , and for thermal insulation .

Jan 1, 1964

By Fred E. Fiedler

A demonstration project investigated the feasibility and effectiveness of two management interventions, Management Training and Organization Development, for improving productivity and safety in metal/non-metal mines. The management training intervention was conducted at Texasgulf Company's trona mine, using three nearby trona mines as controls. The Organization Development intervention took place in Hecla Mining Company's Lucky Friday mine, using the highly similar Star Mine as control. The two management interventions seemed about equally effective in reducing accidents and injuries, as well as MSHA citations, and the management intervention at the Texasgulf mine also appeared to have led to substantial improvement in mine productivity.

Jan 1, 1983

By Robert H. Bedford

The New Almaden mine was discovered in 1824, and since that date production of quicksilver has exceeded 1,000,000 flasks. Because of this high production record, the New Almaden area was, upon passage. by Congress of the Strategic Minerals Act of 1939, immediately considered by the Bureau of Mines as a promising location for exploration. In 1941, the Federal Geological Survey undertook a survey of the entire district. R. R. Trengove, an engineer of the Bureau of Mines, made a preliminary study for a project in 1942, and in August 1943 the Bureau, in close cooperation with the U. S. Geological Survey, began the development project described herein. The Bureau of Mines drilled 36 holes, totaling 6,807 feet of diamond drilling, along the contact between the serpentine and Franciscan, sandstones and other sedimentary formations. The ore bodies are found along this contact and occur in the carbonate-silica rock. This report briefly describes the location, history, and ore deposits of the property. The recent operations are outlined, and the work performed by the Bureau is explained in detail.

Jan 1, 1950

By L. C. IlsLey

One of the details which the engineers observe closely in conducting tests on explosion-proof type equipment at the Pittsburgh experiment Station of the Bureau of Mines is the construction of covers and their means of fastening. These covers are of particular concern from a safety standpoint, because they are very liable to be frequently disturbed for the purpose of making inspection or repairs to internal parts of motors, controllers, etc. When depended upon to permit frequent inspections it is desirable from a practical operating standpoint that the cover be easily and quickly removed and replaced. The position that been taken by the Bureau of Mines is that the questio of ease with which covers will permit inspection should be determined by the mamu- facturer and the user. If the scheme used requires considerable effort, as in the removal of several bolts, it has been assumed that the one going to all this trouble to get the covers off could be trusted to put the cover back in place properly, especially as the approval plate generally calls specific attention to this point. Where a cover is simply screwed in place, fastened by a single bolt, or secured by a hing in or other similar arrangement, the bureau has not been willing to assume that the, cover would in all cases be properly fastened and has required further security by means of a lock or seal. In the course of its investigations the bureau has had occasion to inspect and test five types of covers as follows: (1) Covers having two plane surfaces bolted together. (2) Covers having two plane surfaces held together by lugs, clamps, or other means besides bolts. (3) Covers which have screw thread and fit a similar thread in the compartment. (4). Covers having plane surfaces with the addition of a tongue-and-groove joint at about the center of the plane surface and in general secured by hinge pins or similar means of fastening. (5) Covers in the form of an annular ring accurately fitted to a motor shell which can be rotated around the shell, and thus make easy access to inspection openings in the shell and rotated back again to effectively seal these openings. Tests. have also been made of large bolted covers having a smaller and more accessible cover within the large one, which could be opened for inspection purposes.

May 1, 1930

The safety analysis of shaft-sinking operations included a review of accident reports from coal and metal-nonmetallic mine shaft-sinking projects in the United States, a review of foreign and domestic shaft laws, and discussions with shaft contractors and Federal mine inspectors. Accident data were studied to identify the most common and the most severe types of shaft accidents and to determine their immediate and contributing causes. Additional factors such as worker training and experience, equipment and sinking procedures, regulations and enforcement practices were also investigated to determine their impact on shaft safety. The results of the study are summarized in recommendations for improved training of shaft miners and clarification of Federal shaft-sinking regulations. A guide to assist mine inspectors in examining shaft-sinking projects is also included.

Jan 1, 1977

The 1967 Lignite Symposium was held at Grand Forks, N. Dak., on April 27-28, 1967. This was the fifth of these technical meetings and the fourth which was cosponsored by the University of North Dakota and the Bureau of Mines. These symposia have provided a meeting place where current developments concerning technology and utilization of solid fuels (lignite) are presented. There was a registration of 255 persons from 24 States, the District of Columbia, six Canadian Provinces, Germany, and India. Many segments of coal or energy oriented organizations at many levels were represented. During the meeting, 18 presentations were made covering developments in electrical power generation, mining, estimation of reserves, combustion, gasification, and chemical and speciality uses of low-rank coals; these are com-piled in this Information Circular to provide a record of the symposium and to permit wider dissemination of the information. Proceedings of the other meetings have also been published.3

Jan 1, 1968

By J. J. Forbes

Investigations by the Bureau of Mines and by mining-research departments of European countries have established definitely the value of rock-dusting to prevent or limit the propagation of coal-mine explosions. Its effectiveness in this connection has been demonstrated not only by research but by actual coal-mine explosions in which hundreds of lives have been saved because of its presence. In a general way this paper gives pertinent facts concerning rock-dusting practices in the United States. Information has been obtained from many reliable sources, and various coal-mining companies have furnished data on cost and other details.

Jan 1, 1939

By Ronald F. Balazik

This Bureau of Mines study identifies and examines the costs of Federal, State, and local environmental protection controls on domestic phosphate rock mining, The costs include the expenditures needed to comply with government regulations and the effects that these expenditures and regulations have on supply. The study analyzes costs of environmental impact assessments, air and water quality standards, reclamation laws, potential solid waste controls, and local government restrictions. In addition, an industry survey and the Bureau's Minerals Availability System (MAS) are used to evaluate land management policies that restrict access to phosphate resources, Conclusions drawn from these analyses confirm that (1) domestic phosphate mining has incurred substantial control costs and may be subject to significant new regulatory costs in the next several years, (2) certain environmental controls can discourage mining investment, (3) environmental policies governing land-use controls affect the disposition of sizable phosphate resources, and are key determinants in the development of those resources on the Federal do- main, and (4) environmental costs could diminish the competitiveness of domestic producers.

Jan 1, 1983

By J. J. Forbes

Investigations by the Bureau of Mines and by mining-research departments of European countries have established definitely the value of rock-dusting to prevent or limit the propagation of coal-mine explosions. Its effectiveness in this connection has been demonstrated not only by research but by actual coal-mine explosions in which hundreds of lives have been saved because of its presence. In a general way this paper gives pertinent facts concerning rock dusting practices in the United States. Information has been obtained from many reliable sources, and various coal-mining companies have furnished data on cost and other details.

Jan 1, 1939

During the period 1979 thru 1982, Multi Mineral Corporation conducted a mining research program at the United States Department of the Interior's Bureau of Mines Oil Shale Mining Environmental Research Facility in the Central Piceance Creek Basin, Rio Blanco County, Colorado. The program consisted of mining, environmental and geotechnical research data and the results are described in this report.

Jan 1, 1983

By H. E. Hilliard

The Bureau of Mines investigated hydrometallurgical procedures for concentrating precious metals from a mechanically processed metal fraction of obsolete military electronic scrap. Feed material for the leaching procedures described in this report was the high-tension-separated metal concentrate obtained as a fraction from mechanically processing partially stripped electronic units. Initial pretreatment with a 20-wt-pct-NaOH solution solubilized most of the aluminum. After washing, the resulting residue was incinerated to destroy any organics attached to metal particles. The incinerated residue was leached with 20-vol-pct H2S04 solution using two methods, countercurrent pressure and ultrasonic-aided leaching to solubilize the base metals, predominantly copper. Silver was recovered from the base metal leach residue using 50-vol-pct HN03, and gold contaminated with several percent palladium was recovered from the silver leach residue using aqua regia. The impure silver and gold plus palladium products represent about 1.5 wt pct of the high-tension-separated metal concentrate. Included is a three-step process evaluation study of mechanical processing of general electronic scrap and two hydrometallurgical procedures for leaching high-tension-separated metallic concentrates obtained from the mechanical processing step. Process evaluation concluded that only mechanical processing is economically viable.

Jan 1, 1985

Research personnel from the Bureau of Mines, a representative of the Mine Safety and Health Administration, and research contractors for the Bureau of Mines met with other Government and industry representatives at three seminar locations in December 1980 to discuss the findings and products of Bureau research on mine safety training. The research program is aimed at providing assistance to the mining community in its efforts to reduce industrial-type, human-error accidents through research establishing performance based methods and media for employee training. Research emphasis is directed toward development of baseline materials and instructional models; development of methods for structuring and evaluating health and safety, supervisory, and occupational training; and the continued investigation and application of current learning and simulation technology that could significantly enhance the effectiveness of training opportunities.

Jan 1, 1981