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By H. S. Caldwell

Molten zinc, condensed from zinc vapor, was used by the Federal Bureau of Mines to leach aluminum from an aluminum-silicon alloy made by carbothermic reduction of silicious aluminum ores. Zinc requirements were minimized by re-fluxing condensed zinc in a low-pressure, Soxhlet-type distillation unit. The minimum ratio of zinc used to aluminum in the crude alloy was approximately 2:1. When the system pressure was reduced from atmospheric pressure to 100 microns or less, the rate of aluminum extraction increased by a factor of 20. Leaching rates were much higher when the zinc vapor was condensed directly on the crude alloy than when molten zinc was passed over the alloy in the absence of appreciable zinc vapors. Observations indicated higher extraction efficiencies from crude alloys containing greater amounts of iron. Complete extraction was obtained with negligible loss of zinc. Assuming complete removal of zinc, the aluminum products will contain 1 to 6 percent silicon and about 0.5 percent iron plus titanium. The leached crude-alloy residue is a highly friable spongelike material containing about 80 percent silicon, several percent iron and titanium, with the remainder aluminum. This extraction method has been patented (Patent 2,810,637) and assigned to the Government. Research and development investigations are continuing at the College Park Metallurgy Research Center.

Jan 1, 1961

By Steven M. Shope

An essential element of the Bureau of Mines electromagnetic location and communication system for trapped miners is a quantitative knowledge of the surface and above-surface electromagnetic fields created by an underground transmitter. The field solutions given in this report use approximations in which the displacement currents are negligible for low frequencies. The earth is represented by a homogeneous half-space model in which a dipole source is immersed. The vertical magnetic field equipotential contours at and above the surface are graphically mapped. The volumes of the regions bounded by these contours are directly related to the geometrical zones of signal detectability. Knowledge of the detectability zones will enable the proper search strategies to be developed for airborne detection of trapped miners.

Jan 1, 1983

By F. R. Lee

THE Bureau of Mines was established in July 1910 to conduct research and to establish standards for mining equipment and practices which would conserve human life, natural resources, and property in the mineral industries. Several lists of equipment approved by the Bureau as permissible for use in gassy coal mines have been issued since then. The lists covering all approved equipment except breathing apparatus and explosives have born consolidated into two publications: Bulletin 343. Permissible Equipment Approved to January 1, 1953, and Information Circular 8220, Permissible Mina Equipment Approved By The Bureau of Mines During 1953-62. The, purpose of this publication is to supplement Bulletin 343 and Information Circular 8220 with a listing of permissible equipment approved during 1963 and 1964. The schedule, (standards) under which equipment listed herein have been approved are, as follows (cities and dates of approval and revision are, given in footnotes) : Schedule 2F,3 schedule 6D,4 schedule 7C,5 schedule 8C,6 schedule 9B,7 schedule 10C,8 schedule 12D,9 schedule 22,10 schedule 24,11 schedule 25B,12 schedule 25B,13 schedule 29A,14 schedule 30,15 and schedule 31.16

Jan 1, 1966

By J. S. Walker

The Bureau of Mines monitored surface subsidence and water level fluctuations in 10 shallow observation wells above a series of four adjacent longwall panels in southwestern Pennsylvania, for about 4 yr. This study attempted to correlate the changes in the water levels within the observation wells to the measured vertical and horizontal ground movements associated with subsidence. Results of this study indicate that the fluctuation of the water levels appears to be a function of the well location relative to the mine layout and the proximity of mining. Wells are generally unaffected by mining of a preceding panel unless they are located within the angle of draw for that panel. Wells located at the centerline of a longwall panel exhibit the greatest fluctuation and head loss. This relationship may be related to the strain developed by the advancing longwall face. The water levels in the wells monitored fell at the greatest rate when the ground surrounding the well was in tension. The rate of the decline decreased as the dynamic development of the strains was changing from tension to compression. The water levels were found to be near the premining level before the ground was subject to maximum compressive strain. Nine of the ten wells investigated recovered to their premining water level after mining was completed.

Jan 1, 1988

By Raymond G. Travis

This report describes coal-mining methods, power requirements, coal production and distribution, and coal resources of the Bull Mountain coal field in Musselshell and Yellowstone Counties, south-central Montana Investigations in the field, were conducted by Bureau of Mines engineers The report contains a short summary of the geology and geography of the field and discusses the following information secured during the field study: Method of mining practiced at each mine, including a description of each phase of the mining cycle. Coal produced and its distribution at each mine. Power requirements and the consumption of electricity per ton of coal produced by mines. Number of non employed by mines, and the production per man per shift underground and the over-all production per man employed. Estimates of future production and power requirements for the field as a whole. This information should be of benefit to any company or individual planning the development of now coal mines in the area or the expansion of present operations.

Jan 1, 1950

By Francis Church Linxoln

"This property was explored as part of a general investigation of zinc-prodccing areas of southwestern Wisconsin at a time when an effort was being made to increase the production metals important to the Nation's war program. This report describes the work that was done and presents the data obtained.ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSIn its program of exploration of mineral deposits, the Bureau of Mines has as its primary objective the more effective utilization of our mineral resources to the and that they make the greatest possible contribution to national security and economy. It is the policy of the bureau to publish the facts developed by each exploratory protect as soon as practicable after its conclusion. The Mining Branch, Lowell B. Moon, chief, conducts preliminary examinations, performs the actual exploratory work, and prepares the final report. The Metallurgical Branch, P., G. Knickerbocker, chief, analyzes samples and performs beneficiation tests. Both these branches are under the supervision of Dr. R. S. Dean, assistant director. Special acknowledgment is due Professor G. H. Pett, of the Wisconsin Institute of Technology at Platteville, Wis., Jack Tracy, manager of the Mifflin Mining Co., and J. M VanMatre, representative of the Defense Property, for their assistance in the work. Acknowledgment is also due to A. F. Agnew and A. V. Heyl, geologists of the Federal Geological Survey, for furnishing geologic interpretations and lithologic studies of the drill-hole sections. All drilling was done under the immediate supervision of Francis C. Lincoln and M. Howard Berliner, project engineers, Edward P. Barrett, district engineer, Minneapolis, and E. D. Gardner, regional engineer, of the Bureau of Mines."

Sep 1, 1946

By Raymond L. Carpenter

The thermal conductivity, electrical resistivity, and Seebeck coefficient for nine compounds, based on the formula for enargite Cu3AsS3, were measured in a search for efficient materials to be used in thermoelectric generators or refrigerators. Results indicate that one of these compounds, Cu3SbSe4, has thermoelectric properties approaching those of bismuth telluride. An investigation of the effect of adding small quantities of tellurium to Cu3SbSe4 and Cu3SbS4 in order to improve their properties also was made. A figure of merit of 2.1 x 10-4 °C-1 was obtained for Cu3SbSe4 + 0.1 percent tellurium.

Jan 1, 1963

By Richard N. Spencer

This report describes investigations of the economic merits of multiple zone mining and beneficiation versus selective mining of altered Western phosphate rock. The same deposit was considered in both instances and it was assumed that the grade of selectively mined ore was comparable to the grade of the concentrate from beneficiation. The beneficiating scheme used for the investigation was one proved by small continuous circuit operation. All economic factors were found to favor multiple zone mining plus beneficiation. Capital requirements and production costs were lower, and production life of the deposit was extended 4.5 times. The concentrate from beneficiation would be a uniform high-quality feed for acidulation and would be low in stable metallic oxide (R203) content. Such a feed would permit improved plant operating control, and the low R203 would promote more rapid filtration and minimize sludge formation in the phosphoric acid. With the proposed treatment, the concentrate produced by flotation from this deposit would cost about 1.5 times as much per ton as the concentrate produced by classification sizing. Therefore, inclusion of a flotation step in treatment schemes requires an economic analysis for each ore deposit.

Jan 1, 1971

By D. Harrington

Near the close of the nineteenth century electricity was introduced underground, and the mining industry automatically was confronted with another potential source of fatalities and injuries to mine workers. Electricity has become an increasingly vital factor in the production of goal, particularly in recent years, because of the greatly extended mechanization that has taken place underground. The enlarged use of electrical equipment for cutting, loading, and hauling coal unquestionably increased the potentiality of shock and explosion hazards underground. Electricity may be used in coal mines with minimum danger if electric equipment and power-carrying wires are chosen properly and installed and kept protected by proper safeguards; on the other hand, if vigilance is relaxed in the slightest degree accidents may result. Electrical accidents are caused chiefly by direct contact with electrical equipment or power-carrying wires, by ignition of explosive gas or dust, and by fires of electrical origin. Electricity now ranks fourth as a cause of coal-mine fatalities, not including deaths from explosions or fires of electrical origin.

Jan 1, 1936

By L. A. Haas

The Bureau of Mines conducted bench-scale leaching tests with recycled spent copper electrolytes and copper-nickel mattes produced from the Minnesota Duluth Complex concentrates. This report describes the first stage of an overall two-stage leach operation. The objective of this research was to determine the matte-leach technology required to convert spent copper electrolyte into an enriched nickel liquor suitable for a nickel refinery and there-fore essentially free of copper, iron, and sulfuric acid. The experimental variables investigated were matte composition, particle size, spent electrolyte content, pulp concentration, oxygenation, temperature, and time. The time required to produce an enriched purified nickel liquor decreased with increasing pulp concentration, temperature, and oxygenation, but increased with increasing particle size and electrolyte copper and acid content. Nickel-rich (about 50 g/l) liquors at a pH of about 4 and containing less than 1 g/l of copper and iron were produced at 70° C by leaching minus 325-mesh low-iron (less than 5 pct) matte for 8 hours with spent electrolyte containing 22.4 g/l Cu, 28.9 g/l Ni, less than 0.1 g/l Fe, and 50 g/l H2S04 at a pulp concentration of 1 kg of matte per liter of spent electrolyteo Varying the nickel content of the spent electrolyte from 11 to 101 g/l appeared to have no appreciable influence on the matte leaching characteristics.

Jan 1, 1981

By Jacob Schoder

This is one of a series of papers published by the Bureau of Mines on mining and milling methods and costs. The Tennessee-Schuylkill Corporation, Chloride, Ariz., mines and mills a lead-zinc ore containing gold, silver, and a small amount of copper. The mill products are lead and zinc concentrates that are shipped to smelters. The company was the second largest producer of lead and zinc in Arizona in 1937 and was seventh in gold production. Operations discussed are those being conducted at the mine in October 1938 and are representative of the complete operating period from 1936 to date.

Jan 1, 1939

By W. R. McDonald

Part of the U.S. Bureau of Mines mission is to supply the U.S. mineral industries with information that is useful in planning to meet the Nation's critical and strategic mineral needs if a national emergency occurs. The Bureau conducted laboratory research including operating a nominal 100 lblh pilot plant to demonstrate the recovery and concentration of chromite by gravity and flotation operations from three northern California mineral deposits. Gravity beneficiation test results show that concentrates contained as much as 52 pet chromic oxide (CrZ03) with recoveries of about 80 pet. Results from the bench-scale unit operations of mineral liberation, tabling, vanning, spiraling, pinch sluice, work index, and thickener area determination tests are presented in this report.

Jan 1, 1990

By G. E. McElroy

[During the period July, 1923, to April, 1924, we made a large number of careful determinations of the resistance to the passage of air in selected sections of airways in the metal mines of Butte, Mont. The experiments were conducted with the cooperation of the Anaconda Copper Mining Co., Frank D. Cannon, mining engineer of that company, and Fred P. Gaethke, mining engineer of the bureau, assisted in carrying out this work. This paper summarizes the, main group of data obtained in the form of a table, of friction factors, or coefficients of friction that is, values of K in the generally accented formula or air flow of [P = KSV or H = KSV2 ] where, in units customary to mining practice;]

Jan 1, 1925

By William H. King

The Fannie Ryan deposit is situated about 9 miles northwest of Boulder City, Clark County, Nev. at an altitude of about 2,000 feet on the north side of the River Mountains. The deposit is covered by several unpatented claims owned by Fannie B. Gulick of Las Vegas, Nev. The Boulder City deposit is within the Hoover Dan National Recreational Area. It is situated about 3 miles southeast of Boulder City in sec. 23,T. 23 S., R. 64 E., Clark County, Nev. The Deposit was covered by several unpatented mining claims owned by S. R. Whitehead of Las Vegas. The deposits occur in sedimentary beds of the Muddy Creek formation that overlie older volcanic extrusive. The manganese minerals occur as soft oxides of the wad type. The exploration was conducted by the Bureau of Nines in cooperation with the Federal Geological Survey and comprised a study of the geology, mapping of the areas, and development by shaft sinking; diamond drilling, and sampling. On the Fannie Ryan Gulick property the work consisted of cleaning and sampling seven old trenches on the outcrop and diamond drilling seven holes totaling 1,482 foot. At the Boulder City deposit 188 feet of drilling was done in two holes. A 4- by 6-foot shaft was sunk to a depth of 44.5 feet, and the north and south sides of the shaft were sampled.

Jan 1, 1950

By Herbert R. Babitzke

The purpose of this investigation was to optimize the high-temperature properties of columbium and tantalum. Columbium and tantalum were combined with selected alloying elements to achieve solid solution and dispersion strengthening. Fifty-six alloys were evaluated to determine their formability, hardness, strength at elevated temperatures, and oxidation resistance. The following six alloys showed high-temperature strength: [Cb-15Hf-5W-2Zr-4Al-4Ti-2N Cb-15Hf -5W-5Zr Cb-15.3Ti-4.1Zr-13.7Hf Ta-20Hf-4Al Ta-30Hf-4Al Ta-20Hf-5W-4Al] At 1,200° C, the columbium alloys had strength values of 40,000 psi or greater, and the tantalum alloys had strength values from 50,000 to 58,000 psi. For a 2-hour test period at 1,000° C, weight gains of only 9 and 8 mg/cm2, respectively, were observed on oxidation testing of two alloys, Cb-15Hf-5W-2Zr-4Al-4Ti-2N and Ta-20Hf-5W-4Al.

Jan 1, 1968

By R. R. Wells

This report summarizes the results of laboratory investigations by the Alaska Mining Experiment Station, Juneau, to determine the practicability of treating cinnabar-stibnite ore by bulk flotation and controlled-atmosphere roasting of the concentrate. Ore from the Red Devil mine near Sleetmute, Alaska, was selected for testing; it is typical of ores widely distributed throughout the Kuskokwim River Basin. The material, consisting of stibnite and cinnabar in ankerite, dolomite, and quartz, assayed 1.55 percent Hg and 2.87 percent Sb. Continuous treatment of the ore in a laboratory flotation circuit recovered 95.7 percent of the mercury and 82.6 percent of the antimony in a concentrate that assayed 20.4 percent Hg and 34.6 percent Sb.

Jan 1, 1958

By Karl-Heinz Frohne

This report presents the findings of a study of a portion of the Clover-Rush Run oilfield located in Roane County, W. Va. The study was made to investigate the possibilities of secondary oil recovery in the Big Injun sandstone underlying the William Kaufman lease. Reservoir properties, original reserves, and primary oil recovery are also presented. The investigation is based on a core analysis and related laboratory tests, well records, field production data, and subsurface information from the Kaufman property. A theoretical primary oil recovery of 9.7 percent of original oil in place is predicted for the reservoir. A waterflood performance prediction of a hypothetical pilot area was made by use of a computer. The prediction showed that, based on laboratory oil water relative permeability curves, the water-injection time needed to initiate oil production is excessive and that the stabilized water-injection and corresponding oil-production rates are very low. This precludes waterflooding the reservoir on an economic basis. A prediction for secondary oil recovery by gas injection was attempted but could not be completed because essential reservoir data were not available. In July 1965, the lease operator initiated, and is currently conducting, a gas-injection program, but there had been no increase in oil production up to November 1966.

Jan 1, 1967

By Eric R. Bauer

This U.S. Bureau of Mines study was conducted to gain a basis for recommending methods to predict and prevent the occurrence of cutter roof failure, a common ground control problem in mines of the Northern Appalachian Coal Basin. This was accomplished by determining the geologic and engineering factors responsible for cutter development at six mines affected by cutter roof failure. Three distinct factors were found to be initiators of cutter roof failure: (1) high horizontal roof stress, (2) surface topographic variations, and (3) geologic anomalies. Effective control of cutter roof was obtained through improved bolting techniques, entry and mine reorientation, and entry and pillar size modifications, but only when selected based on the actual cause of failure.

Jan 1, 1990

By Brian T. Brady

The year 1992 recorded unimpressive economic growth and uncertainties over what changes would occur for the financial market. Falling interest rates in the United States and elsewhere tended to exert a number of positive influences on financial markets and, indirectly, the mining and quarrying industry. The interest rate declines during 1992 were no exception. Lower rates prompted many investors to turn their attention to long-term investments such as stocks that offer potentially greater rates of return, causing large cash inflows into the equity market. Lower rates made it easier for businesses to finance growth and for consumers to finance the purchase of products businesses made. Also the rates enabled many companies to increase their health and profitability by refinancing their existing loans at lower rates. Falling interest rates were not confined to the United States. With Japan and Western Europe in the midst of economic slumps, marketing authorities in many countries overseas lowered rates in an effort to stimulate business activity. True to form, that contributed to stock market rallies abroad. Stabilizing inflation and lower interests stimulated the industry during 1992 and will likely influence favorably the industry for the next few years.

Jan 1, 1992

By L. C. IlsLey

[In 1922 a conference of representative coal-mine operators, cable manufacturers, mining-machine manufacturers, and representatives of the United States Bur eau of Mines vas held at the Pittsburgh Experiment Station, regarding suitable cables for use with permissible raining machines. This conference recommended that the Bureau investigate rubber-sheathed trailing cables in order to obtain specifications for tests leading to approval for rise with mining machines. Effective until such time as an investigation could be made, the bureau asked the several manufacturers of approved mining machines to recommend cables for wise with their machines. In general the Cables recommended tentatively approved. Arrangements for the tests were completed in 1927. Concentric-type cables were investigated first, and Reports of Investigations, Serial No. 2909, covering the tests, was issued in January, 1929.]

Jan 1, 1929