Search Documents

By Spencee L. Willett

In 1986, at the request of the Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Bureau of Mines studied a 51, 160-acre portion of the 107,920-acre Diablo Mountain Wilderness Study Area (OR-001-058) in order to evaluate its mineral resources. The study area is located 1n Lake County, OR, about 45 miles northwest from Lakeview. The study area is located near the northwest corner of the Basin and Range physiographic province. Tertiary Picture Rock basalt with tuff interbeds underlies the area (Travis, 1983). No mineral resources were identified; no mines, prospects, claims, or mineralized areas exist in or adjacent to the Diablo Mountain study area.

Jan 1, 1987

By R. V. Ramani, V. T. Burgos, J. A. McClay

Model testing is a two part operation; first, to assure the valid¬ity of the mathematical statements and second, to evaluate the accuracy of the computer model for predictive purposes. Verification of both the conceptual and computational aspects can be achieved through the use of input data for which output results are available for comparison. In this dissertation, two test problems were selected for model testing from the Economic Evaluation Reports of the U.S. Bureau of Mines, Process Evaluation Group. Verification Data Set I Input data for this test was selected from an economic analysis of a hypothetical 1,056,000-ton-per-year mine in a 48-inch bituminous coal seam (Process Evaluation Group-Report No. 72-27, 1972). The mine was scheduled to operate five days per week, three shifts per day, 220 days per year with an estimated life of 20 years. Coal reserves covered an area of 6.4 square miles with an expected recovery rate of 70%. Production was achieved through 4 continuous miner sections with an average production rate of 400 tons per shift. The cost summary in the report included a breakdown of equipment and labor requirements. A depreciation schedule listed the expected capital expense per year of operation, assuming capital replacement with identical units and no change in the unit cost. Supply and oper¬ating costs were listed in both gross annual figures and cost per ton of production. The operating and investment costs were projected over the 20 year mine life and a discounted cash flow analysis performed to determine

Jan 1, 1975

By A. E. Nagel, J. E. Carpetta, M. G. Zabetakis, T. D. Moore

The method of moving averages was found useful in assessing the nature of methane emission in coal mines. Emission rates were influenced markedly by the presence of abandoned oil and gas wells in the vicinity of the mine. Such wells appeared to increase the flow rate of methane into the mine by a factor of 2 to 30 in an active mine in the Pittsburgh coal seam.

Jan 1, 1972

By David E. Siskind

The Bureau of Mines recorded particle accelerations in the mine roof produced by three types of explosives in the Pilot Knob Pellet Co. mine, Pilot Knob, Mo. Examined were the effectiveness of cube root, square root, and two-thirds power scaling in grouping the underground blast vibration data, and the effects of mine geometry, rock type, explosive type, and charge size on blast vibration levels. A propagation law for this mine was determined. The scaling factor of the square root of the charge weight was developed from previous Bureau studies of vibrations from quarry blasts, and in under-ground blasting both square root and cube root scaling were found applicable for scaling particle vibration data. The vibrations from the Pilot Knob blasts were best grouped by a square-root scaling factor. The empirical propagation equation AW1/2 = 76,250 (R/W1/2)-2.61 where A is the peak acceleration in g's, W is the charge weight in pounds, and R is the distance from the blast in feet, may be used to describe vibration amplitudes from charges fired with zero delay caps or with a single cap at Pilot Knob. Statistically significant differences were found in the vibration levels generated by the different explosives. The Power Primer (75-percent weight-strength ammonia gelatin dynamite) produced levels of vibration of 1.7 to 2.4 times those of AN-FO and slurry explosives; the latter two are approximately equal.

Jan 1, 1973

By J. D. Davis

"Introduction.Sixty years ago, M. Berthelot found that ethylene could be selectively absorbed from gaseous mixtures by concentrated sulphuric acid, and that the compound formed by the chemical union of the gas and acid was readily decomposed by heating with water, yielding ethyl alcohol. Only within the last few years has there been any attempt to make use of this discovery technically.Bury*, working in England at the Skinningrove Iron Works and on a commercial scale, developed a technical method for converting, the ethylene of coke-oven as into alcohol. With a gas containing less than 3 per cent of ethylene, he obtained a yield of 1.6 gallons of alcohol per ton of coal carbonized.De Loisy** perfected a technical method for treatment of coke-oven as for alcohol. Evidently this work was carried out on a semi-commercial scale. His method is based on the use of catalytic agents for hastening the absorption of ethylene by sulphuric acid. He uses part of the spent acid for drying the gases and pact for the manufacture of ammonium sulphate. Excess acid is reconcentrated by waste heat. Others have worked on the problem, but so far there has been no large recovery of ethylene from coke-oven gases. The chief difficulty seems to lie in the low efficiency (about 50% of methods and tae relatively low concentrations of ethylene in the gases treated. Gas from Trent amalgam*** contains much larger percantages of ethylene than does coke-oven gas, as Will presently be shown, and if it should ever prove practIcal to treat industrial ;as for alcohol, this gas would offer attractive possibilities,* Bury, Ernest, Ethylene as Alcohol from Coke-Oven Gas: Gas Journal' Vol. 148, D. 30, 1919, pp. 718.** DC Loisy, M.E., Sur un procede' industrial de fabrication syntlotique de l'alcool et de l'ether a partir des gaz de distillation de la houil Comp Rend, vol. 170, Jan. 1920, p. 50-3.*** A paste consisting of approximately part oil such as that obtained as for cleaning coal. See Perrott. in cleaning coal, Chem 3 parts finely pulvarized coal and 1 final product in the Trent, process StJ, and Kinney, S.P. The use of oil Vol. 35 August 3, 1921, p, 183.. & Met."

Nov 1, 1922

By G. B. Gait

This report is the fifth in a series concerning the Bureau of Mines program for microfilming maps of abandoned mines in the Pennsylvania anthracite region. A catalog of the microfilmed maps of 47 of 49 major mines and 18 independent mines in the Southern field is presented. Previous reports included catalogs of microfilmed maps of mines in the Eastern Middle field, the Wyoming and Lackawanna Basins of the Northern field, and the Western Middle anthracite field.

Jan 1, 1978

By Charles L. Kimbell

World political events that occurred subsequent to yearend 1989 but that bear heavily on the global mineral industry have been of such significance that they cannot be disregarded, and certainly they contribute to any type of "outlook?. However, to write of them simply as "forecasts" in an "outlook" section of this study would be to unjustly pretend to status as prophets. Thus, this section covers events that have occurred not as predictions but rather as history. The section also includes an element with some broad statistical information, but this is included last rather than first for two reasons: the information is subject to considerable re- vision as additional data become available and as preliminary returns are corrected; and the authors view it as less important than the events that govern the statistics. The Near East and the Crisis There.- Of all 1990 political events influencing the world's mineral industry, the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait and the remarkable events that followed this aggression must head the list. The almost immediate imposition of economic sanctions, involving embargoes on shipment of virtually all goods into and out of Iraq, caused severe dislocations in the production and trade of mineral commodities, not only within the region itself, but with a ripple effect, into other world areas as well.

Jan 1, 1992

By Sidney Katell

The reaction of coal, oil, or natural gas with air and oxygen and/or steam yields a gas containing varying amounts of impurities. Depending on the raw material and the end use of the product, these impurities include solids, such as dust or slag, and gases, such as hydrogen sulfide, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen. Considerable effort has been expended in developing and operating purification systems, and the literature is replete with equipment data and operating results. The research problems, the design, and the operation of the various systems have been the subjects of patent applications, journal articles, and textbooks.

Jan 1, 1959

By O. W. Terry

The Skene mine, in the Elizabeth District, Illinois, produced lead are from 1901 to 1907. Three exploratory holes drilled just north of the mine were said to have penetrated 40 feet of good zinc are. During the summer of 1944, the Bureau of Mines drilled check holes close to what appeared to be two of the three old holes. They also drilled two holes to the south of the mine and one into the core of the deposit. Results of the investigation are given in this report.

Jan 1, 1948

By D. Caruso

The health and financial costs of cumulative injuries are plaguing the mining industry. Industry leaders are concentrating on reducing the risk of injury to their workers through design and redesign of work environments. While ergonomics is not a currently regulated field, many mines are realizing that the only way to tackle their most costly injuries, cumulative injuries, is to make the proactive choice to understand those injuries, their root causes and to make workplace changes to prevent them from occurring. Reduction of these injuries not only improves the health and morale of the workers but increases productivity and profit for the companies. Knowledge and reporting of ergonomic risk factors by employees and ergonomics committees is key to these changes and to the reduction of cumulative injuries. NIOSH is developing strong relationships with industry associations and equipment manufacturers to leverage their communication abilities to transfer knowledge to their customers and make a difference in the health and safety of U.S. miners. The benefits of a formalized approach to reducing these injuries along with examples will be presented.

By R. H. Bedford

"The El Dorado copper mine is situated in the foothill copper-zinc belt of California, which traverses the western slope of the Sierra Nevada with unusual persistence from Butte County to Kern County, a distance of more than 300 miles. Although this area contains such important past producers as the Penn mine, Union, and others, a great part of the current production has been derived from smaller properties, which depend largely on premium metal prices for economical operation. The El Dorado mine is in the latter group, which constitutes an important source of metal in a national emergency.Exploration by the Bureau of Mines by means of eight diamond-drill holes Indicated narrow, intermittent lenses of copper ore along structures boo feet in length. The copper occurs in massive sulfides composed of chalcopyrite, pyrite, pyrrhotite, and minor quantities of bernite. The sulfides have evidently replaced tuffs, which are interbedded with the Mariposa slates and shales.H. A. Weiler and Hal T. Hall, owners of the El Dorado copper property, requested an examination by the Bureau during the latter part of 1914. In December of that year an engineer of the Bureau of Mines visited the mine and recommended the project work undertaken. The purpose was to aid the owners in bringing the property into production of copper and zinc, which at that time was critically essential to the war industries.Complete factual data obtained by the exploration are embodied in this report.In 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 end 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 project 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, R. G, Knickerbocker, chief, analyzes samples and performs beneficiation tests. Both these branches are under the supervision of Dr. R. S. Dean, assistant director.Acknowledgment is made to A. O. Johnson, chief, Reno Division, Mining Branch, and Lowell B. Moon, chief, Mining Branch, for their aid and direction."

Jun 1, 1946

By Donald J. Barnes

The Glacier View RARE Ii further planning area contains no identified mineral deposits, other than stone, which cannot compete favorably with similar deposits closer to major markets. Pierce County mining claim records show six coal claims were located in the study area between 190b and 1907; however, no coal was found at the described locations. Two coal prospects, the H.O. Lamming and Floyd Rice, are within 0.5 mi (0.8 km) of the area's west boundary (fig. 1). At these prospects, impure bituminous coal beds strike approximately north and dip east toward the study area. Analyses of samples 1/ indicated an average heating value of 2,767 BTU 2/ per pound (6,436 joules per kg). Because of the low heat value, this coal is subeconomic. Intense folding and faulting which disrupted the beds would limit the use of conventional coal mining equipment, making future economic development even less likely. Trinity Resources of Houston, Texas has leased approximately 1,404 acres (568 ha) inside the study area and an additional 1,020 acres (413 ha) adjacent to the study area for oil and gas exploration. However, no oil or gas wells are known to have been drilled in or around the study area.

Jan 1, 1983

By Bernard Porter

The solubility of UO2 was determined at 1,250° C. in ternary melts of UF4 and BaF2 with CaF2, LiF, and SrF2. The solubility of Ce02 was measured at 800° and 850° C. in a solution of CeF3, BaF2, and LiF. The amount of La203 which dissolves at 950° C. in a binary mixture of LiF and LaF3 and a ternary of LiF, LaF3, and BaF2 was also measured. In each case, the amount of soluble oxide was mound to be less than 5 weight-percent. A procedure was developed for filtering fused, oxide-saturated fluoride melts in order to obtain a representative sample for chemical analysis. The oxide content of the samples was determined by an inert-gas fusion procedure.

Jan 1, 1961

By E. G. King

Existing thermodynamic data for compounds of the rare-earth metals are few in number and often inaccurate because, in the past, it was difficult to obtain samples that were pure enough and reasonable in cost--a situation that is rapidly improving. This paper reports the results of low-temperature heat-capacity and high-temperature heat-content measurements for cerous fluoride (CeF3) and supplies the first such published data for a rare-earth fluoride. The low-temperature heat-capacity data cover the temperature range 51°-298° K. and serve to evaluate the entropy at 298.15° K. The high-temperature heat-content data cover the temperature range 298°-1,799° K., including the temperature and heat of fusion. The results are assembled for ready use in thermodynamic calculations. Cerous fluoride is one of the important intermediate compounds in the production of cerium metal.

Jan 1, 1959

By Paul T. Allsman

This paper describes metal- mining practices at the Harrington -Hickory lead - silver - zinc mine at Milford , Beaver County , Utah . The operations of the Harrington-Hickory incorporate a number of features that should prove of interest and value to other operators of small mines . These features include employee participation in profits , a well- laid -out electrical system, adequate financing , a well - balanced equipment and supply inventory , a well - organized system of bookkeeping , adequate roads , and good management . As crude ore is shipped directly to smelters and mills in the Salt Lake Valley , close attention is paid to see that the ore is segregated by classes and treated where it can bring the greatest not return . A combination of these features has resulted in maintaining relatively low costs, considering the grade and size of ore shoots at a time , during and following the war , when equipment , supplies , and labor were costly and difficult to obtain . The period covered in this report includes two war years and two years following , from April 1, 1944 to June 30 , 1947 .

Apr 1, 1949

By Robert C. Hickman

In its search for strategic minerals, the Bureau of Mines investigated the Rutherford Mine property in Amelia County, Va. The property was visited by F. W. Horton, mining engineer, and Margaret Fuller Boos, mineral technologist, of the Bureau of Mines, in company with Eugene Dawson, of the War Production Board, on July 16-11, 1943. An exploration program by the Bureau was recommended, and work was started on July 28, 1943, and continued until September 16, 1943. A total of 1,250 feet was diamond drilled in 5 holes on the property.

Jan 1, 1950

By W. D. Mcmillan

Soapstone is the term applied to an impure, massive, soft rock with a greasy feel. It is of variable composition, consisting chiefly, however, of talc, tremolite, and chlorite. Although limited quantities of soapstone are used as building material, in fireplaces, and in the manufacture of laundry tubs, sinks, laboratory-table tops, and-oven and furnace blocks, the principal part of the production is ground for use in roofing paper, insecticides, and as a filler in asphaltic paints.

Jan 1, 1949

By Jalna R. Zatko

The Bureau of Mines has developed and constructed an apparatus that is capable of measuring concentrations of high-molecular-weight polymers in solution at 10 ppm and less. A means for determining low concentrations of polymeric solutions was devised that was independent of slight fluctuations in solvent quality in order to measure polymers in effluent prior to recycling of the recovered solution. The concentrations of polymers ore related to a measured pressure drop observed during turbulent flow of the solution. Low concentrations of polymers of ethylene oxide and acrylamide (frequently used as flocculants for clay waste systems) in aqueous and salt solutions have been successfully measured on the apparatus constructed by the Bureau.

Jan 1, 1981

By G. E. McElroy, A. S. Richardson

"The Bureau of Mines, in cooperation with the Anaconda Copper Mining Co., has conducted a series of experiments an air measurement in fan-pipe installa¬tions in a Butte mine during the fall and winter of 1922-3. The chief purpose was to determine the friction factors for different types and sizes 3f fan piping, but much attention was devoted to methods of air measurement, not only with respect to the methods used for friction factor tests, but also to com¬parison with other methods.The air flow was measured simultaneously at two points 380.6 feet apart in six different fan-pipe installations, each over 500 feet in overall length, in a rock cross cut adjacent to an air shaft,The air pressure was regulated by two sinoco multivane fans, driven by 7 ½ h.p. motors, the fans being connected in tandem so that one discharged into the intake of the other through a short connector and the latter discharged into the line through a straight connection equipped with a honeycomb of 4-inch squares or S radial vanes to prevent spiral flow of air, At each point where it was desired to measure the air flow, measuring sections equipped with piezometer rings pierced for easy insertion of pitot tubes, thermometers, etc. Piezometer static pressures were used in all the tests as standard, and dynamic or total pressures only were obtained with the pitot tubes, except for purposes of comparison.The tubes had special guide blocks, designed especially for underground work. To insure greater accuracy two tubes were used simultaneously, in order to obtain the velocity pressure at the center of the section simultaneously with that nearer the circumference, so that the mean velocity would be determined as accurately as possible. The tubes were held in proper place by means of flat guide boards. Velocity pressures were measured in manometers."

Sep 1, 1923

By Lucia Kuizon

The Antimony RARE II area is underlain principally by Mesozoic igneous rocks associated with the Sierra Nevada batholith. The San Andreas fault zone is near the southern boundary. Metallic mineral deposits are associated with the fault zone. These deposits were formed from magmatic solutions, and tend to be along shears and fractures within the country rock. Marble and dolomitic marble deposits occur in Paleozoic roof pendants or inclusions in the Mesozoic intrusive rocks in the area (Troxel and Morton, 1962, p. 52).

Jan 1, 1982