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By John Gross

From the time when man first pounded one rock upon another or used heat and sudden chilling with water to disintegrate rock, the art of crushing advanced but slowly to the mule-driven arrastre and the Chilean mill stage until the advent of power-driven appliances made material progress possible. The combined efforts of manufacturers and operators have made modern machines highly efficient mechanically. Although marked progress has been made along mechanical lines, the theory and conception of underlying principles have not advanced so rapidly. This lack of advance in theory may be attributed to the unfortunate situation resulting from the controversy as to whether the Rittinger or the Kick law is applicable to crushing. Many pages of the technical literature are burdened with theoretical discussions in favor of one or the other of these laws, which have tended to cloud rather than to clear the atmosphere.

Jan 1, 1938

By Thomas M. Nasiatka

This report briefly describes the present state of the art and the technological highlights of tunneling from its inception to the present. The discussion is concerned primarily with tunnels driven through relatively competent rock for mine development and various civil purposes. In addition to pinpointing the major technological breakthroughs in tunneling, this report indicates their general effect on the speed of tunneling. The tunneling speeds are based upon data from approximately 80 tunnels listed in the appendix. These data include length; cross section shape and dimension; type of rock; tunneling method; method of breaking, loading, and transporting the rock; average linear progress rate; and cost in values during the period of construction. Most of the tunnels described have diameters of 15 to 30 feet.

Jan 1, 1968

By Jeffrey Y. Foley

The Bureau of Mines sampled surface exposures of podiform chromite in the Caribou Mountain-Melozitna ultramafic belt in the Kokrines-Hodzana Highlands, central Alaska. Fieldwork began in 1979 as part of an assessment of the mineral potential of lands adjacent to the trans-Alaska pipeline corridor, for the Bureau of Land Management, and continued through 1981 as a Bureau of Mines investigation. The belt comprises six complexes of which the three closest to the pipeline corridor were investigated. Concentrations of chromite disseminated in dunite host rock make up mineralized intervals ranging in thickness from less than an inch to 5 ft and in grade from 3 to 23 pct chromium. The largest occurrence has an exposed strike length of 80 ft. Bulk surface samples were collected from 10 of these exposures, and beneficiation tests on the samples produced concentrates of metallurgical, refractory, and subindustrial grades. Part I--this report--describes the fieldwork; part II--1C 8916--describes the beneficiation work.

Jan 1, 1983

By M. J. Kovalik

Lower Sunnyside seam coal from Utah was blended with various proportions of char and high-temperature coke to improve the quality of the coke obtained from carbonizing this coal. The Hanson 5-pound carbonizer was used as a "screening test" for the larger scale Bureau of Mines-American Gas Association (BM-AGA) tests, which were correlated with industrial production. Eighteen carbonization tests were made in the BM-AGA 13-inch retort, with a coal charge of about 90 pounds; the cokes were evaluated by the standard ASTM tumbler test. Carbonization of blends containing char and coke breeze yielded less fissured and blockier cokes of significantly higher ASTM I-inch tumbler indices as compared with the value for the straight Sunnyside coal. It was found that the simultaneous addition of char and coke breeze yielded stronger cokes than that obtained by the addition of either one of these additives. Addition of a small proportion of Pocahontas No. 3 or Sewell coal to an optimum blend improved the resulting coke strength further.

Jan 1, 1969

By Robert C. Ellman

The Bureau of Mines investigated the factors that cause agglomeration of lignite by freezing during winter shipment and sought methods to avoid it. Tests showed that lignite may be freezeproofed by removal of the relatively small quantity of moisture involved in forming the frost crystals which cement particles together, or by controlling the crystal characteristics. Adding dried lignite fines proved to be an effective and superior freezeproofing method. Commercial adoption of this method has been successful.

Jan 1, 1965

By Y. Miron

Previous studies at the Bureau of Mines outlined the hazards of ammonium nitrate-fuel oil (AN-FO) mixtures in the presence of pyrite-bearing ores. The recent trend in the mining industry to strengthen AN-FO by the addition of aluminum metal raised the question regarding the effect of aluminum in AN-FO in the presence of pyrite-bearing ore. Laboratory work, similar to that done previously, demonstrated that the temperature of a self-sustaining reaction in the presence of AN-FO ore-aluminum is not lower than that for a comparable AN-FO-ore mixture. However, as might be expected from known thermochemical data, once initiated, the resulting reactions between AN-FO, aluminum, and pyrite are much more vigorous than those observed for AN-FO and pyrites alone. The temperature required to produce a self-sustained reaction for the combinations tested in this study is 250°±20° F while in the previous Bureau study, reactions were noted, in some instances, at 150° F. The different pyritic ores may be the cause of this variation.

Jan 1, 1976

By W. J. Wenger

THIRTY-FOUR analyses of crude oils from the fields of the Four Corners Area of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah are presented and compared. The samples, taken from formations in four geological time periods, have high gravity and low-sulfur, -nitrogen, and -asphalt content. Generally, the oils are paraffinic in the low-boiling fractions, with increasing naphthenicity in the higher-boiling fractions. Oils from Cretaceous formations resemble other Cretaceous oils in the Rocky Mountains, but oils from Permian and Pennsylvania formations are unlike other oils of these ages in the Rooky Mountains. The differences in the oils are minor and cannot be used to distinguish between fields or between producing formations. With minimum special processing, the oils should yield large amounts of good-quality motor fuels. INTRODUCTION The only place in the United States where four States have a common junction is known as the Four Corners Area. This area (fig. 1) includes the northeast corner of Arizona, the southwest corner of Colorado, the northwest corner of New Mexico, and the southeast corner of Utah. It includes three major geological basins: The Black Mesa, the San Juan, and the Paradox. Major oil developments have occurred in both the San Juan and Paradox basins, but no discovery of commercial importance has been made in the Black Mesa basin.

Jan 1, 1960

By S. H. Ash

NO MORE important question has come before the coal-mining industry in many places, especially in the anthracite region of Pennsylvania, than prevention of stream pollution by mine drainage. Available information on acid mine drainage in the anthracite region of Pennsylvania indicates that a pollution problem must be solved in any program of anthracite mine drainage. The major problem concerns satisfactory disposal of the daily average mine-water discharge of 327,000 gallons per minute (g. p. m.), or 472 million gallons per day (g. p. d.), containing a free-acid load of 431 tons or a total acid load of 934 tons a clay as H2S04. This report indicates the scope of the problem and gives some suggestions concerning its solution.

Jan 1, 1951

By Henry P. Cole

A series of studies are described that identify critical health and safety skills needed by underground coal miners for coping with mine emergencies. First aid and self-rescue and escape were selected as two broad performance domains that include many subordinate skills needed for preventing, recognizing, and coping with mine emergencies. The performance domains and their objectives were used to direct the development of simulation exercises that permit miners to experience mine emergencies in the safety of a training room. The exercises are based upon research with similar simulations for the training of flight crews and medical personnel in information gathering, judgment, and decision making skills. Exercise content is drawn from actual mine accident and disaster case studies. The exercises incorporate recent principles of cognitive psychology and instructional design. Initial studies in annual refresher training classes suggest the exercises are stimulating for miners and their instructors, easy to use and read, sufficiently complex and authentic to challenge experienced miners, and useful devices for both teaching and testing critical problem solving skills required for preventing and minimizing emergencies.

Jan 1, 1988

By John Paul Gries

This Bureau of Mines report reviews the mineral industry of the Black Hills area, including Butte, Custer, Fall River, Lawrence, Meade, and Penning- ton Counties, S. Dak.; and Crook, Niobrara, and Weston Counties, Wyo. It includes discussion of geological occurrence, processing, and potential of 27 commodities that have been produced from the nine-county area. The value of mineral production exceeds $70 million annually. Gold and petroleum account for two-thirds of the total, followed by clays, cement, sand and gravel, and rock. The combined mineral industries annually consume 268 million kilowatts of electrical energy, 933 million Mcf of gas, and 2 million barrels of fuel oil. Water consumption is about 10,000 gallons per minute. About 2,700 persons are employed on a year-round or significant part-time basis.

Jan 1, 1974

By G. S. Scott

[The Duretiu of Kinen, as :) pr<r"Yof its :;encr:rL propan clealini: with the causes, behavior, n.ncl tor-trol of o1:t1?;.?cite-mine fires, hns investic:&apos;lte3 I varionr. Te:.nr, for Je tec tin:: iccj.r)ic:~ t he;, tint; :,:.zqdergro-.:rid and of <~e termining the trend of the hen tir..: once -I i&apos;i re j 7 knnm tr, he nrcsc~t.]

Jan 1, 1938

By G. S. Scott

[The Duretiu of Kinen, as :) pr<r"Yof its :;encr:rL propan clealini: with the causes, behavior, n.ncl tor-trol of o1:t1?;.?cite-mine fires, hns investic:&apos;lte3 I varionr. Te:.nr, for Je tec tin:: iccj.r)ic:~ t he;, tint; :,:.zqdergro-.:rid and of <~e termining the trend of the hen tir..: once -I i&apos;i re j 7 knnm tr, he nrcsc~t.]

Jan 1, 1938

By William H. Lewis

This paper describes the Bureau of Mines efforts in the research and development of a new and innovative mine lighting system which is based on fiber optics technology. The new lighting concept offers significant advantages over conventional systems in the areas of both safety and long- term maintenance costs. An overview of Bureau research into the problems and limitations of present-day mine lighting systems is also presented.

By W. S. Sanner

This report describes the commercial application of the launder screen in anthracite-industry fine-coal cleaning operations. No new device, the launder screen has been used since the early part of the present century to size, screen, classify, and deslime the fine-anthracite sizes (Buckwheat Nos. 1 through 5) recovered by "river-coal" men dredging along streams draining the anthracite fields. The launder screen is stationary, has no moving parts, requires ample water for operation, and can be constructed economically on the job. Essentially, it consists of a wooden trough with baffles placed through its width to form a well system. The wells are covered by fine-mesh woven-wire screening. Each well is tapped with a number of orifices, and the hydraulic suction head developed in this manner removes high-gravity fines and slimes through the screening as underflow to waste. Material retained on the screen surface discharges as overflow product.

Jan 1, 1954

By G. W. Jones

From evidence made available during the investigation, it was concluded that the first of a series of explosions occurred at 1:15 to 1:20 p.m. September 21, 1951, in an underground vault that housed pressure regulators on the gas-distribution lines that served Brighten. This explosion damaged the pressure regulators and permitted high-pressure gas to enter the distributing mains and individual-service lines. As a part of the gas-distribution system was not provided with means for protection against such excessive pressures, gas gained access to the interiors of many residences in this area and caused a series of disastrous explosions and fires, which took place during a period of approximately 2 hours after the initial explosion in the pressure-regulator vault. Two persons were killed in the first explosion in a residence, and a third person died of a heart attack attributed to the excitement that prevailed during the explosions and fires, Twenty-three persons were listed as injured. Forty-one residences were either destroyed or damaged - 11 by explosion and the remainder by fires, which developed as a result of gas leakage into residences. Fifteen residences were listed as "completely down" or "gutted." Unofficial estimates of property damage ranged from $1,000,000 to $1,500,000. In view of observations made and information obtained during the investigation, recommendations are presented in this report relative to the natural-gas distribution system in Brighton, which may be helpful in the prevention of similar accidents in this and other communities.

Jan 1, 1952

By F. J. Cservenyak

The Bureau of Mines Solid Waste Program is directed toward three main areas of research: (1) Extraction of mineral, metal, and energy values from urban refuse; (2) recovery of mineral and metal values from wastes generated in the industrial extraction, processing, and utilization of raw materials and mineral-base products; and (3) upgrading and utilization of automotive scrap. The Bureau also has a contract and grant program which supplements the in-house research and aids in the training of personnel in the proper management of mineral- and metal-based solid wastes.

Jan 1, 1970

By G. L. Oldright, Virgil Miller

"This paper is the eighth; of a series on smelting in the lead blast furnace, and the third' of a group on the modifications brought about by the introduction of rich charges.ACKN0WLEDGMENTSThe data that appear in these articles were obtained through the courtesy of the operators of the Bunker Hill smelter at Kellogg, Idaho. The authors take this opportunity to express their appreciation to Stanley A. Easton, the vice-president and general manager, Frank M. Smith, smelter director, and to A. F. Beasley, the smelter superintendent, and his staff.INTR0DUCTI0NIt has been noted that the gases issuing from the top6 of the charges in the International Smelting Co.'s furnaces at Tooele, Utah, were very similar in composition to the gases from the top of the iron blast furnace, as they contained about 26 per cent of CO and 12 per cent of C02, the rest of the constituents being mainly nitrogen with a very little hydrogen and oxygen. It has been seen that where the column of coke was sufficiently high, the production of C0 gas to carry out the reduction of lead ores was accomplished in about the same manner as in a gas producer. In some cases, there was a little oxygen in the ""top gas"" -- usually not over a few tenths of a per cent, but at times amounting to several per cent. The presence of this gas was attributed to irregularities in operation that permitted air to come up through the tuybres to the surface without meeting any coke that was incandescent. Only a hundredth of a per cent or so of sulphurous oxides was present in the gases issuing from the top of the furnace."

Apr 1, 1931

By J. W. Thompson

MINERALS OWNERSHIP AND POSSESSION. The owner of minerals under a conveyance from the surface owner does not lose his right or his possession by mere nonusage of the minerals. McBeth v. Wetnight (Indiana), 106 Northeastern, 407, p. 410, October, 1914. QUIETING TITLE TO MINERALS-PLEADING. A complaint in an action to quiet title to minerals and to the min- eral rights in certain land is insufficient in the absence of a direct allegation of possession, although it avers that the plaintiff from the time of receiving the conveyance assessed the mineral interest for taxes each year and paid the taxes thereon and exercised various acts of ownership of such mineral interests, in that he caused test pits to be dug on the land for the purpose of exploring the minerals and ascertaining their quality and extent, in going upon the land and looking after them from time to time, and that he accompanied or caused his agents to accompany prospective purchasers of such mineral interests and exhibited the same to such prospective pur- chasers in efforts to sell them. Fowler r. Alabama Iron & Steel Co. (Alabama), 66 Southern, 672, p. 673, Novem- ber, 1914. SALE BY MARRIED WOMAN-VALIDITY. A conveyance by a married woman of the mineral rights in certain described land is void where she had previously conveyed the land to another grantee who had acquired title by adverse possession under the deed.

Jan 1, 1915

This report describes the development, installation and performance of a lonpwall illumination system. The longwall illumination system was installed at the Greenwich Collieries 112, Cockport, Pa. It utilized flourescent luminaires, intrinsically safe power distribution and is the first longwall system installed in Pennsylvania.

Jan 1, 1976

By R. H. Storch, D. C. Holt

During reconnaissance investigations of more than 300 stream areas in Idaho to determine the potential value of ilmenite in black - sand placer deposits 46 deposits were explored by churn drilling , trenching , test pitting , or shafting . The component mineral content and total black - sand content were determined for more than 8,690 reconnaissance and exploration samples . Data compiled during the investigation indicate a good potential for large , low- grade deposits containing ilmenite , monazite , columbite , euxenite , uranothorite , and other radioactive black minerals and accessory black - sand minerals . The data also indicate most deposits will be economic only if several component minerals can be recovered as coproducts .

Jan 1, 1963