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By K. E. Stanfield

[Asphalt ~~d road oil ar8 the principal products manufactured from Wyor.1in~ Ilblack oilo" \r,hich, beca.use of th?lir hig.~ E\.sphal t and hig} sulfur COi.1Jce~1t, .!?re difficult e':ld costly to refine into hi?;h-gra.de motor f 101s, burning oils. and lucri ants by presont mothods. Accordin~ly. the demand for truHle asphaltic renidl urn for the construction of roade aJ1.d other uses is 3. controlling factor in the quantity of crud~ oil prod ICed. The increasiilg -u.tilization of special aST>ha.lts as ine}""Pensive bonding, in-]

Jan 1, 1941

By S. H. Brown

In our work as health physicists*, we do a lot of public speaking and interaction with the public on issues related to development of uranium mining and milling (?uranium recovery?) in the US. Understandingly, the public has important concerns about this. Accordingly, this paper is presented in a ?question and answer? format in which we have tried to capture what are some of the most common concerns we hear from citizens and address them. We have attempted to do so based on the best scientific information we have, representing information well documented in peer-reviewed scientific literature and consensus positions from both national and international scientific standard setting bodies and related committees. We have included some of the more important of these scientifically-based references to support the information provided. Practical space limitations prevent completeness in this regard in some cases. Visit the Health Physics Society?s web site or feel free to contact me directly for additional references, information or detail ? Steve Brown. The health physicist?s primary objective is to manage the beneficial uses of ionizing radiation while protecting workers and the public from potential hazards. For more information on what a health physicist is and on the Health Physics Society, visit the Society?s web site at www.hps.org.

Feb 23, 2014

By Hyung Jeek Kim, Jongmin Joo, Jonguk Kim, Jai-Woon Moon, Kyeong-Yong Lee

"Co-rich ferromanganese crusts (Fe-Mn crusts) distributed on seamounts in the western Pacific are potential economic resources for cobalt, nickel, platinum, and other rare metals in the future. Evaluation and selection of a mining site can be established based on abundance and grade of Fe-Mn crusts in the site as well as topography that should be smooth enough for mining operations. Therefore, acquisition of shipboard echo-sounding and acoustic backscatter data are prerequisite to the selection of potential mine sites in addition to visual and sampling operations. Acoustic backscatter data can be used to locate crust-covered areas on a regional scale with the understanding of acoustic properties of crust through its correlation with visual and sampling data.During an expedition that took place from January to March 2014, KIOST collected geophysical and geologic data to assess the resource potential for Fe-Mn crusts on three seamounts (guyots) in the Western Pacific. In OSM11, one of the three surveyed seamounts, three camera tows were performed to observe the distribution of Fe-Mn crusts on the summit and slopes of the seamount. Although sediments of various thicknesses generally cover most of summit region of OSM11, several regions with high backscatter signals occur on the periphery of the summit. The occurrence of Fe-Mn crusts, observed during the camera tows, on those high backscattered regions suggests that the backscatter signals of shipboard multi-beam sonar can reflect changes in the geology of the seafloor from sediment layer to Fe-Mn crust deposits. The Fe-Mn crust deposited around the summit region is worthy of notice because of its topographic characteristics, including shallow depth, flat or gentle inclined surface, and smooth relief, which are more suitable for mining operation compared to the flanks of seamount."

Sep 1, 2014

Research 86 highlights significant studies conducted during the past fiscal year at Bureau facilities and offices. Readers who want more information about the projects and studies summarized here can contact the researchers whose names and locations appear with each summary. General information on Bureau of Mines programs is available from the Office of Technical Information 2401 E Street, NW., Washington, DC 20241. A listing of principal officials, a location map of field facilities, and a selected bibliography of publications and patents issued on Bureau developments during the past 3 years are provided.

Jan 1, 1986

By K. E. Stanfield

[Asphalt and road oil are the principal products manufactured from Wyoming ?clack oils? which, because of their high asphalt an high sulfur content, are difficult and costly to refine into high-grade motor fuels, burning oils, and lubricants by pre sent methods. Accordingly, the remand for these asphaltic residuums for the construction of roads and other uses is a controlling- factor in the quantity of crude oil produced. The increasing utilization of special asphalts as inexpensive bonding, insulating, and waterproofing materials indicates the desirability of obtaining information on the yield and properties, of asphalts from Wyoming black oil to promote a wider and more stable caret for these asphaltic materials.]

Jan 1, 1941

During the second quarter of 1983, the economic recovery showed further strength abetted by the performances of consumer spending, residential investment, and the slowing down of inventory reductions. Real gross national product (GNP) increased from the first to second quarter at an annual rate of 9.2 percent, compared with 2.6 percent from the fourth quarter of 1982 to the first quarter of 1983 and an overall 1.9- percent decrease in 1982. Total industrial production increased 1.8 percent in July, and productivity as measured by output per man-hour increased 1.3 percent between 1982 and the first quarter of 1983 (table 1). Especially noteworthy .was the performance of real consumer durable goods expenditures, which increased at an annual rate of 32.0 percent from the first to the second quarter (about half of the increase consisted of automobile sales) and real consumer spending, which increased between these periods at an annual rate of 9.7 percent. Residential investment increased at an annual rate of 76.1 percent between the first and the second quarters,1/ and private housing starts by about 38,000 units in both March and May.

Jan 1, 1983

By Louis Schaffer

The purposes of the research were to assess the applicability of new accident investigation methods to mining accidents, and to adapt those found to be applicable in the development of a new methodology for use in mining. The development included field testing, evaluation and modification of the new methodology. The report is in two volumes. This, volume one, discusses primarily the Phase I work: background research, design of a methodology for field evaluation, and preliminary field tests in Utah mines. Phase I was completed in June, 1980. Also discussed are some activities to prepare for a field evaluation during the period May 1980 -October 1981. Volume 2 discusses the subsequent field tests, modifications of the initial methodology and the results of use of the methodology in two mining companies for a period of approximately eighteen months, and in other companies for selected loss incidents during that period.

Jan 1, 1986

By Edward A. McClatchie

A methane monitor that complies with 30CFR75.313 has been designed and fabricated using a novel pressure modulated infrared absorption technique. The methane monitor met or exceeded in performance all of its target specifications. The monitor was operated continuously during production mining for the entire duration (45 days) of the in-mine test; no failures occurred during the test. The monitor was regularly checked with calibration gas and no shifts in calibration were found during the in-mine test. Operating principles, performance data and electrical schematics are included in the report.

Jan 1, 1976

By Alvin Kaufman

Increased exploration in Alaska has resulted in many requests to the Bureau of Mines for facts about the mineral resources and mining conditions in the Territory. This report presents information about the minerals of Southeastern Alaska and the factors that affect development of a mining industry in that area. Southeastern Alaska is a narrow coastal strip of rugged mountains and many islands. The climate is mild, with an average annual temperature of 40° and heavy rainfall. Geologically, the region is favorable for deposition of ore; geographic-ally, it is difficult to prospect and to develop, except along areas immediately adjacent to the coastline.

Jan 1, 1958

Jan 1, 1994

By W. W. Adams

With greater production of coal per man-hour of work than ever before achieved, the coal-mining industry of the United States established a better safety record in 1941 than in any year since 1930, the earliest for which complete reports of nonfatal as well as fatal injuries were collected by the Bureau of Mines, United States Department of the Interior. In only one year (1933) of the 12-year period 1930-41 was the fatal-accident rate better than in 1941, whereas the rate for nonfatal accidents was better in 1941 than in any previous year. Accident and employment reports received from mine operators, together with fatal-accident reports received monthly from State mining departments and inspectors, showed that 546,692 men were employed in and about the coal mines of the United States during the calendar year 1941. This number does not include office employees or coke-oven workers. The increase of 1.3,426 over the number of employees in 1940 was accompanied by a gain in man-hours of work performed at the mines and an increase in average number of hours worked per man during the year.

Jan 1, 1944

By Gerald A. Muson, Fremont F. Clarke

"INTRODUCTION The use of scrap mica as an industrial raw material has grown rapidly during the past two decades. Demands by various industries for ground mica for use in the roofing, paint, rubber, plastics, and wallpaper trades as well as for less extensive uses in insulation, oil-well drilling, welding, pipeline enamel, decorative material, and for other purposes exceed present (1947) supplies.A small proportion of the raw material used comes from the Black Hills of South Dakota, where casual recovery has been practiced in the exploitation of pegnatite deposits for more valuable minerals. The annual production of scrap mica in the Black Hills for the years 1939 to 1946 is shown in figure 19. 4/Although small, this production of scrap mica materially augments the incomes of numerous operators.Volume production of mica would offer attractive opportunities for obtaining steady and more economical supplies of the rare minerals as byproducts. Appreciable supplies of beryl, lithia minerals, sheet mica, tantalite-columbite, and cassiterite could accrue. Furthermore, a stable scrap-mica production would complement the production of quality feldspar, for which the Black Hills pegmatites are noted, and would help balance the economy of pegmatite mineral production.Mechanical methods of separation are requisite to production of enough scrap mica to be generally profitable. Various phases of the characteristics end treatment of mica have been investigated by the Bureau of Mines. A bibliography of these reports is appended.In 1945 the Bureau of Mines conducted pilot-plant tests to recover scrap mica by selective screening of crushed pegmatite. More recently the problem has boon studied in the Pegmatite Research Laboratory to aid in developing technological methods by which scrap mica may be separated from crushed pegmatite."

Feb 1, 1949

By John A. Owsiany

The effect of longwall mining on streams and shallow aquifers has been the subject of numerous research studies for more than twenty years. As a result of these studies, it has become common to consider an overburden thickness of 400 feet as the lower limit at which longwall mining methods may be used with little or no effect on hydrologic systems. This paper presents the results of a study documenting the response of a large high order stream to shallow cover undermining by longwall methods in the northern Appalachian coalfield. The field site is located in a narrow stream valley where the overburden, composed primarily of limestone and sandstone units interbedded with shales and siltstones, ranges in thickness from 340 to 285 feet above the main bench of the Pittsburgh coal seam. Streamflow monitoring and monitor well measurements indicate that no significant loss zones or water table lowering resulted from undermining the stream or the adjacent valley bottom area. Additionally, hydrographs for shallow near-stream wells exhibit fluctuations related to natural seasonal variations, which are nearly identical to those observed in a non-undermined control well in the same watershed. Environmental factors affecting streamflow were monitored through the use of a control stream in an adjacent non-undermined watershed to differentiate between natural and mining induced changes in flow.

Jan 1, 2001

By F. D. Sutterfield

This study was conducted to provide experimental evidence on the effect of modifications of gasoline front-end composition on the photochemical specific reactivities of automotive emissions. Evaporative and evaporative-plus-exhaust emissions from an automobile operated with four fuels of different volatility and varying levels of C.-C5 olefins were irradiated in a 10040 environmental chamber at three sets of initial hydrocarbon-nitrogen oxides concentrations. Reactivity was measured and expressed in terms of rate-of-NO2 formation and dosages of oxidant, peroxyacetyl nitrate, and formaldehyde. The compositional changes that were necessary in reducing fuel volatility were found to have no significant effect on the reactivity of the emissions. However, replacing C4-C5 olefins with saturated components resulted in sharp decreases in all reactivity manifestations observed for the evaporative emission samples. A lesser influence (of C4-C5 olefin replacement) was found with the composite exhaust-plus-evaporative samples; the effect that was observed could be attributed to the evaporative emission portion of the sample. The data therefore suggest that saturation of front-end fuel olefins had no large effect on exhaust emission reactivity.

Jan 1, 1971

By L. G. Marshall

This report presents a cross section of the sand and gravel operations in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area. The study covers individual operations, economic problems peculiar to the industry, glacial geology of the area and its effect upon the grades and types of products, and past, present, and future trends of the expanding population and its effect upon the industry.

Jan 1, 1963

By L. G. Marshall

This report presents a cross section of the sand and gravel operations in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area. The study covers individual operations, economic problems peculiar to the industry, glacial geology of the area and its effect upon the grades and types of products, and past, present, and future trends of the expanding population and its effect upon the industry.

Jan 1, 1963

By R. L. Whiting, H. J. Ramey

The basic study from which this paper was prepared was started as the result of the growing need throughout the world for increasing quantities of energy in all forms. Quite obviously, natural forms of energy that are readily available at low development cost are those in greatest demand. The underdeveloped countries — and particularly those having little or no petroleum resources — are the countries in which the most interest is being shown in the newer energy sources. One of the least expensive energy sources is natural geothermal steam.'-* Although this form of energy has been recognized for centuries, it has been only during the past 20 years that serious efforts have been made to harness it. Natural geothermal steam energy in Italy, New Zealand, Mexico, Japan, and California is now being produced through wells to drive turbines and generate electricity. Further, active exploration for natural geothermal steam is being conducted in Hawaii, Fiji, Taiwan, Chile, Russia, Greece, and Katanga. It is surprising to find that most geothermal steam exploration is in the "steam seep" stage. That is, surface studies are made and exploratory wells are drilled in the general area of steam seeps. However, in the larger geothermal steam areas, there have been efforts to apply the most modern geological and reservoir engineering principles in order to define the reservoir parameters, particularly those relating to estimates of reserves and future productivity. This paper is concerned with the development of appropriate equations and techniques to facilitate these estimates. Production of natural steam or hot water presents problems different from those experienced in the production of oil and gas. For example, steam or hot water systems may be essentially single-component systems, while hydrocarbon systems are most frequently multicomponent fluid systems. Heat effects are much larger for water than for hydrocarbon systems; and the natural steam production may or may not be isothermal, while production of petroleum reservoirs is considered normally to be isothermal. Petroleum reservoir engineering principles may be applied to natural steam or hot water reservoirs if the inherent differences in the systems are considered. The basic considerations involved in geothermal steam reservoir engineering are: thermodynamics, physical and thermal properties of water, materials and energy balances, fluid influx, and performance matching and predicting. Thermodynamics Fig. 1 is a pressure-temperature diagram for the liquid-vapor region for pure water, showing the critical point and five other points representing possible initial conditions for a geothermal steam reservoir. To generate a physical appreciation for the mechanics of natural steam production, it is helpful to consider

Jan 1, 1970

By Paul M. Hall

In the last several years, the coal mining industry has made significant changes in the design of longwall mining systems to make them more productive. Some changes, such as increasing the length of the coal faces and increasing the capacity of the face conveyors, have resulted in problems with achieving sufficient motor torque to start and operate the longwall face conveyors. Other changes, such as increasing the size and/or decreasing the percent impedance of longwall power center transformers, have resulted in problems with the short-circuit currents on the transformer secondaries exceeding the interrupting ratings of the molded case circuit breakers used to protect the secondary circuits. A survey of 24 longwall mining systems in northern West Virginia was conducted to investigate both problems. The results of the survey are presented and analyzed. Several recommended solutions to the problems are presented to enable the coal mining industry to design safe and productive longwall mining systems.

Jan 1, 1982

Minerals are vital to any industrialized civilization. Annually, the United States uses more than 4 billion tons of new mineral materials, or about 40,000 pounds per person-about half being mineral fuels and the other half being metals and nonmetallics. Stable and economic domestic mining, mineral, metal, and mineral reclamation industries are essential to the economy. The value of United States energy and processed materials of mineral origin exceeds $200 billion annually. Although a number of minerals are imported, especially some designated as "strategic and critical," most U.S. mineral supplies are derived from the domestic mines and processing facilities that you will be seeing, reading about, and visiting as you use this visitor guide. We hope you enjoy your experiences. This pamphlet, a guide to mining and mineral operations that may be observed or visited and some other points of interest relating to minerals, is intended to aid tourists and students who are interested in mining. Some may wish to study our Nation's romantic past; others may plan to enter the minerals industry as a career; still others may have a primary interest in conservation practices. The pamphlet is also intended to aid State and local officials, Chambers of Commerce, and mining firms in answering some of the many questions of tourists and students.

Jan 1, 1977

By J. A. Kost

The contract objective was to evaluate the effectiveness of available dust-control technology for double-drum shearers. Eight underground surveys were conducted to evaluate drum design, drum spray nozzle locations, ranging-arm sprays, water quantity, wetting agents, and cutting techniques. The final report is made up of eight dust-control technique reports, each discussing, details of the individual mine surveys.

Jan 1, 1985