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By Arcy R., D&apos George

A process for removing sulfate from Great Salt Lake brines and other natural brines, including sea water, has been developed. Sulfate is quantitatively removed by precipitation as barium sulfate in a cyclic process employing ion-exchange techniques. Barium is continously recovered and recycled, and sodium carbonate and sulfur or sulfuric acid are produced as byproducts in quantities sufficient to more than defray the cost of desulfation.

Jan 1, 1967

By Robert Howard

With the rapid depletion of the Peerless Coal Co.'s mine in Spring Canyon, it was necessary, if the company was to remain in the coal-producing business, to look to the development of a new property or to acquire a mine already developed. After careful investigation of several operating properties it was decided by the officials of the company to take over the lease on an undeveloped acreage held by a private party in Price Canyon, about 3 miles north of Castle Gate, Utah.

Jan 1, 1930

By Manuel Gomez

A computerized, interpolative mapping technique based on the moving average method was shown to be adequate to estimate the between-drill-hole values of coal-seam variables. The forecasting of the spatial distribution of coal properties along the seam was of three kinds: (1) Estimation of the variable of interest on a regional basis from widely spaced sample points, (2) prediction of coal properties for product control from closely spaced data, and (3) prediction of coal properties for specified benches, or layers of the coal seam, from closely spaced sample points. Estimates obtained with the computerized, interpolative mapping procedure were useful in the delineation of seam thickness, elevation, and overburden and in the estimation of sulfur and ash concentrations during the early phases of exploration. This grid interpolation technique was found adequate to adjust between-drill-hole values for trends resulting from the combined effect of several variables on a measured response. This information, coupled with statistical and geologic data that can be obtained in the exploration phase of mining, enlarges the information base available for coal-mine development planning, energy forecasts, and environmental control associated with fossil fuel power generation.

Jan 1, 1972

By R. D. Leitch

"INTRODUCTION The general program of the investigation of coal mine drainage which the Bureau of Mines is making includes, among its many phases and objectives, a study of the fate of the acid, content of drainage after it enters natural streams, and the effect of seasonal variations on the degree of contamination of streams. Opportunity for studying these under comparatively normal conditions and variations can readily be found, but there is only a chance opportunity for studying than under extreme conditions. The unusual drought that prevailed during the summer of 1930, however, created a condition of low water favorable to a study of one of the extremes.This report gives the results of an investigation of Bennett Branch of Sinnemahoning Creek, Pa., made under this condition.ACKNOWLEDGMENTSThis work was conducted under the direction, and with the advice, of Dr. R. R. Sayers, chief, Health and. Safety Branch, and of W. p. Yant, supervising engineer, Pittsburgh Experiment Station.DESCRIPTION OF BENNETT BRANCHBennett Branch, as shown in Figure 1, is a tributary to Sinnemahoning Creek. Its source is in Huston Township, northwestern Clearfield. County, from which it flows in a general northeasterly direction through Elk County, thenceeasterly in Cameron County to Sinnoning Creek at Driftwood. The total length is about 37 miles. There are nine towns along the stream that have an average population of about 350. There is no industrial pollution other that from coal mines and very little. domestic, pollution."

Jul 1, 1931

By C. H. Herty, J. K. Gaines

"Nearly every piece of electrical equipment used in mines ""breathes."" In other words, motors, controllers, rheostats, switches, and other similar equipment, even though encased in seemingly tight compartments, breathe in the atmosphere that surrounds them.As the apparatus is used, the temperature of metallic parts is changed generally in positive direction through the heat by friction and the heat due to the electric current. When the apparatus is idle it gradually cools down to the temperature of the surrounding atmosphere.This increase of temperature during operation and return to normal temperature when operation stops alternately raises and lowers the temperature of the atmosphere within the compartments which, in strict accordance with Charles' law -T = VT1 V'will expand or contract in proportion to any given temperature change.As compartments are not gas-tight, such expansion and contraction will force the atmosphere out of the compartment =on expansion and suck the surround¬ing atmosphere into the compartment during contraction, hence the term ""breathing.""Investigators of explosion-proof equipment have recognized that such an interchange would take place and have designed their equipment to safeguard possible explosions within the compartments."

Jul 1, 1927

By R. P. Jewett

The object of this investigation was to correlate the crushing strength of green pellets prepared from magnetite, specular and earthy hematite with the particle size of these respective raw materials. In this study no attempt was made to correlate the strength of fired pellets and particle size. The effect of particle size upon a number of fine ores and concentrates was studied. Much of the low-grade ore reserves in the Lake Superior Region must be finely ground before concentration and then agglomerated for iron and steelmaking processes. Fine natural ores also must be agglomerated. Pellets constitute an important type of agglomerate. Considerable handling occurs during screening to remove undersize and oversize pellets, and in transfering green unfired pellets from the balling machines to the heat-hardening equipment. As a result the strength of the green pellets is a factor of great importance.

Jan 1, 1961

By W. H. Frederic, F. H. Gibson, R. F. Abernethy

This publication contains the quantitative values for phosphorus , chlorine , sodium , and potassium in United States coals . The samples tested were taken from commercial shipments and have been selected to represent the principal coal producing areas of the country . Due to combining the analytical results from two separate surveys , values for the four elements are not available for all samples .

Jan 1, 1965

By Walter E. Lewis

A mothod of cutting St. Poter sandstono by streams of water under pressuro from nozzles and pumping the resulting, sand to the surface has roduced the cost of storm-sowor construction in the Minneapolis-St. Paul aroa. The hydraulic tunneling method, has boon in uso since 1934, and it is adaptable only to the lower part of tho St. Potor, sandstone, which lios within or just abovo the ground-wator levol. Tho upper part of the formation, immediately bolow tho Plattoville limestone, 18 comonted and camot bo mined by hydraulic mothods. The tunnel oporation observed in this instance is a main storm sowor starting at tho Mississippi Rivor below the 10th Avenuo SE bridge and will be drivon 6,000 foot at a grado of 1 foot por thousand undor the city of Minneapolis to Konnody and Arthur Stroots NE. A lateral storm sowor, which branchos from the main sovor at 8th Street SE, will oxtond from 10th Avonuo SE to 15th Avonuc SE. Tho tunnele are being drivon with the floor approximately at ground-wator lovol. All waters ontoring the main storm sower vill drain into the Mississippi Rivor. Tho main storm sewer cross soction is excavated to a roughly hox- agonal shapo 10 foot high by 10 foot wido at the contor. The upper half of the tunnol soction is solidly lined with either timber or stool. After all oxcavation is completed, the tunnel will be finished with a concrete circular lining 8 feet in inside diameter. The lateral storm sewer is excavated to a 5-1/2-foot by 7-1/2-foot section and will event- ually be finished with concrete to a modified horseshoe-shaped section 6 feet by 4 feet. Where the back or walls are considered unsafe during excavation, the upper half of the tunnel is lined solidly with timber. The equipment used by the Sower Division, City of Minneapolis, has been selected to meet a number of applications in storm-sewer work with diversified usage in mind. The sand pumps used on this job are rubber-lined, designed to work against a head of 100 foet. Either 4-inch or 6-inch diameter suction and discharge openings may be used. Other equipment, such as pipe, mine rail, flexible hoses, compressors, and general surface shop equipment, is drawn from a contral warohouse. It may be either new or used, depending on what is available at the warehouse. Much of the pipe and mine rail has been used for many years on several different tunnol jobs.

Jul 1, 1950

By Brinton C. Brown

This paper describes the methods and equipment developed at the Bureau's Experimental Oil-Shale mine near Rifle, Colo., for placing men in position to scale loose rock from the walls, pillars, and roofs of high stopes or rooms. The equipment developed at Rifle has application not only in oil-shale mining but in most of the country's underground limestone mines and in the exploitation of other mineral deposits mined in high stopes by room-and-pillar methods. Equipment in use at Rifle includes: 1. A boom-type scaling rig with a self-leveling platform constructed on a small "cat"-mounted crane. Men working from the platform on this machine can efficiently scale mine walls and roofs 27 feet above the floor. 2. A conventional fork-lift truck modified to provide a remotely controlled working platform from which men can scale to heights 27 feet above the mine floor. The platform on this unit is larger than on the boom-type rig and allows the men to inspect larger areas of the mine wall from a single setting of the machine. 3. A third rig, consisting essentially of a platform mounted on a tele-scoping tower, designed and built to elevate men 65 feet above the mine floor. Versatility of this machine permits men to work from the platform at heights of 5 to 65 feet. In the operating position, the unit requires a minimum clearance of 25 feet. In the nonoperating position the tower of the machine folds to an over-all height of 15 feet 10 inches to permit travel through haulageways. 4. An industrial gun, lightweight scaling bars, and mechanical scalers, which have been tried for removing loose rock from the mine walls with varying degrees of success.

Jan 1, 1950

By M. I. Copeland

The investigation of the zirconium-gadolinium equilibrium diagram was part of a program to investigate rare:earth alloys for use as nuclear reactor control materials. Investigation of the zirconium-gadolinium equilibrium diagram revealed a eutectic system with limited terminal solubilities and one peritectoid reaction. The eutectic composition occurs at about 82 percent gadolinium, and the eutectic isotherm, which occurs at 1,220 ±5° C., extends from about 12 to 99+ percent gadolinium. A peritectoid isotherm occurs at 890 ±5° C. and extends from about 2 to 99+ percent gadolinium. The solubility of gadolinium in beta zirconium decreases from about 12 percent at 1,220 ±5° C. to about 2 percent at 890 ±5° C. The solubility of gadolinium in alpha zirconium decreases from approximately 5 percent at 890 ±5° C. to between 2 and 3 percent at 600° C. Vary little solubility of zirconium in gadolinium was indicated. An allotropic transformation of gadolinium was observed at 1,260 ±5° C. A change of the gadolinium transformation temperature on alloying with zirconium was not observed.

Jan 1, 1961

By John H. Soulé

"INTRODUCTION The Mining Branch of the Bureau of Mines has used the wagon drill to sample mineral deposits in New Mexico. This method of sampling was successful and con¬stituted an important phase of the work on five exploratory projects undertaken in 1943, 1944, and 1945. The deposits varied in topographic features, geology, mineral content, and in the physical characteristics of the rocks drilled. The altitudes ranged from 630 to 7,800 feet. Three hundred and seventeen holes totaling 6,852 feet were drilled. The deepest hole was 66 feet; the average depth was a little less than 22 feet.The results of the above-mentioned work form the basis of this report. Special attention is given to the later and more improved techniques used. This report was written with the expectation that the procedures might prove advantageous to others in the exploration and sampling of near-surface mineral de¬posits, and that a more extended use of the technique might result.AcknowledgmentsAcknowledgment is due Charles H. Johnson, chief of the Rolla Division, Mining Branch, for helpful suggestions in starting this work, and to J. H. Hedges, chief of the Tucson Division, Mining Branch, W. R. Storms, engineer-in-charge of the Silver City, N. Mex., Field Office, and Donald H. Mullen, mining engineer attached to that office, for assistance in preparing and editing this report."

May 1, 1947

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 G. R. Peterson

The Bureau of Mines evaluated the potential supply of cobalt from known domestic resources, both as a primary product from some deposits and as a byproduct from others, and found that U.S. production could play an important role in meeting U.S. cobalt needs by the mid-1980's. This production would be of a relatively short duration, however, with production declining significantly before the year 2000. As part of the study, a tonnage-price relationship was developed indicating the quantity of cobalt that could be produced from known cobalt-bearing deposits at various primary commodity prices and at a 15-percent rate of return on the required capital investment. All capital and operating costs are calculated in August 1980 dollars, and commodity prices are based on August 1980 prices. Known U.S. cobalt-bearing deposits which represent the current U.S. cobalt reserve base contain some 310,800 metric tons of cobalt in slightly over 1 billion metric tons of demonstrated mineralized material. Approximately 37 percent of the cobalt contained in the reserve base is considered recoverable using existing technology. Of this quantity, some 87,000 metric tons of cobalt is economically recoverable assuming a cobalt price of $25 per pound, a copper price of $1 per pound, and a lead price of $0.40 per pound. Assuming that the cobalt price decreases to $15 per pound, keeping copper and lead prices constant, the quantity that is considered economically recoverable declines to some 45,700 metric tons. Domestic cobalt consumption in 1979 was 7,900 metric tons (17.4 million pounds). Currently, no primary cobalt is produced from domestic resources, and none has been produced since 1971.

Jan 1, 1981

By R. E. Lindstrom

Electrooxidation techniques were investigated on a bench scale by the Bureau of Mines to determine the applicability of the process for extracting molybdenum and rhenium from low-grade molybdenite concentrates. Parameters affecting the extraction, such as pulp density, power consumption, reagent requirements for pH control, and electrolytic cell configuration, were studied. Molybdenum and rhenium extractions of 98 to 99 percent were achieved from several concentrates containing 4.76 to 28.6 percent molybdenum and 180 ppm to 1,000 ppm rhenium. Optimum results were obtained by maintaining pH values between 5.5 and 7.0 during electrolysis and allowing the final pH to rise to about 8.2. Reagent consumption was 4 to 6 pounds of sodium carbonate per pound of molybdenum extracted. The power consumption declined from a range of 12 to 25 kilowatt hours per pound of molybdenum extracted with immersion electrodes to 9.7 kilowatt hours with a bipolar flow-through cell; however, molybdenum extraction was independent of cell configuration.

Jan 1, 1973

By T. C. Atchison

This report describes a mobile laboratory designed and constructed by the Bureau of Mines in 1950 to meet the needs of an experimental blasting research program. The laboratory has facilities for making; film recordings of 16 simultaneous transient electrical signals over a broad range of amplitude, frequency, and duration. The signals are recorded with specially designed oscilloscopes and high-speed drum cameras. Each of the 16 channels records on a separate strip of 35-millimeter film by using interchangeable input units, transducers having different sensitivities and output impedances can be accommodated. The laboratory can be used to record both steady-state and transient phenomena originating as electrical voltages or capable of being converted to electrical voltages by appropriate transducers. Thus, the laboratory can, be used in studying various types of vibration problems or high-speed phenomena, such as ground and building vibrations, machinery vibrations, airborne vibrations, electrical-circuit switching phenomena, millisecond timing, and seismic phenomena occurring when rock is broken by explosives.

Jan 1, 1956

By F. N. Kissell, R. J. Bielicki, J. H. Perkins

A sorption apparatus for measuring the equilibrium sorption isotherm and the rate of diffusion of methane from fine-sized coal was designed and constructed. Preliminary work that used Pittsburgh and Pocahontas No. 3 coal shows that the diffusion coefficient varies with pressure and that the fracture spacing in these two coals is substantially different.

Jan 1, 1972

By Philip W. Holland

The U.S. Bureau of Mines has designed and built an inexpensive, weatherproof, temperature-controlled cabinet to provide temporary housing for analytical instrumentation. The cabinet consists of an inverted Styrofoam ice chest, an electric fan for air circulation, and a proportional temperature controller equipped with a thermistor sensor and a light bulb as the heater. The cabinet provides a constant-temperature environment for a moisture analyzer and a strip chart recorder when outside temperatures range from -SO to 21° c.

Jan 1, 1993

By Jon C. Volkwein

The U.S. Bureau of Mines investigated a method of using inert gas to prevent the formation of explosive gas mixtures in auger highwall mining of coal. A combination of gasoline and diesel engine exhaust gases was introduced into the auger drill hole using a short section of pipe located at the collar. Gas samples were taken and analyzed on-site with infrared detectors for oxygen, carbon dioxide, methane, and carbon monoxide. Evacuated bottle samples were also taken and analyzed by gas chromatography in the laboratory. These gas results were analyzed for explosibility. Coal samples from various depths were used to obtain the gas content of the coal using the modified direct method. Personal expo- sure to carbon monoxide was also monitored. The highest methane level observed was 9.55%. The levels of inert gas (carbon dioxide and nitrogen) were sufficiently high to prevent any ignition of the methane. Results showed that for all conditions during mining, gas concentrations were nonexplosive. The gas content of the coal was about 0.30 cm3/g. The maximum personal time-weighted average Sample for carbon monoxide was 20 ppm. This system provides a safe, inexpensive, simple method for preventing explosions during auger mining.

Jan 1, 2010

By G. W. Jones

The determination of the ignition temperature of diethyl ether and ethylene in air and omen which is described in this report was made primarily for comparison with similar determinations of other compounds in the same apparatus and using the see laboratory technique. The investigation was conducted at the Pittsburgh Experiment Station of the United States Bureau of Mines with the cooperation of Merck & Co., Inc.

Jan 1, 1935

By Scott W. Hazen, George W. Gladfelter

This report presents the results of an initial investigation into some problems resulting from the use of assays representing unequal sample interval lengths and the use of the weighted average grade of ore in evaluating bedded mineral deposits . A mathematical proof and examples are given to show that the unweighted and weighted assay averages are equivalent when there is no correlation between assay value and sample interval length but that these averages are different when there is correlation between assay value and sample interval length . The amount of this difference between estimates is a function of the degree of correlation . One set of sample and assay data , based on 11 stratigraphic sections of the Phosphoria formation in Idaho , indicates that the relationship between the amount of difference between estimates and the correlation factor is approximately linear . If this correlation relationship can be established , within acceptable limits of precision , as a consistent attribute of deposits , the estimate of weighted average grade of ore could be predicted directly from the unweighted estimate of grade of ore by using the relationship as a prediction factor . Randomness tests on the sample and assay data from the Phosphoria formation , using the mean - square - successive - difference method , indicate that correlation between assay value and sample interval length ( each sample interval length represents an individual bed or stratum of the formation ) , apparently has little effect on the independence between successive assays , between successive sample interval lengths , and between the products of assays and sample interval lengths . Therefore , these data can be analyzed statistically as long as the original sample sections have been selected at random for sampling .

Jan 1, 1964