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By H. E. Powell

This study was made to determine the capabilities and limitations of the hydrocyclone for separating quartz sand from impure clays, Optimum operating conditions for beneficiating typical subgrade clays were determined. Estimates are furnished for installation and direct operating costs of hydrocyclones in such separations. Laboratory models of commercial hydrocyclones were used to beneficiate a suite of fire clays including plastic, semiflint, and flint types, all of which were contaminated with quartz in amounts ranging from 3 to more than 62 percent. Results show that this technique is not limited to a single type of clay but is applicable to clays ranging from plastic through flint, Under proper conditions use of this technique will result in good separation of the sand and good recovery of a useful clay mineral concentrate. Rejection of quartz from the clays investigated ranged from a low of 82.4 percent with an alumina recovery of 71.2 percent to a high of 99.0 percent with an alumina recovery of 85.6 percent.

Jan 1, 1963

By W. F. Netzeband

This paper, which describes mining methods and practices at the Rialto zinc-lead mine American Zinc, Lead & Smelting Co., in northeastern Oklahoma, is one of a series being prepared by the Bureau of Mines on mining methods, practices, and costs in various mining districts of the United States, The Rialto mine is in the SE1/4 SW1/4 sec. 20 and the NW1/4 sec. 29, T. 29 N., R. 23 E., Ottawa County, Okla. (fig. 1). The 200-acre property is southwest of and adjacent to the town of Picher in the central part of the Picher field of the Tri-State zinc-lead mining district (fig. 2). Other mines of the company adjoin the Rialto on the east and south. Zinc-lead ores have been mined almost continuously from the Rialto tract since 1916. The property was acquired by American Zinc, Lead & Smelting Co. late in 1951, and the mine was operated thereafter by the Nellie B Division of that company until the end of 1955, when it was subleased to the Residue Mining Co.

Jan 1, 1958

By E. C. Lane

"INTRODUCTION The first important discovery of petroleum in New Mexico was near Dayton, Eddy County, where the Brown well was drilled in 1909, and small quantities of oil were produced. In 1911 and 1912 wells were drilled in McKinley County, but commercial production did not begin until the discovery of the Hogback field, San Juan County, in 1922. The discovery well in the Artesia field, Eddy County, drilled in 1923, gave impetus to active drilling in many areas. Since 1924 New Mexico has produced petroleum in commercial quantities and since 1930 the State has joined the ranks of the big produc¬ing States, being sixth or seventh in total production in recent years.Production by years. 1924 to 1940, inclusive, taken from annual figures in Bureau of Mines Minerals Yearbook, are given in table 1. The total production shown is 274,331,000 barrels. Andreas 3/ has published production figures for the year 1940 and a resume of all production to the end of 1940. Data from his report are presented in table 2 for each field sampled. The cumulative production, as given by Andreas, is 270,618,575 barrels."

Aug 1, 1942

By C. H. Fisher

Coal carbonization, the basis of a major industry, consists in heating coal in the absence of air at various temperatures (ranging from 500° to 1,000° C.) that are selected according to the kind of products desired. During this treatment, the complex organic substances that comprise the major part of the coal are converted into several useful products that are quite different from the original material. The principal products of coal carbonization or distillation are coke and gas. These products, as well as others of which lower yields are obtained (light oil, tar, and ammonia), occupy an important place in present-day commerce and civilization. This paper is concerned with the composition of the tar and light oil, which, as complex mixtures of organic compounds, are the source of many important dyes, inter-mediates, medicinals, resins, etc. The volatile products obtained when bituminous coals are destructively distilled or carbonized are tar, aqueous liquor, and gas. These products vary in composition and properties, depending on the nature of the coal and the temperature and conditions of carbonization. The tar is a dark, rather thick and viscous liquid at ordinary temperatures, becoming semisolid when cooled to the freezing point of water. The aqueous liquor (chiefly water) contains several inorganic substances and certain organic compounds, which, because of their solubility characteristics, have been extracted from the tar. The carbonization gases consist chiefly of carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, hydrogen, hydrogen sulphide, ammonia, methane, ethane, ethylene, and several hydrocarbons of higher molecular weight. The hydrocarbons of higher molecular weight (benzene, toluene, xylene, etc.) may be re-moved as liquids from the gas by suitable means. This liquid and the first fractions obtained on distilling the tar are known as light oil.

Jan 1, 1938

By S. J. Aresco

The Bureau of Mines has been active in promoting the purchase of coal for Government use under specifications that define the requirements in terms of heating value of the coal, expressed in British thermal units, and the composition as shown by proximate analyses. To these, when required, are added the ash-softening temperature, the free-swelling index, and the Hardgrove grindability index. Under most of these specification contracts the bidders guarantee the quality of the coal, and that guaranteed by the successful bidder becomes the standard of his contract. The deliveries are sampled in accordance with instructions3 issued by the Bureau of Mines; the samples are analyzed in the Bureau laboratory to determine whether the coal is of the quality guaranteed by the contractor; if it is not, a price adjustment is made. Analyses of the delivered coal and tipple samples (samples collected at mine tipples as coal is being loaded into railroad cars or trucks) provide valuable data for use in evaluating future bids. In addition, the continuous sampling of coal as delivered is a check on the practical results obtained in burning the coal.

Jan 1, 1968

By John R. Bradley

The available supply of fuel and power is a subject of importance at all times and particularly at this time. The following brief survey of fuel and power in the United States appraises the extent of the several primary sources of energy the approximate monthly demand, 1929-40; the chief centers of production and consumption; and shifts in the principal uses from 1929 to recent years. The period covers the boom year 1929, the years of the great depression, the more normal year 1937, the recession in 1938, the year 1939, and 1940 (which was affected by armament programs). In some instances, the data for 1939 and 1940 are preliminary. The four primary sources of fuel and power are coal, petroleum, natural gas, and water power. Wood fuel, important in some regions, and foreign trade in natural gas and hydroelectricity represent a relatively small part of the energy supply and are not considered in this study. The tonnages shown are in terms of coal, based upon the calorific or B. t. u. equivalents of the several sources of power. In practice, the usable heat or energy varies according to the type of equipment available for its use. For example, the efficiency of turbine water wheels and internal-combustion engines is much higher than that of steam plants and household-heating devices.

Jan 1, 1941

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 P. G. Clites

This bulletin summarizes the results of Bureau of Mines research on the development of the inductoslag melting process. Inductoslag melting is an induction melting technique using a segmented, water-cooled, copper crucible. The process was developed as part of the Bureau's work on effective utilization of reactive metal scrap, and the process has been applied to melting Ti, Zr, Cr, Co, Fe, Ni, and V. Construction details are given for the segmented crucibles and for both an ingot furnace and a casting furnace. The melting process is described, and results of tests conducted with a variety of reactive metals are given.

Jan 1, 1982

By W. A. Stickney, J. W. Town

Batch and continuous - circuit flotation , leaching , precipitation , and electrodeposition studies were made by the Bureau of Mines to determine optimum conditions for treatment of complex mercury - antimony sulfide and mercury- arsenic sulfide ores and concentrates . On the Red Devil ore sample over 95 percent of both the mercury and antimony sulfides were recovered in a flotation concentrate containing 35.6 percent mercury and 21.0 percent antimony . By selective flotation a mercury concentrate containing 71.0 percent mercury and 2.9 percent antimony was obtained with a mercury recovery of 90.4 percent . Leaching results show that , with 150 grams per liter of sodium sulfide and 50 grams per liter of sodium hydroxide , 95 to 99 percent of the mercury , antimony , and arsenic sulfides could be extracted from the concentrates treated . Sodium hydroxide reagent consumption was based on the sulfides generated in the dissolution of the sulfide minerals and on the method of metal recovery used . Selective leaching of the antimony and arsenic sulfides with potassium sulfide dissolved more than 95 percent of either of these two sulfides and 0.5 to 5 percent of the mercury sulfide present . Methods for recovering mercury and antimony from solution were electrodeposition of mercury followed by electrodeposition of antimony , aluminum precipitation of both mercury and antimony , or antimony precipitation of mercury followed by antimony electrodeposition . The method used in recovering the mercury depended on the mercury- antimony content of the solution being treated .Batch and continuous - circuit flotation , leaching , precipitation , and electrodeposition studies were made by the Bureau of Mines to determine optimum conditions for treatment of complex mercury - antimony sulfide and mercury- arsenic sulfide ores and concentrates . On the Red Devil ore sample over 95 percent of both the mercury and antimony sulfides were recovered in a flotation concentrate containing 35.6 percent mercury and 21.0 percent antimony . By selective flotation a mercury concentrate containing 71.0 percent mercury and 2.9 percent antimony was obtained with a mercury recovery of 90.4 percent . Leaching results show that , with 150 grams per liter of sodium sulfide and 50 grams per liter of sodium hydroxide , 95 to 99 percent of the mercury , antimony , and arsenic sulfides could be extracted from the concentrates treated . Sodium hydroxide reagent consumption was based on the sulfides generated in the dissolution of the sulfide minerals and on the method of metal recovery used . Selective leaching of the antimony and arsenic sulfides with potassium sulfide dissolved more than 95 percent of either of these two sulfides and 0.5 to 5 percent of the mercury sulfide present . Methods for recovering mercury and antimony from solution were electrodeposition of mercury followed by electrodeposition of antimony , aluminum precipitation of both mercury and antimony , or antimony precipitation of mercury followed by antimony electrodeposition . The method used in recovering the mercury depended on the mercury- antimony content of the solution being treated .

Jan 1, 1964

By K. R. Dorman

To develop the potential of precast concrete sets as a support medium in underground mines, a three-piece precast concrete drift set was designed for a small opening and tested to destruction in an underground straining frame. Thirty-six tests were made with three sizes of members using three different loading conditions. In addition, 14 members were tested individually in the laboratory. Test results are compared with theoretical calculations. A cost comparison shows the use of concrete sets would be advantageous where conventional wooden timber requires excessive replacement.

Jan 1, 1968

By R. R. Wells, G. M. Potter, A. O. Ipsen

This paper gives results of laboratory and pilot - plant investigations of concentration of western manganese ores during the Bureau of mines manganese-development program initiated in December 1940. The data summarize results obtained from laboratory investigation of concentration of ores from three properties in southeastern Arizona . The high - grade Gray - claims lot B ore , a product of hand sorting , is marketable directly or after sintering treatment . Intermediate - grade lot A selectively mined ore would be marketable after sintering as a plus 35 percent manganese produce , but gravity concentration methods were employed effectively to produce high - grade manganese concentrates with over 80 percent recoveries . Complex association of fine - grained manganese oxides , calcite , and fluorite in a siliceous ground mass limited the recovery of high-grade manganese concentrates obtainable from the low-grade Pyrolusite -group ore . A recovery of 63.7 percent of the manganese was made by flotation in a concentrate that sintered to plus 48 percent manganese grade . The low-grade Davis ore contains iron and manganese oxides too intimately associated to permit production of marketable manganese products . However , good rejection of calcite gangue was obtained by flotation , and the enriched manganese - iron product might have value as a spiegeleisen ore .

Feb 1, 1946

By J. W. Jensen

EXTENSIVE research and development was performed on the manganese-copper vibration-damping alloys to determine the relationship between the properties of the alloys and variations in composition, fabrication, Mid heat treatment. Mn-Cu alloys with unusually high specific damping capacity, 20 to 25 percent at a stress of 5,000 psi, have also the following useful properties: Tensile strength, 90,000 to 110,000 psi; yield strong, 60,000 to psi; elongation, 20 to 25 percent; hardness, 90 Rockwell B; and fatigue limit at, 28,000 to 30,000 psi. Both standard and special methods of testing were employed to obtain data on strength, modulus, hardness, resistivity, dilatation, micro-structure, crystal lattice, and damping capacity. The extensive tabular and graphical data on these properties are presented for alloys containing 50 to 85 percent as quenched d solution) and after various aging treatments. Expansion coefficients for all Mn-Cu solid solutions are graphed and a dilatometer study of contraction during aging is reported. Although high damping capacity is associated with aging to precipitate a-Mn from solid solution, with a cubic-tetragonal transformation and with the occurrence of antiferromagnetic ordering in Mn-Cu alloys, a tenable theory of the damping mechanism has not been reached.

Jan 1, 1965

By V. F. Parry

This report is the first substantial description of the carbonizing process and the details of experimental work conducted at the Denver laboratories under a coopeative agreement between the Bureau of Mines and the Texas Power & Light Co. It presents the results of tests on several Texas lignites and other typical western coals that have been processed in the first pilot plant operated at Denver. Investigations on drying fine coal in the entrained and fluidized state have been under way at Bureau of Mines Denver laboratories for several years. Reports on this work were published in 1949 and 19505/ describing the theory and practice of re-moving inherent moisture from the lower -rank coals. The investigation did not include a study of the removal of surface moisture from fine fuel. Private industry in Canada became interested in the possibilities of drying fine coal, employing the closed-circuit system and techniques recommended by the Bureau. Large, commercial-scale drying units were built by a Canadian company, which successfully demonstrated that surface moisture could be removed from fine coal at high efficiency and capacity ill drying units similar in design to those developed by the Bureau.

Jan 1, 1953

By Edward E. Johnson

The Bureau of Mines publishes in its ?Minerals Yearbook? a series of indexes on the domestic minerals industry. Among these are the index of physical volume of mineral production, indexes of stocks, and indexes of average unit mine value and implicit unit value, This report describes the material coverage of these indexes and the methods used in their construction. Detailed descriptions are given for several other mineral-oriented indexes regularly published by other government agencies. These descriptions give the index user a better understanding of what each index purports to measure and aids him in selecting the most appropriate index for his purpose.

Jan 1, 1965

By Edward E. Johnson

The Bureau of 'Mines publishes in its ?Minerals Yearbook? a series of indexes on the domestic minerals industry. Among these are the index of physical volume of mineral production, indexes of stocks, and indexes of average unit mine value and implicit unit value, This report describes the material coverage of these indexes and the methods used in their construction. Detailed descriptions are given for several other mineral-oriented indexes regularly published by other government agencies. These descriptions give the index user a better understanding of what each index purports to measure and aids him in selecting the most appropriate index for his purpose.

Jan 1, 1965

By Michael J. Magyar

The Federal Bureau of Mines has developed a hydrametallurgical method to recover aluminum, aluminum oxide, and fluxing salts from aluminum salt slags. The slag is leached with water at room temperature to produce a saturated brine slurry. Screening of the slurry yields an aluminum-rich fraction that can be returned to the dross furnace. The remaining slurry is vacuum filtered, yielding a clear brine solution and an aluminum oxide filter cake. Evaporation of the clear filtrate produces a high-purity fluxing salt for reuse in the dross furnace. Over 80 pct of the metallic aluminum is recovered in the aluminum-rich oversize fraction, while essentially all the fluxing salts are recovered by evaporation. This report contains the final results of an investigation on a process research unit scale, an economic evaluation of the method, and recommendations to further improve the process.

Jan 1, 1979

By Scott W. Hazen

This Bureau of Mines report presents the results of a study and statistical analysis of part of the initial exploration churn-drill sampling and some of the subsequent underground diamond-drill-core sampling in the North are body at the San Manuel copper mine, Arizona. These data were derived from regular exploration and mine sampling, not from special samples obtained solely for statistical analysis. The study was conducted as part of the Bureau's continuing program on sampling-methods research. The major objective of the study was to investigate the feasibility of using the techniques of statistical analysis in evaluating sample and assay data and computing grade and tonnage of Ore from porphyry-type copper deposits. It was recognized that using existing data acquired over a period of several years by different methods would introduce problems and limitations for precise comparisons. However, it was expected that the study would provide some general conclusions and certainly a number of preliminary conclusions on the nature of the mineral characteristics and their effect on sampling procedures, the requirements for sampling deposits of this type, and the comparative results of churn-and diamond-drill sampling in the same area of the deposit. All of this information would be essential for future sampling-methods research for computing grade and tonnage of ore.

Jan 1, 1963

By Richard D. Miller

This Bureau of Mines publication contains analyses and related source data for 224 natural as samples from 18 States. Of the total, 191 sam¬ples were collected during calendar year 1981. The remaining 33 samples were collected during previous years, but releases, granting permission to publish were not received until 1981. All samples were obtained and analyzed as part of Bureau of Mines investigations of the occurrences of helium in natural gases of countries with free market economies. This survey has been conducted since 1917. The analyses published herein were made by the mass spectrometer and special helium apparatus described previously (1-2).3 The results of the investigation of the occurrences of helium are published annually to make the information available as soon as possible to the gas industry and the general public. Twenty-five publications have presented the results of 12,827 gas analyses made prior to 1981. The first three bulletins (1-3) contain analyses and related data on 5,218 gas samples collected from 1917 through 1960; these bulletins have been supplemented annually by information circulars (4-17, 19-24) containing 7,609 analyses of samples collected since 1960.

Jan 1, 1982

By M. D. Carver

This publication describes development by the Bureau of Mines of a quality evaluation procedure for certifying the adequacy of production lots of Kroll process zirconium sponge the Bureau had produced for reactor applications. After the procedure was devised, the next step was to apply it in controlling the quality of one-half million pounds of zirconium sponge com-prising 259 production lots, called blends, originating at the Metallurgy Research Center of the Bureau at Albany, Oreg. The Bureau concluded that the evaluation method developed was adequate and that by this method the zirconium blends having impurity levels or other property values outside specification limits were differentiated and thus were diverted from nuclear energy end uses. The research was performed under contract for the Bureau of Ships, Department of the Navy, and for the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC).

Jan 1, 1960

By A. J. Kraemer

This paper is the second and concluding report of the results of the Bureau of Mines' twenty-second semiannual survey of motor fuel marketed in the United States. The first paper Was published as Report of Investigations 3063 and reported data relating to gravity, vapor pressure and distillation range of the samples. The present paper deals particularly with results of the determination of copper strip corrosion (method 530.22), color (method 10.11), sulphur content by the lamp method, copper dish evaporation residue (method 530.1), and "gum" content as given by the steam-oven method as developed by the Bureau of Mines. The price at the time the sample was taken and the tax are also stated for each sample. The sample numbers used throughout this report are identical with those used in Report of Investigations 3063; for example, No. 225 of this report is the same sample as No. 225 of Report of Investigations 3063. This is the first semiannual motor gasoline survey of the Bureau 6f Mines in which some data were obtained on antiknock values for samples collected in the survey. The Bureau of Mines is not provided with equipment for making these tests in its own laboratories, but composite samples were tested in the laboratories of the Bureau of Standards and the report on these samples is given as a supplement to this paper (pp. 11 to 14).

Jan 1, 1931