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By J. F. Barkley

[There 1 s [\ general conce:!?t in the coal trade tha t the ;noi sture-and ash-free B. t.'I. of coal from t.he oome seam, and surely from the same mine, is substantially a cor.stant: that calculatio!: of the ::1oisture-and ash-free B. t. u. value f~~oJl t he proxima te ru:al~rsi sand. 3. t. u. determined in tl19 laboratory 111ill reveal v:?letller a coal came f~'om a. given : area or seam; and that, having this constant, the 3.t.u. value of a coal sample can be c lculatcd fairl...' closely 11:0on a? dry or as~received basis from the r.lois]

Jan 1, 1941

By D. J. Singleton

Erosion corrosion of 12 alloys in phosphoric acid waste water was studied by the Bureau of Mines. Tests were conducted on oblate spheroids or cylindrical specimens in 12-and 60-cm-diam ball mills by grinding phosphate rock in gypsum pond water with a starting pH of 1.6. For comparison, tests were conducted while grinding phosphate rock in plain water. Static corrosion tests in gypsum pond water also were conducted. For all alloys, the wear by erosion-corrosion (milling with gypsum pond water) was greater than the sum of erosion (milling with water) plus static corrosion. Erosion-corrosion wear was about 1,500 to 3,000 mpy for the alloyed white cast irons, 1,000 to 1,400 mpy for commercial steel ball material and type 316 stainless steel, and 600 to 900 mpy for nickel-base alloys and a high-manganese, nitrided stainless steel. Alloy costs per unit of phosphate rock 'processed favor a low-alloy, high-carbon steel or a high-manganese, nitrided stainless steel.

Jan 1, 1985

By A. B. Needham

A number of the pegmatites in the southern Black Hills of western South Dakota contain sheet mica; and as the demand increased during World War II the area became an important producer of strategic qualities of mica. During this period of maximum activity, the U. S.. Geological Survey made detailed studies of the geological structural control, the mineralogical associations, and the production Of many pegmatites in the Black Hills. On the basis of results of this study, and at the suggestion of the Geological Survey, several of the pegmatites were examined by the Bureau of Mines, and a few were selected for further investigation. Accordingly, the White Bear, Silver Dollar, Buster Dike, and Hot Shot mines were diamond-core-drilled in 1947. The Hot Shot mine was investigated further by deepening the shaft and crosscutting the pegmatite in 1948. The mica-bearing deposits occur in lenticular intrusions of pegmatite in schists of various mineral composition. Eleven diamond-drill holes, totaling 2,111.4 feet in length, were completed on the four deposits. The shaft on the Hot Shot deposit was deepened 44 feet to the 112-foot level, and crosscuts were driven from the bottom of the shaft to the hanging Wall and foot wall of the pegmatite. This publication briefly describes the location, ownership, and history of the deposits and gives details of the work done by the Bureau of Mines and the Geological Survey.

Jan 1, 1950

By W. W. Odell

"It has long been recognized that coke is a more desirable fuel than bituminous coal in water-gas apparatus of present design, but still considerable headway has been made in the use of the latter fuel as a substiaute for coke. This is particularly true in the Central States where the supply of high-grade coke has been very limited and uncertain during the past few years, and where coking coals of low sulphur content were available in quan¬tities. In fact, with, the present difference in price of coal and coke, it is possible to realize a marked saving when using a coking bituminous coal as generator fuel.Difficulties have been encountered in the use of such fuel, but they have, to a large extent, been overcome. One of the chief obstacles in the use of the more general utilization of bituminous coal for water-gas manufacture, is the fact that, with normal operation, the capacity per unit of time is reduced. This of course is a serious problem for plants operat¬ing at capacity with coke fuel. However, this difficulty can, to a large extent, be remedied by a changed method of operating, and can be entirely remedied by a combination of the latter with a change in the design (or proportions) of a water-gas set. The preceding statement, the reader will understand, refers more particularly to a carburetted water-gas set.In the manufacture of water gas from coke, present practice requires that for continuous 24-hour service the heat of combustion of all the carbon monoxide (CO) generated during the air blow be utilized in addition to the sensible heat of the gas coming from the generator. This is doubly true when making carburetted water gas from bituminous coking coal. The reasons why this is so are apparent when the following factors are considered."

Nov 1, 1920

By Maria I. De Rosa

The U.S. Bureau of Mines conducted a study to determine if correlations exist between the chlorine or nitrogen contents of materials and the hydrogen chloride (HCI) or hydrogen cyanide (HCN) concentrations evolved during the thermal decomposition of these materials. Hydrogen chloride, hydrogen cyanide, and carbon monoxide (CO) were found to be the primary toxic gases evolved during the combustion process. The experiments were carried out in a 20-L furnace with 1-g samples. The furnace temperature, rising from ambient, was set at 1,000 °C with an airflow of 10 L/min. The variables measured were the gas loads (milligrams per gram) of HCI, HCN, CO, and CO2 (carbon dioxide); CO and CO2 concentrations as a function of time were also measured. Other variables included the average concentrations of submicrometer smoke particles and particles' average diameter, mass of particulates, sample and furnace temperatures, and sample weight loss. The data indicate that there are significant correlations between the percentage of chlorine or nitrogen contained in the original samples and the HC1 or HCN concentrations evolved during the combustion of the materials. These correlations may be used to predict and evaluate a material's toxic hazard during combustion.

Jan 1, 2010

By R. R. Wells, G. M. Potter, R. Havens, W. W. Agey

"INTRODUCTION As part of the program of investigating possible domestic sources of manganese, ore-dressing studies were conducted at Salt Lake City, Utah, on five samples of manganese oxide ore obtained by mining engineers of the Bureau of Mines from the Havasu Lake District, California and Arizona.Two lots of radically different ores were procured from the Arizona Manganese claims 30 miles above Parker Dam, Mohave County, Ariz. One of the original 11 claims has been flooded by Havasu Lake, formed by Parker Dam. The claims are owned by R. H. Thompson, Parker Lumber Co., Parker, Ariz. The 2-ton lot of high-grade ""TA"" ore represented ore occurring as pyrolusite and psilomelane accompanied by a black calcite gangue in lenses along a series of fault planes in granite. A half-ton lot of low-grade ""TB"" ore was taken from a large lense of reddish iron-bearing material outcropping on another section of the property.A 2-ton lot of ore was taken from the Jones property, 8-1/2 miles southwest of Powell, Mohave County, Ariz. At the time of the investigation, the property was leased by J. H. Jones, of Oatman, Arix., from the owners, the Atchison, Topeka, & Santa Fe Railroad Co. The ore body was described as a re¬placement in a sandstone formation in a region that has been faulted extensively."

Dec 1, 1947

By John W. Buch

In 1947, a Korfmann universal shearing machine was installed in a mine in the Southern field of the Pennsylvania anthracite region. The machine was obtained from Germany by the Bureau of Mines after the close of World War II as a part of a program of experimental work to increase the output and lower the cost of anthracite, which the Bureau of Mines initiated in 1944 when an agreement was made with an anthracite-producing company for use of one of the company's mines as a testing ground for certain mechanical equipment procured or developed by the Bureau. A major objective is to develop a mechanical mining method that will increase the rate of advance and reduce the coat of development of coal gangways in steeply pitching seams. In addition to the time to be saved in driving these openings by machine, it is felt that further economies will be affected by making it possible to concentrate producing sections into smaller compass and that savings will ensue in supervision, maintenance, and time required for mining a section. A higher percentage extraction also is an objective. Test work covered by this report was concentrated on the power characteristics, maneuverability, effectiveness, and general qualities of the Korfmann machine in cutting coal, the cutting tests representing the first use of a machine of this kind in steep-pitch mining in the United States.

Jan 1, 1951

By John F. Papp

International and U.S. chromium material flow, losses, and environmental releases and transfers from mining through industrial processing, end use, and recycling are identified and quantified. Average (1983-92) U.S. consumption has been: metallurgical industry, 87 pct; chemical industry, 10 pet; and refractory industry, 3 pct. Average chromium content of aluminum, cobalt, copper, nickel, and titanium alloys and alloy, carbon, and stainless steel alloys was estimated. Anthropogenic chromium consumption was estimated for the cement and copper industries. N on-commodity cycle anthropogenic chromium mobilization resulting from U.S. fuel and fertilizer use was estimated. Commodity cycle anthropogenic world chromium loss from mining and primary consumer industry was estimated to be equivalent to about 56 pct of chromium contained in chromite ore production and represented a loss rate of 181 kt-Cr/Mt-CrOre. Chromium released to the atmosphere from natural and from anthropogenic sources were comparable in magnitude. Chromium released to soil was mostly from anthropogenic sources, and aquatic releases were all anthropogenic. Domestic product chromium losses exceed process losses by more than a factor of 10 showing the importance and potential environmental impact of post-consumer recycling. The location of historical and current domestic chromium industry processing sites in 23 States were reported. Chromium releases and transfers to the environment were estimated from 1973 through 2002 by primary consumer industry. A decrease in chromium releases and transfers to the environment was anticipated.

Jan 1, 1995

By Robert S. Schechter

A minitest of the new potassium chloride-potassium carbonate two-stage in-situ uranium leach process has been carried out at the Intercontinental Energy Corporation (IEC) Zamzow project site in South Texas. Substantial quantities of high concentration uranium were produced indicating the viability of the leach solution. The test results yield information regarding the reservoir dispersivity, the average cation-exchange capacity of the formation, and the distribution coefficients describing cation-exchange reactions. The test also indicates permeability anisotropy and the existence of disturbed flow fields.

Jan 1, 1985

By P. A. Wasson

Drill cores from 15 holes in the West Central Mesabi Range were studied as part of the Lake Superior iron resource investigation begun in 1957 by the Bureau of Mines. Chemical, petrographic, and metallurgical analyses were made to determine grade, mineralogy, magnetic characteristics, and response to beneficiation. Data in this report were developed to provide a better under-standing of the nature and character of low-grade iron ore occurrences, to measure potential of usable ore, and to provide a basis for comparison with bank samples previously taken in the same general area. The average iron content of 4,445 feet of core was 31.8 percent. Iron oxides present were hematite, goethite, and magnetite; the gangue minerals were chiefly quartz, iron silicate, and iron-bearing carbonates.

Jan 1, 1962

By M. S. Seehra, R. S. Pandurangi

"Investigations of the infrared spectra of crystalline and amorphous silica particles of different sizes (0.05, 5, 10, 15, 30, 45, and 260 um) in the range of 400-4000 cm-1 using Fourier transform infrared/photoacoustic spectroscopy we reported. The change in the intensity I of the signal with porosity e of powders follows the e/(1 - e) dependence for strong bands and e dependence for weaker bands as pre¬dicted by the theory of McGovern of al. For strong bands, I also follows the empirical relation I ~ D-n, where D Is the particle diameter in cm and n = 0.34-0.42. The anomalous positive frequency dependence of I on the modulation fre¬quency f observed for the stronger bands in the 45-pm and 260-pm particles Is believed to result from saturation. Some observations on the effect of changing the background from (carbon black) powder to pellet are also made.INTRODUCTIONSince the publication of the Rosencwaig—Gersho (RG) theory on the photoacoustic effect in solids (1, 2), Fourier transform infrared/photoacoustic spectroscopy (FTIR/PAS) has become an important technique for obtaining the IR spectra of surfaces and materials in their natural state (1-12). In the one-dimensional RG theory, the incident radiation, modulated at frequency f, is absorbed by the material to a depth pp = 1/B (B = absorption coefficient), thus setting up temperature variations in the material. These variations heat the adjacent gas/solid interface leading to the pressure fluctuations of the gas above the sample, which in turn is detected by microphone as a PA signal. The thermal wave originating from no deeper than the thermal diffusion length(2k/npcf) 1/2 in the material contributes to the PA signal (here k, p, and c are respectively the thermal conductivity, density, and specific heat of the material). Since u2, can be varied by varying the experimental parameter f, depth pro¬filing by PAS is possible and a number of papers on this subject have appeared in recent years (2-10). Another im¬portant phenomenon is saturation which occurs when the material thickness 1> u> us (1-12).The original promise of PAS for use with powder samples, without the need to ""prepare"" samples as in FTIR spectros-copy, has not yet been fully realized because of several com¬plications. Theoretical works by Monchalin et al. (13) and McGovern et al (14) showed that the interstial gas in the voids of the powders can act as amplifier and that, for the same mass, a finer powder is expected to yield higher PA signal than a coarser powder. Although in a number of earlier studies (15-21) an increase of PA signal with decreasing particle size has been observed, a quantitative check on the equations developed by McGovern et al. (14) has not yet been made. It is necessary to understand the particle size effects in PAS if the promise of PAS for IR spectroscopy of powders is to be realized. In this paper, we report results of a detailed study on the PAS of silica powders for the particle size range of 0.05-260 um and compare the results with theory (14). We have also investigated the frequency dependence of the variousIR modes in these powders and show that the saturation phenomenon affects at least some of the observations. Some observations on the effects of pellet vs powder background are also reported (22-24). Details of these findings are presented and discussed in this paper."

Jan 1, 1990

By D. Harrington

[Notwithstanding the fact that it is now fairly generally recognized that widespread explosions can be almost absolutely prevented in coal mines by efficient rock-dusting and that this rock-dusting can be done thoroughly at a cost which should seldom exceed 1 cent per ton of coal mined, a recent survey of the situation by the Safety Division of the U. S. Bureau of Mines, following a similar survey by the Bureau in the fall of 1925, shows that while some progress is being made by our coal-mining people, many entire mining communities are lamentably slow in taking advantage of one of the most effective safeguards available. Much of the information as to the extent of rock-dusting was obtained through the various State inspection departments. Table 1 shows that in the fall of 1925 about 92 coal companies in the United States were using rock-dust ad that in the summer of 1927 the number had increased to 239, or about 160 per cent increase. Similarly, from the fall of 1925 to the summer of 1927 the number of mines using rock-dust increased from 177 to 463, or about 160 per cent increase. This appears to be a decidedly healthy increase, but when it is considered that in 1926 (the last date for which figures are available) there were 7,141 bituminous mines operating and that there were only 463 or 61 par cent, which were even reported to Ice using rock-dust to any extent whatever, the forgoing figures as to progress are by no means impressive or even satisfactory.]

Jan 1, 1928

By Lucien Eaton

This paper describing the mining practices at Mine No. 2 of the Marquette Range, Michigan is one of a series being prepared by the Bureau of Mines on mining practices, methods, and costs in the various minim; districts of the United States. The publication, of this information should be of interest to the industry at large and the exchange of ideas thereby made possible should be of economic value to operators in all harts of the country. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The author is indebted to the superintendent, engineer, and mining captain of the property discussed in this paper for much of the information presented. The geological classification is taken from publications of the U. S. Geological purvey.

Jan 1, 1929

By O. C. Blade

This survey report, the first for this type of fuel, is issued to provide information on the characteristics of the burner-fuel oils now manufactured for sale. Reports of surveys of diesel fuel, conducted under a cooperative agreement between the American Petroleum Institute and the Bureau of Mines, United States Deportment of the Interior, have been published annually since 1950.2/ This survey of burner-fuel oils is similar to the diesel-fuel surveys In pattern and has been conducted under an extension of the same agreement at the request of the Oil-Heat Institute of America and the petroleum industry. It is not intended to conflict with the diesel-fuel survey but rather to supplement it. Burner-fuel oils, also specifically referred to as heating oil, range oil, furnace oil, "Bunker C," and fuel oil, are sold in increasing volumes for use in this country and for export. Sales of all grades of fuel oil in the United States have increased from 340 million barrels in 1926Y to over a billion barrels per year. 4/ Distillate fuel oil sales, in proportion to total fuel-oil volume sold, increased from 42 percent in 1950 to 50 percent in 1954. Sales of distillate and the heavier residual oils during recent years are shown: [ ] It must be realized that the data given are not accurate indications of the use of these materials as burner fuels. Some burner fuel, used as range oil, is kerosine, which is not included above. A large volume of fuel oil--approximately 30 percent of the distillate type and some residual fuel oil--is sold as diesel fuel. Smaller

Jan 1, 1955

By Lloyd Williams

1. The investigation shows that the Sewanee bed is the only bed of major importance in Marion County, 97 percent of the coal mined in the county having come from this bed. There are coal reserves in minor quantity in the Battle Creek bed, and production from this bed depends on a few small truck mines. The Richland bed, or Lower Sewanee, has been mined in the past, but no coal has been produced from it in late years. There are no production records of any other beds in the county, although same coal has been produced from them. 2. Known measured and indicated reserves in all beds, based on a minimum thickness of 14 inches and on 1,800 tons per acre-foot of coal in place, are estimated to be 61 million short tons as of January 1, 1953. Of this total, 55 million short tons is in beds 28 inches and more thick. Areas in each bed were omitted from the estimate where available data relative to the bed characteristics are too meager to permit making an estimate that conforms with the definitions of measured and indicated coal adopted for this study. Should future drilling or development prove reserves in these areas, such reserves should be added to the total estimated reserves.

Jan 1, 1955

By Leonard Obert

The various underground rooms in the Bureau of Mines Oil-Shale mine, Rifle, Colo., have been open for periods ranging from 3 to 5 years. During this time 3 roof falls have occurred; 1 was induced, and the other 2 were unintentional. The three roof falls are described in this report. Two causative factors are discussed -a time-dependent deterioration of the roof rock and an unfavorable system of jointing that occurred in the strata overlying the present roof horizon. Irrespective of cause, the operating life of any stoping area would have been short com-pared with the life of the roof (1 to 4 in the most unfavorable instance), if a high-production system of mining had been employed. The report is concluded with several recommendations that should be considered in planning future mining operations.

Jan 1, 1958

By E. T. Bowers

The Accident Analysis (ADA) computer program was developed at the Spokane Research Center (SRC) to provide a rapid broad-based analysis of mining accidents. Because the Bureau of Mines often needs this type of information for the development of viable research programs the ADA program was written to access and analyze accident data available frog the Labor Department's Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA). This report describes the ADA program, the data it uses, and the potential value it has for planning mining research.

Jan 1, 1987

By William L. Crentz

In the past, Westmoreland County together with Fayette County produced about one-third of the bituminous coal mined in Pennsylvania. The Pittsburgh bed in Westmoreland County has furnished enormous quantities of coal to the by-product and beehive ovens, gas-manufacturing plants, and general industrial manufacturers over a wide area until about 20 years ago. Little attention was paid to the thinner beds because of the superior quality of the Pittsburgh. The approaching exhaustion of Pittsburgh coal will require accelerated-exploitation of these coals if Westmoreland County is to continue as an important source of bituminous coal, Much of the Pittsburgh coal in Westmoreland County is low-sulfur and requires no mechanical cleaning for the preparation of a metallurgical fuel. Even those areas where the sulfur percentage increased to a maximum of about 2 percent, a relatively easy washing operation usually produced a cleaned coal, which found ready acceptance by the coke industry. Davis reported the remaining recoverable reserves of the .Pittsburgh bed in Westmoreland County to be 255,439,000 tons as of January 1, 1937. Since that date, more than 100,000,000 tons of Pittsburgh coal has been extracted so that the time is not too distant when this important coal bed will be depleted. A study of the Pittsburgh bed in Westmoreland -County has not been made a part of this report as the remaining reserves of the coal can be used in coke making with a, minimum of preparation. The production from the Upper 'Freeport bed will increase as the supply of coal from the Pittsburgh bed diminishes, and as of the present time it supplies a substantial proportion of the county's coal output.

Jan 1, 1951

By Raymond B. Ladoo

"The recent discovery and exploitation of petroleum territory have resulted in the enactment of new petroleum laws in most of the South American Republics. The activities in the discovery of these new fields were engendered by the knowledge of the fact that present producing fields must within well defined periods be exhausted. Oil operators were willing to take the initial steps in exploitation in the absence of legislation that applied strictly to petroleum operations. The enactment of modern legislation in many of these Republics encouraging and protect¬ing exploitations may cause tremendous oil activities in these countries, and the results may be comparable with the magnitude of the undertakings and the prestige of the companies now entering this territory.These, oil fields are admirably located for convenient distribution of petroleum by water to all the Nations using oil as fuel for shipping and industrial concerns. The oil markets of the western coast of South America will derive immense benefits from the Panama Canal. This navigation route brings these markets into direct ocean shipment with the Atlantic coasts of the Western and Eastern Hemispheres.One deterrent to oil production in the Republics of South America is the want of inland. transportation facilities, but the recent laws of these Republics without exception provide for acquiring rights of way for pipe lines and other modes of transportation; and doubtless the great interests and. syndicates already operating in these regions will, as production increases, provide ample pipe line transportation sufficient to convey to the coast the oil produced. It way be assumed, from the legal guarantees afforded, and from operating equipment and machinery that are now being concentrated that refineries will be erected at shipping points for the purpose of making these petroleum products accessible to the world."

May 1, 1921

By A. T. Iannacchione

Roof-rock instability in advancing sections of underground coal mines is a major contributing factor to accidents resulting in fatalities and injuries. Such roof-rock conditions can also result in loss of production due to additional cleanup time and increased amounts of reject material. The Bureau of Mines is investigating fundamental geologic factors affecting coal mine roof-rock instability in order to develop techniques to predict zones of potential unstable roof-rock. Two distinct directional trends of unstable shale roof-rock in a mine working the Upper Kittanning Coalbed are delineated: one trend is associated with the sandstone-shale transition zone, the other with a fault system. The unstable shale roof-rock associated with the transition zone, a consequence of differential compaction, is comprised of slickensided roof-rock. Whereas, the unstable shale roof-rock associated with the fault system, a consequence of structural deformation of the strata, is comprised of fault planes. These faults, small in comparison to the sandstone-shale transition zone, are difficult to delineate with a standard drilling program. Trends of the transition zone associated with the sedimentary facies change are projected into unmined portions of the coalbed with the aid of exploration core data.

Jan 1, 1981