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By G. A. Burrell, G. W. Jones

As a part of the work which the Bureau of Mines carried out in 1916 and 1917 pertaining to the compressibility of natural gas , it became necessary to de termine the pressure -volume relations of several of the paraffin hydrocarbons of which natural gas is composed . Results of the work on natural gas were published in Technical papers 131 (Burrell , G.A. , and Robertson , I.W. , The compressibility of natural gas to high pressure , Bureau of Mines Tech . Paper 131 , 1916 , 12 pp. ) and 158 (Burrell , G.A. , and Robertson , I.W. , Compressibility of natural gas and its constituents with analyses of natural gas from 31 cities in the United States , Bureau of Mines Tech . Paper 158 , 1917 , 12 pp . ) , and curves were given of pressure volume deviations of the gases , methane , ethane , propane , and carbon dioxide at high pressures . original experimental data on these gases , however , were not published . The In view of many inquiries which the Bureau has received with reference to the original data on the se gases , and the importance of the pressure -volume relations from which it is possible to calculate the deviation of any natural gas who se composition is known , the original data as determined by Burrell and Robertson are pre sented below .

Aug 1, 1921

Develop a metal substitute which is more plentiful and less expensive than the metals currently being used in high performance, permanent magnets, while maintaining the quality of the magnet. The New Alloy The rare-earth metal used in most high performance magnets is samarium, an expensive metal of limited availability. Cobalt is also used in high performance magnets, but supplies of this metal also are limited because it is not domestically mined and must be imported. The Bureau of Mines embarked on research to find a less costly domestic: metal source for use in industrial magnets. The alloy found most promising consists of mischmetal, a relatively abundant, naturally occurring mixture of rare-earths, which can be used as a replacement for samarium. Additives of copper, magnesium and iron used in combination with mischmetal aid in replacing some of the cobalt needed for the magnets.

Jan 1, 1983

By M. L. Whisman

Several commercial processes for reclaiming used lubricating oil were duplicated on a laboratory bench scale. Laboratory tests were selected and in some instances modified to determine the physical properties of each oil produced. In addition, the hydrocarbon composition of some samples was determined using a liquid chromatographic technique, and compared with the composition of new oil in order to determine the severity of the re-refining technique. Selected samples of reprocessed oil were reformulated with an additive package for further estimates of quality as determined by wear, corrosion, foaming, and oxidation stability tests. Additionally, several samples of commercially re-refined oil and new oil were obtained and physical properties were determined for comparative studies.

Jan 1, 1974

By W. J. Wenger

Results of the analyses of 151 crude oils from 123 oilfields in the Williston basin are presented. Production statistics are compiled by geographical areas within the basin, by geological age of the producing zones, by States, and by field for the nine fields with the greatest production. Characteristics of the oils are tabulated, and correlations are included to show relationships between properties of the oils and some factors in the environment. Properties of the oils in some instances imply that there has been migration and mixing of the oils between productive formations of different geological time periods.

Jan 1, 1968

By David A. Monaghan, Kenneth R. Maser, Adi R. Gurdar, D. Randolph Berry

3. Preliminary Evaluation of Mine Sealing Techniques As the first stage in the development of a technique for the remote sealing of mines, a state-of-the-art survey of various mine sealing techniques was conducted. This was expanded to include a review of different materials offering some potential for use as a mine sealant. Techniques for the remote placement of materials for other applications were evaluated, and system concepts for dis¬tributing remotely placed materials were developed. This preliminary review led to the development of a functional description of a general mine sealing technique to meet the specified conditions. Various potential system configurations were synthesized. These were subjected to a preliminary evaluation based on estimated confidence in system performance, development risk, cost, and sealing time. Based on this preliminary evaluation, promising mine¬sealing techniques were selected for further development. This section presents a review of the following: (a) Techniques for constructing permanent seals from within a mine. (b) State of the art in remote sealing for mine fire control. (c) Techniques for remote placement of materials for other applications. (d) Systems for distributing remotely placed material. (e) Materials for mine sealing. (f) Synthesis of remote mine sealing concepts.

Jan 1, 1973

By Charles L. Kimbell

Bulk carriers, freighters, and tankers are the three classes of marine vessels engaged in transporting mineral commodities. However, vessels in each of these categories are not devoted wholly to mineral commodity transport. Bulk carriers move agricultural products as well as crude minerals and mineral fertilizers, as ore/bulk/oil carriers also do. Freighters, owing to their great variety, can be devoted wholly to hauling mineral products or wholly to moving nonmineral goods, as well as carrying mixed mineral and nonmineral cargoes. They include general cargo carriers, full containerships, partial containerships, roll-on/roll-off ships, and barge carriers. Tankers, although largely engaged in moving crude oil and refinery products, also transport liquid chemicals, molasses, wine, liquefied natural gas, and other fluids. Although physical characteristics of vessels, such as sue, draft, crew requirements, and type of propulsion system, as well as fuel costs, have an undeniable influence on shipping industry performance, problems of and changes in the quantity and quality and types of material moved also significantly affect the shipping sector of the world economy. Unfortunately, comprehensive data in this regard are not available.

Jan 1, 1992

By J. T. May

The Federal Bureau of Mines investigated the extraction of lithium from hectorite-type clay deposits found on the Nevada-Oregon border. Two clay samples were used in the investigation; one contained 0.36 pct Li and the second contained 0.64 pct Li. The purpose of this laboratory-scale research was to determine how these clays responded to different extraction techniques. Extraction techniques investigated were sulfuric acid leach, sulfuric acid bake-water leach, and roast-water leach procedures with cholorides, sulfates, carbonates, and combinations of these reagents. The processing characteristics of the clay samples showed significant variations, and no one technique was effective for both materials. Lithium extractions near 90 pct were achieved during these exploratory studies.

Jan 1, 1980

By E. P. Youngman

The mining laws referred to by those who furnished the reports mentioned in the preceding paragraph are : General Austrian Mining Law of 1854 and the Law of 1868 , which prescribes for Hungary (as well as for Transylvania ) the full text and decisions of the General Austrian Mining Law; Government Decree 18346 , 1859 ; Parliamentary Decree of 1861 ; the Law of 1871 ; the Commercial Code , Law 37 of 1875 ; the Industrial Lar of 1884 ; the Law of 1386 ; the Decree of the High Court of Justice , 5540 , of 1399 ; Laws 6 and 7 of 1911 ; Law of 1921 ; Laws 23 and 24 of 1922 ; Laws 5 and 21 of 1927 ; and Law 40 of 1928. ( Lev 21 of 1927 and Law 40 of 1928 are labor laws . ) A compilation of the mining laws of Hungary , " Magyar Banya Jog , " or the " Hungarian Mining Law, " was made use of in part . This volume is the second edition of a school textbook , which ras prepared by Dr. Bela Balkay and Dr. Imre Szeoke , and which was published by the Apollo Press ( V. , Sas -utca 13 , Budapest ) in 1909 .

Jun 1, 1931

By Harold R. Newman

The performance of Ecuador's mineral industry continued to be affected not only by depressed oil prices in recent years but also by natural disasters. In March 1987, Ecuador canceled foreign debt payments for the rest of the year and appealed for international aid because of a series of earth-quakes that destroyed villages and crippled the nation's oil industry. The earthquake destroyed a key section of the country's main oil pipeline and forced a halt to production and shipment of Ecuador's most important export product. Ecuador produces 240,000 barrels of oil per day and exports 144,000 barrels daily. Oil accounts for 60% of the nation's hard currency earnings. The Government of Ecuador asked the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and other oil-producing countries to assume Ecuador's oil sales commitments. Ecuador agreed to pay the countries back in an equivalent amount of oil when it was able to resume exports.

Jan 1, 1989

By Janet Torma-Krajewski, Pauline Lewis, Paul Gust, Lisa Steiner, Kean Johnson

Since 1990 and the publication of the Ergonomics Program Management Guidelines for Meatpacking Plants by the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration, numerous reports of companies implementing ergonomics program have been published. However, despite these numerous reports, no examples of implementing an ergonomics program in the mining industry have been reported. In 2000, NIOSH initiated a long-term project to demonstrate the implementation of an ergonomics process designed to identify and reduce exposures to ergonomic risk factors found in mining. The mine selected for this project was the Jim Bridger Mine, a surface coal mine located 35 miles northeast of Rock Springs, Sweetwater County, WY. This paper discusses how a large, surface coal mine implemented an ergonomics program and the lessons learned while doing so.

By Isaac A. Zlochower, Kenneth L. Cashdollar

The Pittsburgh Research Laboratory of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) conducted a study of the explosibility of various metals and other elemental dusts, with a focus on the experimental explosion temperatures. The data are useful for understanding the basics of dust cloud combustion, as well as for evaluating explosion hazards in the minerals and metals processing industries. The dusts studied included boron, carbon, magnesium, aluminum, silicon, sulfur, titanium, chromium, iron, nickel, copper, zinc, niobium, molybdenum, tin, hafnium, tantalum, tungsten, and lead. The dusts were chosen to cover a wide range of physical properties-from the more volatile materials such as magnesium, aluminum, sulfur, and zinc to the highly "refractory" elements such as carbon, niobium, molybdenum, tantalum, and tungsten. These flammability studies were conducted in a 20-L chamber, using strong pyrotechnic ignitors. A unique multiwavelength infrared pyrometer was used to measure the temperatures. For the elemental dusts studied, all ignited and burned as air-dispersed dust clouds except for nickel, copper, molybdenum, and lead. The measured maximum explosion temperatures ranged from "-1550K for tin and tungsten powders to "-2800K for aluminum, magnesium, and titanium powders. The measured temperatures are compared to the calculated, adiabatic flame temperatures.

By John W. Frey

This paper presents one of a series of digests of foreign mining legisla- tion and court decisions which is being prepared in advance of a general report relative to the rights of American citizens to explore for minerals and to own and operate mines in various foreign countries. This interpretation of the laws of Trinidad has been prepared from the best information available in ashington but is released subject to correction and amplification, if necessary, by the proper American diplomatic and consular officers to whom it is being referred through the courtesy of the Department of State.

Sep 1, 1930

By August J. Kwitowski

This Bureau of Mines report describes how the reinforcement mechanisms of untensioned, full-column resin bolts were determined during one underground study. Both axial and transverse shear loadings were identified for two instrumented resin bolts that replaced standard resin bolts in an opera-ting room-and-pillar mining section. The strain responses of resin bolt steel cores to local axial and transverse shear loadings are described. This information was obtained from laboratory testing of resin bolts installations; it was also used to analyze the data from the underground test.

Jan 1, 1980

By Gertrude N. Greenspoon

Legislation and Government Programs.-The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) held public hearings in early 1975 on proposed standards for exposure to inorganic arsenic. The findings obtained at the hearings will be considered to promulgate emission standards. Domestic Production.-Arsenic trioxide (As203) was produced domestically only at the Tacoma, Wash. copper smelter of ASARCO Incorporated. Production data cannot be published. Output rose 9% over that of 1974, shipments were less than half those of 1974, and stocks rose 31 %. Production of arsenic metal, begun by ASARCO in August 1974, continued in 1975.

Jan 1, 1977

By R. O. Kneisley

Rock mechanics measurements indicate that the present two-bed mine design used at the Big Island trona mine, Green River, Wyo., results in stable workings. Vertical pressure changes in the lower panel pillars and horizontal pressure changes in the lower bed roof and floor indicated negligible upper bed mining influence. Pillar stresses stabilized soon after upper bed mining was completed. Strata movements in the pillar ribs, roof, and floor were also negligible and stabilized soon after completion of upper bed mining. Using tributary area theory, the confined core approach, and studies of model trona pillars it is shown that increased extraction ratio is possible. A program of gradually increased extraction ratio accompanied by simple measurements should result in a mine design that includes both higher recovery and long-term stability.

Jan 1, 1981

By W. D. Monaghan, G. L. Mowrey, C. W. Ganoe

In addition to developing various types of coal-interface detection system, the US Bureau of Miner is actively in involved in developing a coal rib-thickness monitoring system for highwall mining applications. One particular system that shows promise in a ground-pentetrating radar system to detect the coal-air boundaries of coal rifts. Based on preliminary laboratory and field tests results indicate that this method can be applied successfully in highwall mines to maintain constant rib thickness. The coal seam should be relatively clean in the vicinity of the antenna (e.g., have minimal partings or dirt bands) for best results.

By Howard M. Stainer

Jan 1, 1963

By Howard M. Stainer

[Cover Page]

Jan 1, 1963

By T. T. Campbell

Research conducted by the Bureau of Mines demonstrated the feasibility of preparing columbium and tantalum metals by the application of Kroll-process techniques. Yields in excess of 95 percent were obtained in a modified Kroll-process reduction apparatus constructed from nickel and Inconel.4 Operating conditions during reduction and distillation were determined. Optimum temperatures during sodium reductions ranged from 650° to 750° C and for magnesium from 700° to 800° C with retort pressures ranging from 3 to 7 psig. Undesirable vapor phase reactions occurred when temperatures exceeded 750° C during sodium reductions or 850° C with magnesium. Vacuum distillation at 850° C effectively removed volatile salts and excess reductant from the reduced metals. Calculations based on the results obtained in small scale tests indicate that reaction rates of up to 34 lb/hr could be obtained during columbium reductions and up to 60 lb/hr during tantalum reductions in production scale reac¬tors. The small, laboratory-scale techniques used in this study could be adapted to commercial practice. The reduced powder or sponge metals can be consolidated by conventional arc-melting techniques, and the arc-melted metals can be fabricated into ductile sheet at room temperature. Analyses of arc-melted buttons prepared from Kroll-process tantalum or columbium showed that tantalum of greater than 99.8-percent purity was obtained and that columbium purity exceeded 99.7 percent. A significant purification of the reduced metals occurred when they were consolidated by electron-beam melting, and the purity and ductility of electron-beam-melted Kroll-process tantalum and columbium compared favorably with the commercial metals. After electron-beam melting, the purity of the tantalum exceeded 99.95 percent, and columbium purity was approximately 99.9 percent.

Jan 1, 1962

By Earl L. Phillips

The Bureau of Mines conducted laboratory tests on samples of pozzolanic-cement concrete to develop a low-strength backfill. Results show that support costs can be lowered by replacing a portion of the portland cement in mine backfill with pozzolan (fly ash) and lime. Unconfined compression tests on various ratios of fly ash to cement in 84 samples produced compressive-strength curves that can be used to estimate the best backfill mix for any mine.

Jan 1, 1981