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By M. C. Malamphy

A general description of the activities and results of bauxite investigation by the Bureau of Mines at its bauxite project in Saline and Pulaski County, Ark., has been given in Report of Investigations 4251. The factual data obtained during the project are reported in a series of Reports of Investigations beginning with No. 4251, of which this is the eighth. The data are accompanied by maps showing the location of holes drilled and the deposits developed. Each area upon which work was done is reported by half townships. Each bauxite deposit investigated was assigned a name and a number for ready reference and identification, and its location and name are shown on the appropriate half-township map. The description of each half township is no followed by a description of each deposit developed in that half township. The 14 half township maps and 77 detail maps of the bauxite deposits in this series of reports give the locations and numbers of all the holes drilled on the project, except the deep holes drilled to test the geophysical anomalies. The locations at those holes show on figure 13 in volume I. The descriptions of the deposits developed are followed by complete detailed logs at the drill holes. Many at the widely spaced exploratory holes did not discover bauxite of minable thickness and gra.de. The pertinent information obtained from the widely spaced exploratory drill holes has been summarized and tabulated, and a table for each halt township is given with the discussion covering that area.

Jan 1, 1948

By M. C. Malamphy

A general description of the activities and results of bauxite investigation by the Bureau of Mines at its bauxite project in Saline and Pulaski Counties, Arkansas has been given in Report of Investigations 4251. The factual data obtained during the project are reported in a series of Reports of Investigation beginning with No. 4251 of which this is the tenth. The data are accompanied by maps showing the location of holes drilled and the deposits developed. Each area upon which work was done is reported by half townships. Each bauxite deposit investigated was assigned a name and a number for ready reference and identification, and its location and name are shown on the appropriate half-township map. The description of each half township is followed by a description of which deposit developed in that half township. The 14 half-township maps and 77 detail maps of the bauxite deposits in this series of reports give the locations and numbers of all the holes drilled on the project except the deep holes drilled to test the geophysical anomalies. The locations of those holes show on figure 13 in volume 1. The descriptions of the deposits developed are followed by complete detailed logs of the drill holes. Many of the widely spaced exploratory holes did not discover bauxite of minable thickness and grade. The pertinent information obtained from the widely spaced exploratory drill holes has been summarized and tabulated. and a table for each half township is given with the discussion covering that area.

Jan 1, 1948

By M. C. Malamphy

A general description of the activities and results of bauxite investigation by the Bureau of Mines at its bauxite project in Saline and Pulaski Counties, Ark., has been given in Report of Investigations 4251. The factual data obtained during the project are reported in a series of Reports of Investigation beginning with No. 4251, of which this is the thirteenth. The data are accompanied by maps showing the location of holes drilled and the deposits developed. Each area upon which work was done is reported by half townships. Each bauxite deposit investigated was assigned a name and a number for ready reference and identification, and its location and name are shown on the appropriate half-township map. The description of each half township is followed by a description of each deposit developed in that half township. The 14 half-township maps and 77 detail maps of the bauxite deposits in this series of reports give the locations and numbers of all the holes drilled on the project, except the deep holes drilled to test the geophysical anomalies. The locations of those holes show on figure 13 in volume 1. The description of the deposits developed is followed by complete detailed logs of the drill holes. Many of the widely spaced exploratory holes did not discover bauxite of minable thickness and grade. The pertinent information obtained from the widely spaced exploratory drill holes has been summarized and tabulated and a table for each half township is given with the discussion covering that area.

Jan 1, 1948

By M. C. Malamphy

A general description of the activities and results of bauxite investigation by the Bureau of Mines at its bauxite project in Saline and Pulaski Counties, Ark., has been given in Report of Investigations 4251. The factual data obtained during the project are reported in a series of Reports of Investigations beginning with No. 4251, of which this is the fifteenth. The data are accompanied by maps showing the location of holes drilled and the deposits developed. Each area upon which work was done is reported by halt townships. Each bauxite deposit investigated was assigned a name and a number for ready reference and identification and its location and name are shown on the appropriate half-township map. The description of each half township is followed by a description of each deposit developed in that half township. The 14 halt-township maps and 77 detail maps of the bauxite deposits in this series of reports give the locations and numbers of all the holes drilled on the project except the deep holes drilled to test the geophysical anomalies. The locations of those holes show on figure 13 in volume 1. The Descriptions of the deposits developed are followed by complete detailed logs of the drill holes. Many of the widely spaced exploratory holes did not discover bauxite of minable thickness and grade. The pertinent information obtained from the widely spaced exploratory drill holes has been summarized and tabulated, and a table for each halt township is given with the discussion covering that area.

Jan 1, 1948

By M. C. Malamphy

A general description of the activities and results of bauxite investigation by the Bureau of Mines at its bauxite project in Saline and Pulaski Counties, Ark., has been given in Report of Investigations No. 4251. The factual data obtained during the project are reported in a series of Reports of Investigation beginning with No. 4251, of which this is the seventeenth. The data are accompanied by maps showing the location of holes drilled and the deposits developed. Each area upon which work was done is reported by half townships. Each bauxite deposit investigated was assigned a name and a number for ready reference and identification, and its location and name are shown on the appropriate half-township map. The description of each half township is followed by a description of each deposit developed in that half township. The 14 half-township maps and 77 detail maps of the bauxite deposits in this series of reports give the locations and numbers of all the holes drilled on the project, except the deep holes drilled to test the geophysical anomalies. The locations of those holes show on figure 13 in volume 1. The descriptions of the deposits developed are followed by complete detailed logs of the drill holes.

Jan 1, 1948

By V. H. Gottschalk

Sponge iron is a product resulting from the reduction of an iron oxide below the temperature at which the product melts. Commercial grades usually contain 80 to 95 percent metallic iron, 2 to 5 percent unreduced iron oxide, and an amount of siliceous gangue material depending on the pur.ity of the are used for reduction. The reducing agent may be gaseous or solid, and a large variety of procedures have been proposed for bringing the reducing agent into reaction with the iron oxide. Of the proposed procedures, the one that has the distinction of having been in continuous commercial operation for the longest time, from 1911 to date, was developed at a ceramic plant in Hoeganaes, Sweden, and yields? a product that has an enviable reputation as furnace feed wherever special, high-quality steels are made.

Jan 1, 1948

By M. H. Kline

The Cranberry magnetite deposits occur in pre-Cambrian granite-gneiss, in a belt extending from 3 miles southeast of Cranberry, N. C., to about 6 miles southwest of Magnetic City, Tenn. The belt forms a curve) elongated to the north, approximately 26 miles in length. The Bureau of Mines investigation has been confined to the eastern part of the belt, comprising the area from Fork Mountain, Avery County, N.C., to the Hcupscup Knob prospects in Carter County, Tenn. The deposits were worked at least us early as 1820. The Cranberry Iron & Coal Co. and its successors operated the Cranberry mine intermittently for about 50 years until 1930, when operations were abandoned.

Jan 1, 1948

By M. H. Kline, T. J. Ballard

"INTRODUCTION The Cranberry magnetite deposits occur in pre-Cambrian granite-gneiss in a belt extending from 3 miles southeast of Cranberry, N. C., to about 6 miles southwest of Magnetic City, Tenn. The belt forms a curve, elongated to the north, approximately 26 miles in length.The Bureau of Mines investigation has been confined to the eastern part of the belt, comprising the area from Fork Mountain, Avery County, N. C., to the Hcupscup Knob prospects in Carter County, Tenn.The deposits were worked at least as early as 1820. The Cranberry Iron & Coal Co. and its successors operated the Cranberry mine intermittently for about 50 years until 1930, when operations were abandoned.The magnetite rock is amenable to concentration. Numerous laboratory tests and pilot-mill operations have proved that a high-iron, and low-phosphorus concentrate can be obtained by fine grinding and magnetic, separation, the quality of the concentrate depending upon the extent of grinding. The principal objectives of the Cranberry project were threefold.The primary consideration for beginning exploration of the deposits was the need for developing additional deposits of high-grade iron ore during the war and for replenishing the war's depletion of iron-ore reserves for the peacetime economy. The emergency did not permit logical sequence bf development, and it was necessary to begin drilling before the geophysical survey was completed. The first drilling was begun at the Cranberry mine; and the holes were located from the geological data, coordinated with the position of the mine workings."

May 1, 1948

By Albert L. Toenges, Louis A. Turnbull, Alonzo W. Quinn, J. M. Schopf, Arthur Neale, R. F. Abernethy

"INTRODUCTION The fuel requirements for industrial and domestic consumers in New England, in normal times, are supplied almost entirely by fuel oil, anthracite, and bituminous coal. A shortage of these fuels occurred during the war. This shortage was caused by (1) The diversion of oil to military uses; (2) the use of railroad and boat facilities that ordinarily would transport coal for the transportation of war materiel; (3) the inability of coal mines to apply the increased demand for coal which resulted from the conversion from oil to coal by domestic and industrial consumers; and (4) the increased demand of war industries for coal. Because of this critical fuel situation, an investiga¬tion was made of possible sources of fuel nearer to points of consumption in New England. Meta-anthracite, which is a satisfactory fuel for some purposes, had been mined in Massachusetts and Rhode Island many years ago. However, the introduction of freer-burning anthracite and bituminous coal into New England markets resulted in the abandonment of these mines.The coal mined in the vicinity of Portsmouth on Aquidneck Island, Newport County, R. I., had been used successfully for smelting copper ore and for fuel. It is reported that this coal is less graphitic than the material mined at Cranston near Providence, R. I. The coal is meta-anthracite and does not burn freely. However, improved equipment for burning coal has been developed, and if minable reserves of meta-anthracite should be found, methods of burning it probably could be devised.The purpose of this investigation was to determine sources of additional fuel. Since meta-anthracite mined at Portsmouth had been used with some success, an investigation was undertaken to determine the characteristics and continuity of the beds in this area."

Apr 1, 1948

By J. S. Kennedy, M. M. Fine

"INTRODUCTION Barite is one of the major industrial minerals whose production has increased considerably in the last 10 years. In 1935 domestic production of barite was 218,075 tons and. had increased by 1944 to 515,136 tons. 3/ Most of the primary uses for barite and barite products were developed before 1935, so the increase in barite production reflects the growth of industry in general rather than any recent developments in barite technology.The principal uses for ground and crushed barrite are as a weighting agent in heavy drilling fluids, as a filler in rubber and other materials, as a pigment and extender in paints, and as a flux in glass melt. In addition, a considerable' quantity of barite serves as the raw material for the manufacture of lithopone and barium chemicals.Specifications for barrite vary widely and depend primarily on the use to which the material is put. The primary requisites for barite used in heavy drilling muds -are that it have a minimum specific gravity of 4.2 and be very,low in soluble salts. A minimun barium sulfate content of 92 percent may be specified; but this is less important than the gravity. 4/ In addition before consumption the material must be ground to '92 percent minus 325-mesh. 5/ Lithopone and chemical manufacturers require a minimum of 94 Percent barium sulfate, a maximum of 1.0 percent iron oxide, and not more than a trace of fluorine. 6/ Barite used as fillers in light-colored products should be of fairly high grade, but the filler used in dark products may be considerably lower grade.Glass barite should contain a minimum of 96 percent barium sulfate, not more than 3 percent moisture, a maxium of 0.2 to 0.4 percent iron oxide, and not more than a trace of titanium oxide. Particle size is a matter of some importance in glass barite, also. 7/"

May 1, 1948

By H. B. Hill

The Lake Creek gas-condensate field, Montgomery County, Tex., Was discovered early in 1941 by the Superior Oil Co. The field, shown in figure 1, is approximately 37 miles northwest of Houston, Tex., about 11 miles north of the Tomball, and 10 miles west of the Conroe oil fields. The field is on the downthrown side of a pronounced fault zone, and the general structure is anticlinal, with the long axis trending northeast and southwest. Production is obtained from multiple sandstone reservoirs in the Wilcox group of Eocene age between the approximate depths of 8,820 and 11,840 feet below the surface of the ground.

Jan 1, 1948

By William K. Cunningham

The investigation described in this report was begun as part of the Bureau of Mines progress to develop acid processes for the extraction of alumina from low-grade bauxite and. clays. A domestic shortage of high-grade bauxite sui table for treatment by the Bayer process became acute as a result of' World War II; an intensive search for a practical acid process using lower-grade alumina-bearing raw materials was therefore warranted. The laboratory development was described in a preceding Bureau of Mines publication wherein the basic theory for the design and erection of a pilot plant maybe found. A 2-ton-per-day continuous pilot plant was constructed and successfully operated at College Park, Md., which demonstrated conclusively the chemical and mechanical feasibility of a solvent purification process for aluminum sulfate. The estimated production cost of $38.64 indicates that under present market conditions the process would not be economically feasible.

Jan 1, 1948

By Bernard Lewis

The ignition problem: for a layer of firedamp bordering on a cloud of detonation products is evidently considerably more complicated than in the usual laboratory ignition experiments, in which a well-defined volume of gas is heated and the occurrence of ignition is observed after an induction period. An atmosphere of firedamp exposed to the detonation of a high explosive is subjected to heating by shock-wave compression and thermal conduction and to intermixing at the interface of the firedamp atmosphere and the cloud of deto¬nation products. Although a reliable physical-chemical analysis of the problem is not yet possible, one may nevertheless form a general view of the role of compression waves and the processes of heat transfer and diffusion at the interface. Near the mouth of a shot hole, or near a freely suspended cartridge, the firedamp atmosphere attains very high temperatures by adiabatic compression, and it is certain that such temperatures are sufficient to initiate chemical reaction. The pressure wave pattern is reproducible from one test charge to another if the initial experimental conditions are held constant; on the other hand, experiments on firedamp ignition do not yield a reproducible threshold condition for ignition, but only an ignition probability. Thus, the induction periods are sufficiently long that there is time for the compressed', heated gas layers to undergo random changes that may quench or promote ignition. Therefore, the analysis of the ignition problem hinges primarily on the discovery of the random events that modify the chemical reaction in the activated gas layers.

Jan 1, 1948

By A. W. Newberry

The Virginia copper district is situated in North Carolina and Virginia. It contains many mines and prospects that were active at the turn of the nineteenth century. The Bureau of Mines, as part of the strategic-minerals program, began a project in September 1942 to investigate and explore the most promising of the mines in the district. The Seaboard, High Hill, Durgy, and Blue Wing mines were the sites of the main project activity. This report deals principally with these four mines. Drilling did not discover any new ore shoots but indicated the persistence of known ore shoots in depth. There appears to be no indication of impoverishment of copper with depth.

Jan 1, 1948

A general description of investigative work conducted by the Bureau of Mines at the, Missouri Valley. manganese deposits and leading to tonnage and grade estimates has been given in Report of Investigations 4375, part 1 of a three-part report of work done between July 1945 and August 1947. Basic factual information from which tonnage and grade estimates were drawn was derived through the drilling sampling of 238 large-diameter bucket-drill holes in 11 widely separated areas. Drilling areas were selected after careful reconnaissance, mapping, and consideration of earlier work done on the deposits by the Bureau of Mines, State agencies, and private organizations and individuals. Stratigraphic studies permitted extending the results compiled within the drilling; areas to outcrop and lightly covered manganiferous zones between an beyond drilling areas. The locations of drilling areas, drilling sections, and individual drill hues are shown on illustrations in part 1 f this report. The individual drill holes, aside from providing the basic information for tonnage and grade estimates, disclosed features affecting any future plan As exploitation. It in particularly significant that a large part of the visible outcrops is faulted end otherwise complicated by slides that give a false impression of the thickness, vertical location, and even the existence of manganese-bearing zones.

Jan 1, 1949

By Albert L. Toenges

The State Division of Geology Arkansas Resources and Development Commission, and the Arkansas-Oklahoma Coal, Operators Association requested assistance from the Bureau of Mines in a study of coal-mining methods and practices in .Arkansas coal mines with the objective of reducing production costs. On October 7, 1946, a joint meeting was held by representatives of the Arkansas Resources and Development Commission, approximately 30 coal-mine Operators of the Arkansas -Oklahoma Coal Operaters Association, and representatives of the Bureau of Mines. The many problems confronting the coal industry in Arkansas, including mechanical mining in thin beds, costs, labor, and working time were discussed. Following this Meeting, a joint letter from Harold B. Foxhall, State geologist, and -P. R. Stewart, commissioner, Arkansas-Oklahoma Coal Operators Association, was addressed to Dr. R. R. Sayers; former ,Director of the Bureau of Mines, requesting that mining conditions in Arkansas be studied.

Jan 1, 1949

By Kenneth G. Skinner

The rapid growth of the metallurgical, chemical, and allied industries on the Pacific coast just prior to and during the war caused a sudden increase in the demand for refractories, which was the immediate cause of a revival in interest in refractory clays available on the Pacific coast, particularly in the Pacific Northwest. Population increases and shortage of shipping facilities caused an increase in the amount of various ceramic materials and products used and produced on the Pacific coast, with accompanying demand for information regarding sources of clay. In an effort to supply part of this information, the Bureau of Mines, in cooperation with the College of Mines, University of Washington, started a program in 1944 to test the refractory and other properties of clays from seven Pacific Northwest deposits that had been drilled and sampled as part of the Bureau of Mines alumina from clay investigation. Figure 1 shows the location of these deposits.

Jan 1, 1949

By H. B. Hill

The West Red River oil field, in Tillman County, Okla. (fig. 1), is approximately 8 miles northwest of the town of Burkburnett, Wichita County, Tex. The wells are in the river bed between the medial line and the south bank of the Red Diver. In the following discussion of the geology, development, and exploita-tion of the field, the authors have, by means of structure maps, crews sections through various parts of the reservoir and tabulated development data and production statistics, recorded salient information on a field whose development was unique and in some respects unusual for fields discovered and initially developed more than a quarter of a century ago. The total oil production from Government-operated leases; considered in the report was 6,900,440 barrels to January 1, 1947, from 3 proved acres developed by H1 oil-producing wells, 10 gas-injection wells, and 5 nonproductive wells. A calculated past recovery of 60P, barrels of oil per acre-foot and an estimated ultimate recovery of 6.S0 barrels of oil per acre-foot under present gas-injection methods begun in 1929 in shown.

Jan 1, 1949

By BUREAU OF MINES

In 1948 the United States became a net importer of oil. Coupled with an unprecedented domestic production of 5,900,000 barrels daily, imports approximating 500,000 barrels made available a total supply of 6,400,000 barrels a day. Thus, by a herculean effort, the oil industry was able to meet an extraordinary demand at home and, in addition, to ship abroad almost 460,000 barrels daily of petroleum and products. The country’s oil position now differs greatly from that prevailing at the beginning of World War II. Then, actual oil production averaged about 4 million barrels a day, and productive capacity probably was greater than 5 million barrels a day. As the demand of the military and industrial machine grew with the rising tempo of the drive toward victory, the United States not only met its own needs but produced about two-thirds of the total oil requirements of the Allied Nations, excluding Russia. As a people, we can be deeply grateful that the Nation’s petroleum resources were adequate and sufficiently developed to support such a tremendous effort. Even in those critical hours when immediate needs were the paramount issues, a prudent Congress paused to contemplate the importance of an assured long-term supply of liquid fuels. From these deliberations came the Synthetic Liquid Fuels Act of 1944, which authorized research and development work on new sources of oil – coal, oil shale, and agricultural and forestry products. Since World War II, a civilian demand for 6 million barrels of petroleum products has become the order of the day. By drilling as many as 39,000 new wells a year, the production rate has increased enough to meet domestic requirements by a bare margin. Some imports were necessary, however, to fill both domestic and foreign demands, and these doubtless will increase. Is this policy of exploration within the United States and the development of oil in foreign countries adequate insurance for the fulfillment of our future national needs? This question has two aspects – one purely civilian and economic in character and the other significant from the standpoint of our national defense. There are now approximately 4,000 producing oil fields in this country. At first thought, it would appear that production could decline in a considerable number of these fields without materially affecting the overall daily output. However, 48 percent of the oil comes from only 111 major fields which contain 60 percent of the total proved domestic reserves. It is apparent, then, that the flow from large fields – having proved reserves of 100 million barrels or more each – must be sustained if daily production is to be kept at the present levels. Essentially, this means that new major fields must be discovered about as rapidly, or perhaps more rapidly, than the older ones lose productive capacity. From 1940 through 1947, only eight major fields with estimated reserves of more than 100 million barrels each were discovered and proved – an average of one such field a year. The total estimated reserve of these eight fields was less than 1 year’s supply at the present rate of use. As drilling continues, some existing fields ultimately will prove reserves larger than those now known. Without a pronounced increase in the number of major discoveries, however, the prospects for increasing our present productive level are not encouraging. Any gap that appears between domestic productive capacity and demand could be filled with supplies from proved oil resources abroad. Assuming cheap pipeline and tanker transportation to the United States, freedom from exorbitant taxes and charges...

Jan 1, 1949

By Norma Golumbic

The primary purpose of the Bergius (hydrogenation of coal) and Fischer-Tropsch (hydrogenation of carbon monoxide) processes is the production of synthetic liquid fuels. This objective is of importance in insuring an adequate supply of motor fuels and lubricating oils in the United States. In the urgency of the basic research and process development work on synthetic liquid fuels, the possibilities for the production of synthetic chemicals inherent in these processes have hitherto received little attention in this country. However, the by-products, as well as the primary products, from the Bergius and Fischer-Tropsch processes are rich source materials for organic chemicals. The overhead oil from liquid-phase hydrogenation of coal, for example, contains benzene, toluene, xylene, cyclohexane, methylcyclohexane, aromatic solvents, about 20 percent tar acids (largely phenol, cresols, and xylenols), and 3 percent nitrogen bases. Wax, alcohols, and acids are by--products of the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis. In addition, techniques have been developed which make possible the production of aliphatic hydrocarbons, alcohols, acids, aldehydes, and other oxygenated organic compounds. These chemicals are more valuable on a unit basis than gasoline. Because of continued rapid expansion of the plastic, resin, lacquer, and solvent industries, larger amounts of many of these chemicals will be needed in the near future.

Jan 1, 1949