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By H. M. Thorne

The Union of South Africa has been interested in oil shale for a long time, and deposits of oil shales, torbanites, and similar rocks have been found in many parts of the country. (Fig. 1.) Samples differ markedly in oil yield and in the characteristics of the oil. The strata vary in thickness, and most of the deposits that have been found are in unfavorable locations because of remoteness from markets or absence of transportation facilities. This report deals mainly with the torbanite deposit near Ermelo, Transvaal, in the Union of South Africa, and the operations of the South African Torbanite Mining and Refining Co., Ltd. (hereafter referred to as Satmar), in mining the torbanite, retorting it, and refining the crude oil.

Jan 1, 1954

By O. M. Schaus

This paper is one of a series, prepared by the Bureau of Mines and deals with the Montreal mine, one of only two active properties in Wisconsin on the Penokee-Gogebic range. The purpose of this paper is to describe the conditions of occurrence of iron ore in a particular property and to present sufficient details of equipment and production methods to convey to the unacquainted operator a correct idea of the mining practice.

Jan 1, 1930

By George Quackenbos

The principal objective of this Program is the design, fabrication and testing of an Environmental System for operation in underground mines, to assess the effect of various mining systems on the contaminant levels near the mine face and within return airways. In order to determine the effect on airborne contamination in mines resulting from the development of new mining techniques, equipment and control systems, a Comprehensive Monitoring System is required to assess such contamination levels at critical and strategic locations and relate this information with ventilation parameters. The three variables to be sensed on a continuous basis are airborne dust concentration, methane concentration and ventilation air velocity. Each Monitoring Station will consist of a self-contained unit containing a power source and sensors to monitor the three above mentioned parameters. Ruggedness, reliability, ease 'of operation and intrinsic safety are important design objectives. Data gathered by each Monitoring Station will be fed to a Central Data Acquisition System by means of a portable transfer unit.

Jan 1, 1982

By L. D. Schmidt, Wm. Seymour, W. S. Landers

"INTRODUCTION The relative value of the various individual physical and chemical properties of coke as a measure of its performance in the blast furnace as aroused considerable controversy but it is generally agreed that uniformity in these properties is extremely important if maximum mum pip-iron production is to be attained. The control of,the bulk density or weight per cubic feet of the coal charge in the coke ovens is a major, and frequently overlooked, factor in producing a uniform product and in efficient operation of the coke plant.This report presents a brief discussion of the general problem of bulk-density control and the results of tests on samples of coke-oven charges from several operating plants experiencing difficulties due to lack of adequate control. These tests covered the effect of moisture and oil content on the bulk density of the coal. Some tests on the effect of a wetting agent and furnenous of gained were also made. A description of the methods used to determine the bulk density of the coals studied in this investigation and of the methods used to apply oil to the coal at byproduct-coke plants are included in this product. No theoretical analysis of the data presented in this report, because the primary purpose of the investigation was to obtain data of immediate practical value to the plants concerned."

Apr 1, 1945

By Jack W. Carlson

Considering the magnitude of today's public concern with critical mineral and fuel materials, regarding both their midterm and long term availability, the Nation is fortunate to have in place and operating the coordinated data systems of the Geological Survey and the Bureau of Mines. Under the supervision and policy direction of the Assistant Secretary--Energy and Minerals, these Department of the Interior agencies have long been responsible for important mineral activities in the Federal Government. Aside from their highly respected mineral industry publications such as the monthly Mineral Industry Surveys, annual Commodity Data Summaries and topical Professional Papers and Reports of Investigation, the Bureau of Mines and Geological Survey data bases and expertise have been readily available for use in emergency situations. Policymakers and decisionmakers in government have placed major reliance upon this ready mineral data and analytical capability in World War II, the Korean War, the recent price control era, and the Arab oil embargo.

Jan 1, 1975

By Joanne L. Johnston

Researchers at the U.S. Bureau of Mines have developed a new technique for bonding strain gauges to rock bolts. These instrumented bolts are used to determine load at intervals along the length of the bolt so that reliable, consistent measurements for the design of support systems can be obtained. In this Information Circular, this technique is described in detail and should result in improved miner safety in underground mines.

Jan 1, 1993

By S. L. May

The Bureau of Mines has developed several methods for extracting tantalum and columbium (niobium) and the rare-earth compounds from ores and concentrates. A cooperative agreement was made by the Bureau with Porter Bros. Corporation of Idaho to process 200 pounds of its euxenite concentrate by methods that had been developed at the Albany, Oreg., Metallurgy Research Center. The euxenite concentrate was processed to extract and purify the valuable metals by chlorination, solvent extraction, and hydrometallurgical techniques. Chlorination was used to convert the valuable constituents into chlorides and to partly separate them. Solvent extraction techniques were used to separate the tantalum from the columbium. The rare-earth and uranium compounds were purified by hydrometallurgical methods.

Jan 1, 1959

By R. V. Lundquist

Aeration in water slurries and controlled drying of manganous hydroxide produced from dithionate leaching of Artillery Peak manganese ores from Arizona were investigated by the Bureau of Mines at its Electrometallurgical Experiment Station, Boulder City, Nev., to determine whether a simple process could be developed for converting this product into a battery-grade manganese dioxide. The properties of manganese dioxide prepared by the thermal decomposition of manganous nitrate were investigated also. Manganese dioxide suitable for use in batteries was not obtained from the dithionate leach product, but some of the factors controlling its oxidation were isolated. Aging of manganous hydroxide was of major importance in retarding its oxidation by aeration. Sodium hydroxide and sodium silicate promoted oxidation by drying. Optimum quantities were about 0.85 mol of sodium hydroxide and 0.2 mol of sodium silicate per mol of manganese, and drying temperatures of 200° C. produced yields of manganese dioxide up to 90 percent of the manganese present. Higher temperatures and concentrations of reagents carried oxidation of manganese beyond its tetravalent state.

Jan 1, 1957

By H. W. GILLETr, E. L. Mack

The production of small heats of alloy steels on an experimental scale is often desirable in beginning the study of new alloy steels before large amounts of expensive alloys are used in heats of commercial size. Such small heats can sometimes be made up at crucible-steel plants, but few crucible-steel makers care to undertake experimental heats for other firms. Small electric furnaces offer some advantages over crucible furnaces for experimental work. Hansen1 in 1909 described a small 100-kilowatt single-phase, direct- arc furnace with a capacity of 50 to 300 pounds of steel, and such furnaces, of 200 pounds capacity or larger, are being successfully used by various firms for experimental work. They have the advan- tage of using the same metallurgical procedure as is used in prac- tice for larger electric furnaces. The very small sizes have the draw- back of lack of precision in controlling the carbon content of the steel. Small Rennerfelt two-phase, indirect-arc furnaces of 40 to 60 kilo- watts and small Industrial Electric Furnace Co. furnaces, single- phase with one electrode embedded in the hearth, of 25 to 50 kilo- watts, are also in use by a few firms for experimental work or for production on a very small scale. Hoskins carbon-plate resistor crucible furnaces are also sometimes used. Little seems to have been published on the use of these furnaces in making experimental alloy steels. Keeney' has given data on the making of uranium steels in a tilting Siemens furnace of 25 pounds capacity, and has described a small stationary Siemens furnace.

Jan 1, 1922

By S. W. Zoldok

[The Bull Valley iron-ore district lie,; in the northern part of Washington County, Utah, approximately 30 airline miles southwest of the highly productive Iron Springs area (fig. 1). Iron-ore occurrences in the district have been known for many years, but they have not been mined, largely because of the inaccessibility of the area. The Bureau of Mines established a development project in the Bull Valley district in September 1941. Two separate areas, the Pilot and the Cove Mountain, were investigated. The work was planned to increase iron-ore reserves for steel production in the Western United States. During the project period three diamond-drill holes aggregating 1, 000 feet were completed (fig. 2). The program also included 6 408 linear feet of surface trenching and 171 feet of underground work (figs. 2 to 8, inclusive). Analyses were made of 460 samples from the diamond-drill holes and surface and underground excavations. The results of the analyses are given in tables 1, 2, 4, and 5, and the logs of the diamond-drill holes are shown in table 3. Field. work was completed in September 1942.]

Jan 1, 1953

By Martin H. Rogoff

The presence of antibiotic materials extractable with polar organic solvents was demonstrated in coals of various ranks. Since these antibiotics occur in low concentrations, 200 pounds of a high-volatile C coal was extracted with acetone at room temperature to obtain sufficient material for detailed study. The biologically active materials in the extract were concentrated by extracting with aqueous sodium hydroxide. The fractions soluble in sodium hydroxide inhibited bacterial cultures when present in concentrations comparable to those at which other antibiotics are active (5 µg/ml). Steam distillation of the extracts did not yield highly active materials, contrary to the finds of other investigators. Mass spectrometry of the extract indicated, mainly, the presence of 6-ring compounds in the region of mass 324 to 392. The predominance of 3-ring aromatic systems found by ultraviolet analysis suggests compounds such as biphenanthryl or similar structures. The activity of the hydroxide- soluble material decreased markedly when the phenolic hydroxyl groups were transformed into trimethylsilyl ethers. Hydrolysis of the ethers yielded a product having the same activity as the original material, which indicates that phenolic compounds are largely responsible for the antibiotic activity observed.

Jan 1, 1963

Metals From Oil Shale. -A Geological Survey News Release in mid-January indicated that a surface sample analysis of oil shale in central Montana found a ton of shale to contain up to 13 pounds of zinc, 2 pounds of nickel, 1.8 pounds of molybdenum, 16 pounds of vanadium oxide, and nearly a quarter pound of selenium. It might be possible to recover some of these metals economically on a byproduct basis. The shale in central Montana was also estimated to contain 180 billion barrels of synthetic crude oil, which compares to estimated oil reserves in the Middle East of 360 billion barrels. Merchant Fleet Dwindles. -The National Maritime Council reports that although the U.S. is the world's largest trading power and that well over 90% of its foreign trade is conducted by shipping, the U.S. fleet is tenth in absolute numbers and less than 5% of its foreign trade is carried on U.S. ships. In 30 years, the U.S. fleet has dwindled from over 4,000 oceangoing vessels to about 600. U.S. ships carry less than 2% of imported iron ore, bauxite, and tungsten, and only 3% of oil imports.

Jan 1, 1981

By J. R. Long

The Federal Bureau of Mines has pioneered the work of preparing ductile titanium on a large scale and has also determined the basic properties of this new and most interesting metal. A number of reports (1, 2, 3: 4, 5) have al-ready been published, and considerable interest has been aroused in a number of industrial and research laboratories. Some of these laboratories have also published results of their work on the pure metal. Although the properties of titanium itself are quite promising, it is apparent that considerable improvement may be expected by alloying titanium with other metals. That is, pure metals in general have shown relatively large improvements in properties when alloyed with other metals and titanium is not considered to be an exception to the rule. Therefore, the emphasis of the investigations now under way in the Federal Bureau of Mines Laboratories has been placed on the study of the alloys of titanium, particularly the titanium-rich alloys. While the main interest is in the properties of such alloys, proper direction and evaluation of the work require at least a rough outline of the phase boundaries of the alloy systems involved.

Jan 1, 1949

By David Bendersky

The principal objectives of this study are to: (1) survey electrical practices in metal and non-metal mines, (2) survey electrical practices in metal and non-metal mills, (3) clarify the federal regulations governing electrical practices in metal and non-metal mines/mills, (4) analyze electrical accidents, and (5) make recommendations aimed at improvement of the safety of electrical practices in metal and non-metal mines. Information was obtained from literature searches, accident reports, visits to 27 mines and 12 mills, and discussions with knowledgeable industry and government people. The various electrical power systems and practices at the mines and mills visited are described. Similarities and differences based on the type of mining and the minerals being mined or milled are presented. The federal regulations governing metal/non-metal mine/mill electrical practices (Code of Federal Regulations, Title 30, Sections 55.12, 56.12, and 57.12) are presented and discussed. Explanations of each regulation are provided in an appendix. The attitudes of mine/mill operators towards the federal regulations are described. An analysis of the electrical accidents in metal/non-metal mines and mills during the period 1972-1978 is presented. Recommendations, including specific research and development activities, aimed at improvement of electrical safety in metal/non-metal mines are submitted.

Jan 1, 1980

By R. L. Handy

The goal of this research was to adapt the highly successful rock borehole shear test for use in deep, small-diameter boreholes. Operating somewhat on the principle of a rock bolt, the borehole shear test measures both the expansion pressure and pulling force to give discrete measures of rock shearing strength as a function of the applied normal pressure. A new instrument was designed and built to fit into a 2-3/8 inch diameter hole. Unfortunately the design became so complicated, the operation is nut reliable. This is attributed to constraints of the small hole, and added requirements of an in-hole anchor to push against, and a rotating shear plate cleaner for repeated tests down-hole. A clue to the d: vice complexity is its length, which is over 10 feet. Furthermore it employs concentric cylinders and one hydraulic cylinder bored into the piston of another, or it would be even longer. Meanwhile drilling technology has advanced to greatly reduce costs of drilling 5- or 6-inch diameter holes. The downhole tester therefore should be redesigned and simplified for use in a larger diameter drill hole.

Jan 1, 1982

By E. J. Ostrowski

The Bureau of Mines experimental blast furnace, Bruceton, Pa., was operated to determine the feasibility of replacing part of the burden coke requirements with solid fuels injected directly into the smelting zone. This report describes preliminary experiments and information resulting from such an interchange. These experiments were made on an all-sinter burden, using two parts sinter to one part fuel. Anthracite fines were injected intermittently into the smelting zone of the furnace by compressed air through auxiliary tuyeres. The interval between injection periods ranged from 5 to 15 minutes. A maximum of 28 percent of the stock column coke bur-den was replaced. This percentage replacement caused furnace malfunction, but the overall percentage of these experiments indicated that 20 to 24 percent of the coke requirements could be replaced in this way. The metallurgical coke consumption was decreased by as much as 377 pounds (25.3 percent) per ton of pig metal produced. Buckwheat anthracite No.4 was used in this experiment; however, such solids as bituminous coal or coke fines also could be used. The frequency as well as the quantity of solid fuel injected has a direct bearing on furnace performance.

Jan 1, 1960

By Suresh K. Bhatt

This U.S. Bureau of Mines report reviews major developments in continuous haulage technology for underground coal mines. Haulage systems, both in use and under development, were investigated through a comprehensive literature search and visits to mines and manufacturers. The systems include flexible conveyor train, mobile conveyor, monorail bridge conveyor, multiple-unit continuous haulage, extensible, and belt turning systems. Strengths and weaknesses of the systems are assessed in light of their operating under remote control and their application to the computer-assisted continuous mining machine research being conducted by the Bureau. Through mining scenarios, candidate haulage systems are conceptualized to be consistent with the capabilities of the mining machine.

Jan 1, 1991

By Michael J. Magyar

This report contains a cost estimate of the Bureau of Mines process for dewatering Alaskan placer effluent streams with polyethylene oxide (PEO). In this process effluent slurry is withdrawn from the placer plant pond system after a primary settling stage. A dilute PEO solution is injected into the slurry line to flocculate the fine, suspended solids. The flocculated solids are dewatered on a stationary screen. Clarified water is returned to the placer operation or discharged, while the 35 percent solids waste is pumped back into the mine cut. Cost estimates are presented for dewatering plants processing 1,000 gallons per minute of effluent slurry at three representative turbidity levels. Both the placer and the dewatering plants operate on the same 1-shift-per-day, 6-day-per-week schedule for the 100-day Alaskan operating season. Estimated fixed capital costs for these plants processing placer with effluent turbidities of 1,000, 3,000, and 5,000 nephelometric turbidity units (NTU) are approximately $29,000, $31,000, and $34,000, respectively, on a fourth quarter 1986 basis. Operating costs are estimated to be $0.34, $0.37, and $0.40 per thousand gallons of effluent slurry.

Jan 1, 1987

By A. Soderberg

This paper describing the mining practice at the Utah Copper Co., Bingham Canyon, Utah, is one of a series being prepared by the Bureau of Mines on mining practices, methods, and costs in the various mining districts of the United States. The Utah Copper Co. operates the low-grade open-out copper mine at Bingham Canyon, Utah, which is 30 miles in a southwesterly direction from Salt Lake City. In addition to the mine the company operates two flotation concentrators, the Magma plant and the Arthur plant, which have a combined capacity at maximum metallurgical efficiency of 60,000 tons daily. The concentrators are at Magna, about 18 miles from the mine. The company operates its own standard-gage railway, known as the Bingham and Garfield Railway, between the mine and the mills (fig. 1). Concentrates are smelted at the Garfield smelter of the American Smelting and Refining Co., situated 4 miles from the mills.

Jan 1, 1930

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

7. Development of Acoustic Seal Checking System The acoustic approach was shown in Section 4 of this report to be the most promising concept for checking the seals. This section describes the development of this concept into a working hardware system to be used later in the field test program. This development effort included: (1) Theoretical analysis of the acoustic behavior in the mine using acoustic modeling- techniques. (2) Experimental determination of acoustic patterns in mine passages. (3) Refinement of the theoretical model. (4) Verification of final theoretical predictions in the quarter-scale laboratory model of a mine passage and seal. (5) Development of system specifications. (6) Development of the Acoustic Prototype Seal Checking System. 7. 1 Analysis of the Acoustic Seal Checker Concept The acoustic seal checker concept is based on a model which combines corridor acoustics and hole transmission theory. The idealized model for the mine sealing application is shown schematically in Figure 66. A high intensity acoustic- source is located in a corridor at a, position adjacent to the location to be sealed. The acoustic signal transmitted through the seal is monitored by a microphone pick-up placed on the opposite side.

Jan 1, 1973