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By Oliver C. Fursman, Lloyd H. Banning

This research was undertaken to determine the feasibility of producing steel from hydrogen - reduced , pyrophoric iron powder . Before steelmaking tests were begun , investigations were made to develop procedures for handling the pyrophoric powder safely , and melting tests were made in a single - phase , electric - arc furnace to determine inert gas requirements for preventing powder oxidation . Steelmaking tests were conducted in a conventional electric - arc furnace , usually by a two - slag basic procedure . Results of the research indicated that ( 1 ) pyrophoric powder can be handled safely and can be prevented from oxidizing excessively during charging and melting in electric - arc steelmaking furnaces ; ( 2 ) little , if any , more electrical energy is required for melting Cerro Bolivar iron powder per unit of contained iron than is required for melting heavy melting scrap ; ( 3 ) high - quality steel can be produced readily from high- grade iron powder , having recoveries up to 95 percent of the total iron ; ( 4 ) steel can be produced from simulated titaniferous , chromiferous , and manganiferous iron powders ; and ( 5 ) the electrical energy required for melting increases with increase in the proportion of slag - forming constituents in the furnace charge .

Jan 1, 1964

By J. W. Town

Recrystallization studies on chrome-bearing spinel materials were made by the Bureau of Mines to determine the effects of certain fluxing agents and cooling rates on the chromium-to-iron ratio of recrystallized spinel. Statistically designed and evaluated tests showed that the ratio of chromium to iron in naturally occurring chrome spinel could be increased from 1.5 to 1 to over 7 to 1 and that the ratio of chromium to iron in the chrome-spinel in a stain-less steel slag could be raised to over 18 to 1. Silica, magnesia, and lime had significant positive effects, while alumina had a significant negative effect. Cooling rates of 200 C per hour in a programmed spiral globar electric furnace were satisfactory for growing crystals of recoverable size.

Jan 1, 1967

By John Nagy, Austin R. Cooper, Murray Jacobson

Data obtained in the Bureau's study of dust explosions of 313 elemental metals , alloys , catalysts , and ores comprising 54 types of material are summarized . Information is given on ignition temperature , spark energy for ignition , minimum explosion concentration , explosion pressure , rate of pressure rise , and in some instances , the admixed inert dust and oxygen concentration in an atmosphere required to prevent ignition of dust dispersions . The effects of particle diameter on explosibility and pyrophoricity are also discussed .

Jan 1, 1964

By R. V. Ramani, C. B. Manula, A. Owili-Eger

PART 1 THE INPUT AND OUTPUT DATA AND THE MINE SCHEMATIC SHOWING THE FLOWS FROM COMPUTER SOLUTIONS FOR APPLICATION I

Jan 1, 1975

By Stephan Stecura

One of the principal objectives of the Bureau of Mines program for development of superrefractory ceramic materials is to obtain fundamental data on the physical properties of refractory oxides. Elements of particular interest to research workers in the Bureau include groups III and IV of the Periodic Table and the rare-earth group. This report contains thermal expansion and phase inversion measurements on oxides of scandium, yttrium, lanthanum and 12 lanthanide series elements (promethium and terbium omitted) up to 1,350°C, made by high-temperature X-ray diffractometer techniques. Thermal expansion values were calculated from unit cell dimensions measured at selected temperatures; with anisotropic oxides expansion was determined parallel to each major crystallographic axis. The combined random and systematic errors in the thermal expansion values are considered to be less than 3 percent of the total expansion at 500° C, and approximately 2 percent at 1,000° C, No difference in expansion coefficients was observed between heating and cooling cycles for oxides that did not undergo phase inversion. Tabular data of linear expansion, in percent, linear expansion coefficients, and graphical presentation of linear expansion as a function of temperature are presented.

Jan 1, 1961

By W. H. Coghill, B. W. Gandrud, F. D. DeVaney

"The self-fluxing iron ores of Alabama are the foundation of the thriving iron and steel industry of that State. In addition to these deposits of self fluxing ores there are seams containing practically the same percentages of iron but too much silica. These ores at present are valueless, but if they could be concentrated by reducing the silica content, the ore reserves of the Birmingham district would be greatly augmented. A detailed report on the iron-ore deposits of the district, describing the types of ore and their extent, has been published.In forwarding its mineral conservation policies the United States Bureau of Mines has given some attention to the siliceous ores of this district.The low cost of gravity concentration gives this process first rank in the beneficiation of iron ores. For this reason many experimenters have tried to concentrate the Alabama iron ores on tables. In the face of the early failures a new trial has been made and the results have justified the effort.In this work more attention than formerly has been given to the physical, properties of the ores. The removable siliceous gangue is in the form of oolitic grains which ""shell"" out like corn, leaving the hematite as rich high-grade ""slime"" and as clean granular grains. The ""slime concentrate"" may be recovered by well known desliming processes. The oolitic grains and granular hematite are separated on tables."

May 1, 1929

By J. Douglas Causey

The Bureau of Mines conducted mineral investigations of the Peace Rock and Deadwood River roadless areas in Idaho, in 1992. Literature research was done by the Idaho Geological Survey. The study areas contain black sand placers (thorium, columbium, tantalum, titanium, uranium, and rare earth elements), gold, and molybdenum prospects. Except for unrecorded placer gold, there has been no mineral production from the areas. No mineral resources were delineated, but a multi-million tonne molybdenum resource is in the Big Pine Creek area and a 142 million m' black sand deposit is in the Stolle Meadows, Peace Valley, and Deadwood River areas. The Deadwood mine produced zinc, lead, and silver. There are six mining districts in and adjoining the areas; Warm Lake, Deadwood, Garden Valley/Lowman, Banner, Summit Flat, and Grimes Pass. Few claims, mostly placer, were active in the study area in 1992. The study areas are underlain by granitic rocks of the Idaho batholith. Most of the deposits are alluvial accumulations of heavy minerals weathered out of the Idaho batholith. Stockwork and narrow veins along shears account for the base and precious metal concentrations. Eleven prospects were examined. Workings consist of drill holes, pits and adits. Geothermal resources (hot springs) occur mainly along the Middle Fork Payette River; Vulcan Hot Springs is a designated Known Geothermal Resource Area. Sand and gravel resources are of local interest.

Jan 1, 1993

By R. W. METCALF, A. G. Charles, F. M. SHORE

To furnish the information frequently requested by producers and suppliers as to the fuel requirements of the Federal Government , the Bureau of Mines , with the cooperation of the consuming departments and establishments , has collected the data herein , showing the Government's fuel consumption during the fiscal year ended June 30 , 1930. The following tables show the quantities and kinds of fuels consumed by the Federal Government in each of its departments and their principal branches , in each State , and in Alaska , Hawaii , Panama Canal Zone , Porto Rico , and the Virgin Islands . The separate departments and establishments were asked to supply information for each Federal building or other plant and , as to vessel fuel , the amount loaded at each port of supply . Fuels consumed in internal combustion engines are not included . The report does not include fuels used by Post Offices of the fourth class , since their fuels are not purchased by the Federal Government but are covered by an allowance in each case for light and heat . In some cases the data supplied represent receipts , which are approximately equivalent to consumption . The present study is believed to be the first effort to bring together the data representing the Government's requirements for the various fuels which it consumes . Figures showing the coal consumed by the Federal Government were gathered for the year 1922. These data are shown in an article by O. P. Hood and R. H. Kudlich of the Bureau of Mines , contributed as a chapter to " Industrial Coal ; Purchase , Delivery and Storage , " published by the American Engineering Council . The figures of coal consumption presented herewith are approximately comparable with those published for 1922 , a relatively small difference being due to the fact that the 1922 figures include the Philippine Islands and all other territory in which any coal was consumed by the Government . At the present time , the only data on Government fuel consumption that are published regularly are those compiled by E. B. Swanson , chief economist of the petroleum economics division of the Bureau of Mines . These are published annually by the Bureau of Mines in " Sources and Distribution of Major Petroleum Products , Atlantic Coast States , " and by the bureau in cooperation with the American Petroleum Institute in the annual " National Survey of Fuel Oil Distribution . " It is believed that the data herewith will prove of interest and value to the fuel industries as well as to Government consumers and that it will also afford a basis for measuring future trends in the use of the various fuels by the Federal Government . Figures showing the quantities of the various kinds of fuels consumed by each of the executive departments and independent establishments , are given in Table 1. It should be noted that when one organization procures and delivers fuel to be consumed by other branches

Apr 1, 1932

By William A. Beck

This paper is one of a series, describing current practice in diamond drilling for production at various mines throughout the United States. It describes the drilling and blasting methods, used at the Tennessee Copper Co., which started using deep-hole drilling for blasting in 1927, employing inde- pendent, rotation percussion drills with sectional drill steel. Since 1942 the company has employed diamond drills for deep-hole drilling. This method has now passed the experimental stage and promises to become permanent. The elimination of rock dust and safer working conditions for the drill crews are listed as the main advantages. The higher initial cost of equip- ment is the principal disadvantage.

May 1, 1948

By G. W. Birge

Fifteen coal samples, representing the Winifrede, Chilton, Alma, No. 2 Gas, Powellton, Eagle, Douglas, Sewell, Beckley, Pocahontas No.4, and Pocahontas No.3 beds in Wyoming County, and five samples, representing the Fire Creek, Pocahontas No.6, and Pocahontas No.3 beds in Mercer County, W. Va., were carbonized at 9000 C by the Bureau of Mines-American Gas Association (BM-AGA) method, and yields of products and physical properties of cokes were determined. Expansion characteristics of the majority of samples were determined in the Bureau of Mines sole-heated oven. Chemical analyses and agglutinating values were determined for all coals. The coals were mostly strongly coking and low in ash and sulfur content. Dry, mineral-matter-free fixed-carbon content of the Wyoming County coals ranged from 63.0 to 83.4 percent. The Mercer County samples were all low volatile in rank. Yields of carbonization products were generally in accord with yields from similar rank coals of the Appalachian region. Because of their expanding tendencies, most of the medium-and low-volatile coals would require blending with lower rank coal for normal coke production.

Jan 1, 1965

By H. F. MILLE, Charles A. Kumke

This paper describes mining operations at the Iron King mine of the Shattuck -Denn Mining Corp. in Yavapai County , Ariz . It is one of a series being prepared by the Mining Division of the Bureau of Mines on mining practices and methods in various mining districts of the United States . The mine and surface plant of the Iron King mine are situated in secs . 15 and 21 , T. 13 N. , R. 1 E. , about 20 miles by State highway 69 east by southeast from the city of Prescott and 1 mile southwest of the mining town of Humboldt on the Prescott -Mayer branch of the Atchison , Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad (fig . 1 ) . A l-mile truck haul brings the mill concentrates (lead and zinc ) to bins on a siding of this line at Humboldt ; the silver -gold bullion is handled separately . Some of the oldest residents in the vicinity of Prescott claim that the original location for the Iron King mine was made in 1880. The earliest recorded production was in 1906-1907 . During the first World War the mine produced fluxing ore for the Humboldt smelter . In 1936 the property was purchased under tax sale , and a mill (140-ton capacity ) was erected in 1938. The capacity of this mill was increased to 225 tons the following year , and a cyanide plant was added in 1940 to treat mill tailings . In 1942 the Shattuck -Denn Mining Corp. purchased the property . A new working shaft was sunk , mine development was speeded , and mill capacity was again increased . The predominating locally formation of this district is a pre -Cambrian schist known as Yavapai schist . The Iron King deposit , which carries gold, silver , lead , zinc , and copper , occurs as a series of lenses in a sheared zone of the pre -Cambrian schist . Down to the 600 -foot level the ore was mined and drawn by the shrinkage method . The cut -and -fill method was adopted for the lower levels . Waste rock for stope fill was provided by block-caving an area on the 600 level . Main haulage drifts were driven in the firm footwall , and crosscuts were driven across the mineralized zone at 100 -foot intervals . Grab samples taken from each car of every working place and channel samples cut every 5 feet in development work are considered sufficient for estimating ore reserves .

Jan 1, 1950

By Vernon C. Allison

The explosibility of coal dust has long been recognized by competent investigators as constituting one of the dangers of mining coal and in the use of pulverized coal as a fuel in industrial plants. The Bureau of Mines has carried on extensive series of experiments dealing with this subject, and has not only developed methods for the practical prevention of this danger, but in the, course of these experiments has developed a standard method of determining the relative explosibility of coal dusts and other organic dusts.3 Oil shale contains compounds 'of carbon and hydrogen that are either of a petroleum nature and are strongly ,adsorbed upon the incombustible part of the shale, or else are present in the shale as a compound ("kerogen") which has the property of changing into petroleum-like products when acted upon by heat. The oil shales may contain varying amounts of the organic matter, ranging from a trace to more than 66 per cent, depending upon their richness; therefore, it is important to know whether the dusts formed in mining and handling these oil shales are explosive when mixed with air and if so, to indicate remedial measures. This paper gives the results of explosibility tests of several pulverized oil shale's, selected as being typical of those which in the future may be used in commercial shale-oil production test on a sample of typical Colorado oil shale has been., published in an earlier paper.4

Jan 1, 1926

By C. A. Herbert

"Haulage accidents usually are responsible for about 17 or 18 percent of all coal-mine fatalities and about 21 percent of all non-fatal coal-mine accidents. When the relatively small number of employees continuously exposed to haulage hazards is considered, it would appear that haulage is more hazardous than any other phase of coal-mine operation.Haulage accidents have increased from year to year, doubtless due to the increase in electrical haulage, and particularly to the use of larger cars, heavier locomotives, longer hauls, and greater speed. Unless very definite steps are taken to eliminate the causes of these accidents, they will continue to increase rather than be reduced, as they can and should be.Underground haulage in many of the large modern mines of today is similar in many respects to railroad practice. In recent years the railroads have made wonderful strides in reducing accidents, and instead. of being one of the most hazardous occupations, as it once was, railroading is now one of the safest. Doubtless, if thought and action, similar to that given to reducing accidents among railroad passengers and employees, were given to safety in mine haulage, under¬ground haulage accidents could be reduced in about the same ratio.Haulage accidents may be classified, according to responsibility, into two groups - those for which management is largely responsible and those for which the employee is largely to blame; there is, however, an overlapping of responsibility from one group to the other. If, therefore, haulage accidents are to be reduced, it is absolutely essential that both management and employees cooperate to this end.In the first group, for which management is largely responsible, may be included accidents due to faulty equipment, moor track, a poorly arranged system of haulage, lack of clearance or of overhead protection, and dirty roadways; even in these features, however, the employee is not without a measure of responsibility, as failure of haulage equipment possibly may be due to lack of care on his part, failure to report when equipment is out of order, or failure to do a good workmanlike job of installing or repairing or operating.To the second group of accidents for which the employee may be largely responsible, belong those caused by such careless practices as jumping on and off fast-moving trips, coupling on the ""fly"", running at excessive speeds, failure to properly block cars, and similar hazardous and unnecessary acts of omission or commission. If, however, management condones such practices, or, as in some instances, insists upon them, it must accept its share of responsibility for the accidents that inevitably result.Some of the most prolific sources of haulage accidents will be discussed briefly, together with the steps that may be taken to minimize their occurrence."

Oct 1, 1939

By Sabri Ergun, Robert W. Smith, Victor H. Tiensuu

Factual geometries are considered for X- ray scattering studies of weakly absorbing materials by both reflection and transmission methods . These studies are usually made on slab specimens to obtain adequate scattered intensities ; however , the intensities are appreciably influenced by absorption of the X-rays in passing through the specimens . Conventional equations derived to account for this absorption are based on idealized geometries , but for polycrystalline carbons the use of idealized geometries leads to several percent error in the corrections to be made . Use of factual geometries substantially reduces this error .

Jan 1, 1964

By Ann G. Kim

Acid drainage from underground coal mines and coal refuse piles is one of the most persistent industrial pollution problems in the United States: This Bureau of Mines report reviews the acid mine drainage problem generally and describes research currently underway to combat it.

Jan 1, 1982

By F. S. LOTT

The number of petroleum refineries in the United States decreased from 399 on January 1, 1947, to 390 on January 1, 1948. On the latter date two additional refineries were under construction , a large one in New Jersey and a small one in Texas . This Crude oil charging capacity, based on complete facilities only , increased in 1947 from 5,569,482 barrels to 6,034,252 barrels per day , owing to material gains reported in all of the larger refining districts . great increase in effective capacity is only in part the result of the completion of major new units for crude-oil processing . Much of it is due to rearrangement and minor additions to existing facilities to permit more efficient and complete utilization . Recent experience has apparently demonstrated that many processing units are capable , with greater emphasis upon maintenance and precise controls , of sustained operations at higher volumes than were indicated in their old rated capacities . This situation doubtless has caused some upward revision in capacity data .

Aug 1, 1948

By J. J. Drost

This Bureau of Mines investigation studied the effect of thermal treatments upon concentratability of a western Mesabi Range nonmagnetic taconite ore and is a sequel to Bureau of Mines RI 7567. Magnetic tube tests were used to develop the data needed to calculate separation efficiency, the primary measure of concentratability. A horizontal tube furnace was employed to heat treat and reduce the hematitic ore samples. The two variables studied were roasting temperature and cooling method. The manner of cooling, either by slow cooling or quenching in water, produced no significant difference in concentratability. Roasting temperatures employed ranged from 500° to 1,000° C, and a temperature of 650° C effected the best concentratability. The temperature of 650° C correlated with the most effective roasting temperature for grindability.

Jan 1, 1973

By C. J. Walker, J. S. Miller

This work was done in an attempt to find a simple solution to the problem of simultaneously changing terminal rate and terminal pressure under conditions of unsteady - state flow in porous media . Although the original aim was not realized , a method for encasing a sandstone core that would permit high - pressure ( 200 to 980 psi ) flow tests and the use of electronic equipment to measure pressures at points along the core during unsteady - state gas depletion was found to be feasible . The sandstone core used in this study was from the Bandera formation of Pennsylvanian age , Redfield , Kans . The core , cylindrical in shape with a 3.5 - inch diameter and 6- foot length , had a porosity of 15 percent and a permeability of 9 millidarcys .

Jan 1, 1963

By Cleo G. Rall

The method for determining the effective porosity of oil- and gas-bearing sands described in this report is a development of earlier methods (28)3/ devised by the Bureau of Mines. The apparatus bas been improved and made more convenient to use, but the procedure is essentially the same as that which has been in use for maw years. A tabulation at the end of the report gives the results of more than 4,800 porosity determinations for oil sands4/ in the fields of 13 States, A selected bibliography of references to articles containing descriptions and evaluations of various methods of' determining porosity is included in this report. The method was devised and developed at the Petroleum Experiment Station at Bartlesville, Okla., as part of the Bureau's research on fluid-energy relationships and on methods of improving the recovery of crude oil from underground reservoirs.

Jan 1, 1954

By N. S. Dalal, X. Shi

"Electron spin resonance (ESR) measurements on solutions and isolated powders provide direct evidence for the involvement of Cr(V) species in the reduction of Cr(VI) by NAD(P)H. ESR analysis of an isolated Cr(V)NAD( P)H solid yields 6 11 = 1.9831 and 6.i. = 1.9772, indicating that the unpaired electron occupies the d22 orbital of the Cr(V) ion, with square-pyramidal geometry. Addition of hydrogen peroxide (H2 0 2 ) to the N AD(P)HCr( VI) reaction mixtures suppresses the Cr(V) species and generates hydroxyl (""OH) radicals. The ""OH radicals were detected via ESR spin trapping, employing 5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline-N-oxide and a-(4-pyridyl-1- oxide)-N-tert-butylnitrone as spin traps. The dependence of Cr(V) and ""OH radical formation on the H20 2 and Cr(VI) concentrations indicates that the Cr(V) species react with H20 2 to generate the ""OH radicals. Similar results were obtained by using various diols (arabinose, cellobiose, FAD, fructose, glyceraldehyde, ribose, and tartaric acid), a-hydroxycarboxylic acids, and glutathione. Investigations with superoxide dismutase showed no significant participation of 02 in the generation of OH radicals. These results thus indicate that the Cr(V) complexes, produced in the reduction of Cr(VI) by cellular reductants, react with H20 2 to generate ""OH radicals, which might be the initiators of the primary events in the Cr(VI) cytotoxicity.In this paper we report an electron spin resonance (ESR)3 spectroscopic detection of Cr(V) species in the reduction of potassium dichromate, henceforth called Cr(VI), by NAD(P)H and other diols. Also reported here is the detection of the hydroxyl (""OH) radical in the reaction between hydrogen peroxide (H2O 2) and a variety of Cr(V) complexes. This work was undertaken because while the reduction of Cr(VI) to lower oxidation states has been suggested as a key step m the mechanism of Cr(VI) toxicity, mutagenicity, and DNA alteration, the details are not yet clear (1-5).Earlier studies on the mechanism of Cr(VI) reduction in cellular systems include those on the reduction of chromate by microsomes (6-8), rat liver DT-diaphorase (9), and aldehyde oxidase (10). All these studies imply that Cr(VI) can be reduced to Cr(Ill) by cellular constituents. Regarding the mechanism of Cr(Vl) carcinogenicity, Jennette postulated that Cr(V) is the ultimate carcinogenic form of chromium compounds (8). This conclusion has led to many further investigations of the formation of Cr(V) in the reduction of Cr(VI) under biologically relevant conditions (11-33). More recently, however, Kawanishi and co-workers (34) have investigated the mechanism of DNA cleavage induced by Cr(VI) in the presence of H20 2 and have argued that it is not Cr(V) itself that is carcinogenic, but it is the reactive oxygenated species (02, 10 2 , ""OH) (produced by the decomposition of the Crv(02) ¾ - ion) that cause the DNA alteration."

Jan 1, 1990