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By E. P. Youngman

Prior to 1854 the provincial legislatures in Austria enacted their own mining laws. The confusion that resulted from the existence of different codes when mining began to be conducted by modern methods forced the drafting of a law to cover all mining operations of the country. Such a general law (allegemines österreichisches Berggesetz) came into effect May 23, 1854, in the old monarchy, with the exception of Hungary, which had its own special laws. This general law of 1854 is still the basic mining law for Austria, although it has been amended and supplemented by a mumber of acts.

Nov 1, 1931

By R. H. Grau, S. B. Robertson, F. Garcia, A. C. Smith, T. P. Mucho

Researchers working for the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) at the Pittsburgh Research Center are developing ways to protect the health of miners. Part of that effort is improving the air quality in metal/nonmetal mines by developing proper ventilation techniques. The air quality of large opening nonmetal mines can be greatly improved by using engineering controls of contaminant prevention and proper ventilation techniques. Contaminant prevention includes methods to reduce contaminants from entering the mine air. Ventilation can be improved with appropriate fan selection and fan operation used in conjunction with air coursing using manmade and insitu rock stoppings.

By James R. Jones

"The General Leasing Law, which provides for the leasing of deposits of coal, oil, oil shale, gas, phosphate, and sodium in public lands, was approved February 25, 1920.One of the outstanding features of this legislation is the fact that it opens for prospecting and exploitation lands and deposits which have been withdrawn from public use, some of them for several years, pending enactment of legislation better fitted to control the mining and utilization of the particular mineral deposits referred to. These lands are not only made available to the public, but they are opened up under a system which defines better than was ever done in the pas the rights which may be acquired under it.The oil operator, for example, under this legislation will know definitely the extent of the rights he has acquired, as well as the legal conditions under which his expensive drilling and other work of exploration are to be conducted. No longer will he be harassed by the possibility that while he is spending his capital in drilling operations in an effort to make a discovery of oil, his legal rights be contested, in which event the superiority of his claim can only be upheld -- if at all -- after long and expensive litigation. By the same token the coal operator will now be free from the embarrassing restrictions of the old coal-land laws respecting the amount of such land which may be purchased by one person.At the same time that these advantages are being enjoyed by the operators, the public will be guarded against wasteful methods of drilling and mining the oil and gas, and coal deposits, and the other mineral substances enumerated in the act, to the end that these products of Nature, which can not be replaced, may be utilized with a minimum of loss."

Mar 1, 1920

By N. W. Lord

The experimental work reported upon herein was performed at the laboratory of the United States fuel-testing plant on the grounds of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition at St. Louis, Mo., between Janu- ary 1, 1905, and July 31, 1906, and was undertaken for the purpose of checking the results obtained in the routine work of the laboratory, improving the methods of working, and investigating the chemical and physical properties of coal. The laboratory having been designed primarily for the analysis of the coal samples sent to the fuel-testing plant, as well as those taken in connection with the regular testing operations of the boiler, gas-producer, and other divisions of the plant, only a very small proportion of the time of the force was available for experimental work outside of the regular routine. From the nature of such work it was not possible to separate the results obtained in 1905 from those obtained in 1906, especially as many of the experiments, such as those on the alteration of coal, involved a long time and were started in 1905 and continued to the middle of 1906. This report therefore covers all such work up to its completion in July, 1906. The complete history of the coals used in these experiments is not given, the samples being usually referred to by their laboratory num- bers only, as such information is generally not necessary and does not affect the interpretation of the results obtained in the experiments. Fuller information as to any particular sample may be found in the published reports of the fuel-testing plant for 1905 and 1906. In the following pages the results of each line of experimental work are given under a special heading indicating the object of the investigation.

Jan 1, 1911

This report, which updates and supersedes the Office of Surface Mining's 10-year progress report published in 1987, deals with the accomplishments of the regulatory and abandoned mine land reclamation programs during the first 15 years of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA). Part 1 is an illustrated description of on-the-ground accomplishments; Part 2 presents statistical information for the 15-year period. The data in this statistical report are organized in two sections: national statistics and state statistics. The national statistics provide an overview of coal mining and the implementation of SMCRA since 1977. The information reported for the states presents a brief description of the coal reserves in each area, accompanied by detailed statistics and graphs that relate each state to the nation as a whole. The statistics compiled in this report are from the Office of Surface Mining's files, computer data systems, and annual reports. During the early years of the program, many of the data categories were evolving and changing; therefore, data reported over the 15-year period are not complete for all states for all years, and where data was unavailable or zero, a dash (-) is shown for that item. The data sources used to compile the tables and graphs are listed and described in detail on page 76. Due to the number of requests for this information in the past, statistical information about coal mining and its regulation will be available each year as an appendix to the Office of Surface Mining's Annual Report to Congress. Beginning in Fiscal Year 1993, this information will be compiled and published on an annual basis. For more information about this report, call or write the: Public Affairs Office Office of Surface Mining 1951 Constitution Ave., N. W. Washington, D.C. 20240 (202) 208-2553

Jan 1, 1992

By Launa G. Mallett, Robert H. Peters, Barbara Fotta

Due to variations in the thickness of U.S. coal seams, there is great variability in the height of the roof where underground miners work. Restrictions imposed by low seam heights have important safety consequences. As the height of their workplace decreases, miners must stoop, duck walk, or crawl, and their vision, posture, and mobility become increasingly restricted. Low seam height also places important restrictions on the design of mobile equipment and other mining machinery. Using the employment and injury data reported to the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) from 1990 to 19% small underground bituminous coal mines with less than 50 employees were stratified by average coal seam height according to the following categories: low (? 42"), medium (43"60N), and high (? 61"). Injury rates for both nonfatal days lost and fatality cases were examined by seam height and leading type of injury incidents. The leading types of Incidents associated with fatalities were roof falls and powered haulage equipment. In comparison to high-seam mines, miners working in low or medium seams are at higher risk of being killed by powered haulage equipment, roof bolting machines, and falls of unsupported roof. The leading types of incidents associated with nonfatal injuries were handling materials and powered haulage. As mining height decreases, miners are at increasingly higher risk of having a nonfatal injury from incidents involving roof bolting machines, load-haul-dump equipment, personnel carriers, and powered haulage conveyors. As mining height increases, miners are at increasingly higher risk of having a nonfatal injury from slips and falls and incidents involving shuttle cars and roof and rib falls. Knee injuries are a particularly severe problem in low- seam mines. The rate of injuries to miners while crawling or kneeling is 10 times higher in low seams than in high seams

By John C. Edwards, Gene F. Friel, John J. Opferman, Robert A. Franks

As the use of deep -rut mining increases, there - expected to be a greater demand for methane (CH,) measurement devices capable of scanning working faces al depths in excess of 10 m to alert mine personnel of hazardous concentrations of CH and to satisfy regulatory requirements. Remote optical devices offer the most promise to satisfy these objectives while the operator remains safely under supported roof. A second¬-generation remote Optical methanomeor (ROM) bas been designed and Is undergoing laboratory evaluation at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. It operates on the principle of differential absorption of the "u;' fundamental absorption band of CH, centered at 3.31 um in the infrared region of the spectrum. The new instrument differs from the previous prototypes by the replacement of the two hand pass differential absorption technique of measurement with a single filter gas correlation technique and a refinement of the amplifier and gating circuitry used within the unit. This results in a more accurate isolation of the CH, spectral absorption band centered at 3.31 um. A specially designed 0.4m-diam variable-length gas mixing tunnel was constructed and instrumented with CH4 sampling capability to calibrate the ROM. Experiments have demonstrated the ability of the detector to respond to various conditions of CH, (pn•m) at distances as great as 12 m. Thermal radiation generated within the instrument is the controlling factor in the drift of the output signal nod, therefore the reliability of the instrument. Several approaches to reduce this extraneous radiation interfering moth the infrared detector, described, such as the installation of a fan in the instrument and thermoelectric coolers on the detector's beat sink. Implementation of this technology will significantly improve the safely of miners.

Jan 5, 1997

Develop quieted, hand-held pneumatic percussion drills that can replace standard hand-held drills in many underground mining applications. The Problem Percussion drills are the noisiest machines used in underground mines; noise levels of 115 to 120 dBA are common, requiring the use of hearing protectors and limiting the time a miner is permit-ted to operate the drill during an 8-hour shift. Hand-held pneumatic percussion drills pose a particularly difficult problem because the operator cannot be isolated from the noise source (e.g., an acoustical cab), and alternative technologies for drilling roof bolt holes and blastholes in tight quarters are not readily available.

Jan 1, 1984

By T. Brady, R. Langston, J. C. Johnson, H. Kirsten

An experiment is described in which instrumented rock bolts were used to measure strain in the rock mass during drift development at the Stillwater Mine, Nye, Montana, USA. Two strain-gauged rock bolts were grouted into the middle of the rib next to the face. The drift was excavated in three advances, each one-half drift wide. Strains were recorded hourly by a data logger. Results show that the average change in axial bolt strain for the first and second advance was about the same and that there was almost no change in strain after the third advance. Bending strain was observed 19 cm from the head of the bolt.

By T. R. Waters, F. Li, R. L. Huston

This paper describes the development of a multi-body biomechanical model that can be used to assess the risk of low back disorders due to occupational exposure to jarring and jolting from operation of heavy mobile equipment (e.g., trucks, haulers, graders, tractors, etc.) The four-element dynamic spinal model is capable of providing estimates of the force and acceleration responses of the head/neck, upper, lower, and middle torso resulting from vibration input collected in field studies. The paper also presents a method for using the model output to assess an individual's risk of low back disorder due to a specific jarring and jolting exposure.

The generally disappointing results obtained in the present study, together with the high material costs involved, preclude any general recommendation for a continuation of the work. One recommendation arises, however, from some observations on the application of latex to spoil banks. It was found that dilute latex used on a slope of spoil bank material at an application rate of 400 lbs per acre (dry basis) stabilized the soil and made it much more resistant to washout by rainfall. It is recommended that a study be conducted to use latex for temporary stabilization and/or sealing of spoil banks before and during reclamation procedures, on coal slurry ponds and coal refuse piles.

Jan 1, 1972

By Frederick C. Trutt, Jeffery L. Kohler, Joseph Sottile

Twenty-five years ago, the former U.S. Bureau of Mines funded a research project aimed at developing the enabling technology for incipient failure prediction in electric power system components as a means of reducing the injuries and fatalities that sometimes occur when equipment malfunctions. Over the ensuing years, interest in this has waxed and waned, but recently interest has been growing for both civilian and military applications. This paper addresses the level of turn-to-turn insulation deterioration that can be resolved using an on-line monitoring technique. The detection of turn-to-turn defects is especially important because they are believed to represent the beginning stage of most motor winding failures.

By I. AITKENS

The group of gems included under the general name "feldspar" occupies only a minor place in jewelry. Feldspars, with the possible exception of quartz, are the most important of rock-forming minerals, but most occurrences are of quite ordinary varieties, without striking color and unattractive. Few specimens are suitable for use as gem stones, but occasional crystals that exhibit unusual brilliance or play of color are cut into various shapes for personal adornment or for architectural decoration. The best known of the feldspar gems, and probably the most important in point of production, is the moonstone. Amazon stones, labradorite, sunstone, and a number of less common varieties have been produced in various parts of the world.

Nov 1, 1931

By Charles L. Parsons

The United States produces all of the fuller's earth used for re- fining petroleum within its borders. On the other hand, most of the fuller's earth used in bleaching edible oils has been imported from England. Recently a few of the refiners of cottonseed oil have begun to utilize domestic fuller's earth, whereas others have been unable to substitute it successfully for English earth in their practice. Many samples of American earth distinctly superior in bleaching power to the English earth have come to the attention of the Bureau of Mines. For these reasons an investigation of the mining, preparation, and use of fuller's earth in this country, especially in its application to edible oils, was conducted in order to ascertain why our own raw material has been deemed inapplicable to our needs. During the calendar year 1912, according to figures of the United States Geological Survey," there were imported into the United States 1,970 tons of unground fuller's earth, valued at $11,619, and 17,139 tons of ground fuller's earth, valued at $133,718, these values being based on the wholesale market price at the port of origin. The addition of transportation charges, commissions, etc., make the price to the American refiner $14.50 to $16 per ton. Accord- ing to the latest figures compiled by the United States Geological Survey, the United States in 1912 produced 32,715 tons of fuller's earth, valued at $305,522, or $9.34 per ton, at the mine. Most of this domestic production was from three plants in Florida and one in southwestern Georgia and was used almost wholly for decolorizing petroleum. A small amount from other localities was used in the refining of edible oils. No figures definitely differentiating fuller's earth from other clays are kept in regard to our exports, but it is certain that several thousand tons of domestic earth was exported to Germany, and it is also true that German refiners of edible oils have

Jan 1, 1913

By N. S. Dalal, B. Jafari, V. Vallyathan

Electron spin resonance measurements have now been completed on the decay kinetics of the organic free radicals formed on crushing or grinding of a well characterized anthracite coal. The free radicals exhibit a complex decay pattern for the first few hours after the grinding, and a smooth decay thereafter. Parallel hemolysis studies indicate. a half-life of the decrease in the cytotoxicity of the fresh· dust to be about half-a-day. The cytotoxicity of the freshly-made dust decreases on addition of superoxide dismutase, catalase and sodium benzoate. The hemolysis rate is lower for the dust stored in buffers as compared to air. A chemical model will be presented to accomodate the cytotoxicity and spectroscopic data, and ~heir implicati6ns to pneumoconiosis.

Jan 1, 1988

By W. A. Heitbrink, M. Schmitz, J. A. Organiscak, A. B. Cecala, E. Ahrenholtz

Operator cabs on a front-end loader and a rotary rock drill were retrofitted with ceiling mounted heating1AC units and air filtration systems. Subsequently surface coal mine field studies were conducted to evaluate the respirable dust protection these retrofitted cab systems offer to the equipment operator. A significant 10: 1 respirable dust protection factor (ratio of outside to inside cab dust levels) was measured for the front-end loader cab with positive pressurization of the cab interior. Whereas an insignificant 3: 1 respirable dust protection factor was measured for the drill cab without positive pressurization of the cab interior. These results indicate that achieving positive interior cab pressurization with retrofitted cab filtration systems is a key element to their dust control effectiveness.

By Lambert Dolphin, George Oetzel, Robert Bollen

An electromagnetic sounder developed for an archaeological application in Egypt has been successfully tested in a California dolomite mine. Chambers in the mine 100 to 130 feet from the surface gave intense, well-defined echoes consistent with an average attenuation coefficient of 0.6dB/m and a relative dielectric constant of 11. By moving the transmitter and receiver units on the hillside above the underground chambers, various characteristics of the propagation could be observed such as dispersion, chamber aspect sensitivity and cross section. The transmitted pulse was one to one-and-a-half radio-frequency cycles long at a peak power of 0.2 MW. Frequencies employed were 16 to 50 MHz. The light weight, highly portable, battery-powered equipment is potentially suited to other underground sounding applications.

Jan 1, 1973

By Oliver Bowles

As the preface states, this bulletin is the fourth of a series of re- ports by the Bureau of Mines on different phases of quarrying in the United States. The first part of the bulletin describes the chief types of cements, the growth of the cement industry in this country, and the character of the raw materials used. The bulk of the report deals with quarrying methods and equipment, and gives especial attention to drilling and blasting; a chapter on rock mining and one on pros- pecting are included. Methods of manufacture are mentioned briefly, as that subject, except as related to quarrying, lies outside the scope of this report; but transportation methods and the effects of the man- ner of mixing the materials at the quarry or crushing plant on quarrying methods are discussed.

Jan 1, 1918

By Frank J.

The increased demand for aluminum for military purposes during World War II necessitated the development of domestic deposits of alumina-bearing ores. Kaolin, siliceous bauxites, anorthosite, and diaspore-containing clays have been investigated and studied in the laboratory and pilot plant. The Bureau of Mines is preparing a series of reports covering investigations of these ores. The tests contained in this report are restricted to sintering and leaching tests on kaolin from South Carolina, where extensive deposits were proved to exist. The leach liquors were found to have substantially the same composition as those produced from the diaspore-containing clays, and therefore it would be expected that no difficulty would be experienced in producing calcined alumina of relatively coarse particle size and with other properties conforming to the specifications for metallurgical-grade alumina.

May 1, 1947

By Fred Turin, Kim Cornelius, Lisa Steiner

NIOSH researchers have been examining underground coal mining activities in order to evaluate work crew hazards. In 1994 a continuous mining machine operator was killed by falling roof during extended cut mining. Many aspects of the incident were used by NIOSH researchers to develop a scenario interview. The goal was to provide a realistic framework for acquiring frank and detailed insights. The interview consists of two sections. The first describes the underground mining conditions. The second recounts the fatal incident. Each section is supplemented by a diagram and a set of questions addressing relevant safety issues. The interview was administered at three mines that actively take extended cuts. Researchers found the scenario approach to be an effective interview tool as well as an effective hazard awareness and safe work practices training platform.