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Recommendations from 44 mining industry workshops are summarized and reviewed in the context of Bureau of Mines research and development programs on-going during the period 1974-1977. Approximately 1,000 specific recommendations for research and development are summarized in a systematic and comprehensive format appropriate for review by mining research and development program managers. Relevant Bureau of Mines research programs are briefly described and some opportunities for future research and development are identified.

Jan 1, 1979

By J. D. Bardill

"The Stoddard mine, Cheshire County, N. H., was explored by the Bureau of Mines in 1944 as a source of the strategic fluorite. It was reported that the vein persisted in the bottom of old workings and the geology of the immediate area indicated the possibility of finding additional lenses.In its program of exploration of mineral deposits, the Bureau of Nines has as its primary objective the more effective utilization of our mineral resources to the end that they make the greatest possible contribution to national security and economy. It is the policy of the Bureau to publish the facts developed by each exploratory project as soon as practicable after its conclusion. The Mining Branch, Lowell B. Moon, chief, conducts pre¬liminary examinations, performs the actual exploratory work, and prepares the final report. The Metallurgical Branch, R. G. Knickerbocker, chief, analyzes samples and performs beneficiation tests. Both these branches are under the supervision of Dr. R. S. Dean, assistant director.Special acknowledgment is expressed for the cooperation and assistance given by Robert F. Sherwood of the United Feldspar & Minerals Corp.; by McHenry Mosier, chief, College Park Division, Mining Branch, who aided in re¬vising this report; and by J. B. Zadra, chief, College Park Division, Metallurgical Branch, and others of his staff, who assisted in performing the beneficiation tests and analyzing samples. The field work was under the direction of Harry P. Hermance.The property lies on the southern boundary of the town of Westmoreland, Cheshire County, N. H., at approximately 72° 39’ west longitude, 42° 27’ north latitude, in the Keene, N. H. (G.S.) quadrangle.Good gravel roads lead from paved State Highway 63 to the property. A dirt road in fair condition suitable for truck leads to the nine.Dwight H. Smith, Putney, Vt., is the owner and has leased the property to the United Feldspar & Minerals Corp., 10 East 40th Street, New York 16, N. Y.Property titles were not investigated.The fluorite deposits of Cheshire Count', H. H., have been known for many years, being reported by Jackson, (Geology and Mineralogy of New Hampshire, by Charles T, Jackson, 1844) and by Hitchcock, in1878 (Geology of Now Hampshire, vol. 3, 1878, by Charles H. Hitchcock). A large pit on the largest or east vein was mined by Lovat Frazer from about 1908 to 1917, This operation is reported to have produced approximately 3,500 tons of fluorspar. In 1917, the American Steel & Wire Co, took over the mine end is said to have produced 3,500 tons of fluorspar before relinquishing the lease in 1923.From 1935 to 1937 the New Hampshire Fluorspar Cc. operated the Stoddard mine, working chiefly on the most westerly of the three known veins on the property, as well as doing some preliminary work on the small central vein. In 1938, the United Feldspar 6 Minerals Corp. leased the mine, and less than 100 tons of fluorspar was produced from exploration and development work, No mining has been done since that time."

Sep 1, 1946

By J. J. Forbes

This publication is a revision of the first of a series of four Miners' Circulars originally prepared and issued in 19'29 for use in a course of training designed to prepare mine officials to organize men for rescue and recovery operations. These circulars were revised in 1937 and 1938 and again in 1948. This circular (Miners' Circular 33) discusses mine gases and methods for detecting them. The second of this series (Miners' Circular 34) gives instruction in Bureau of Mines methods of sampling and analysis of mine gases; the third (Miners' Circular 35) describes methods and equipment used for protection against mine gases; and the fourth (Miners' Circular 36) explains procedures used in sealing and unsealing mine fires and in recovery operations after mine fires or mine explosions.

Jan 1, 1954

By W. R. Crane

Mining of the red iron ores of the Birmingham district, Alabama, has _gone on energetically for the past 50 years and has created a large iron and steel manufacturing center, the only important one in the South. The district produces about 10 per cent of all the iron ore mined in the United States and 80 per cent of the Alabama output is red ore ; moreover 43 of the 419 blast furnaces of the country are in the district tributary to Birmingham and produce 7 per cent of the pig-iron output. The rapid growth of the district has been made possible by investigations that have led to radical changes in furnace practice; studies of methods by which the low-grade, highsilica ores may be treated by concentration 1 will give still greater impetus to development. The· mode of occurrence of the ore has made mining practice comparatively simple, but with the rapid extension of the workings underground and the disturbed condition of the ore bed some distance from the outcrop, conditions tend to become more difficult. Stoping, handling, support, drainage, and ventilation are all affected, sometimes favorably and sometimes adversely, by the extended workings and increased depth of cover. Should beneficiatioil make available the high-silica ores of the lower bench of the Big Seam, mining practice must necessarily be adapted to the new conditions and will be rendered more difficult as the weight of cover increases at long distances from the outcrop. The support of workings will require more attention as the weight of cover increases, and the efficient and economical operation of the mines will depend largely upon improvements in mining and handling the ore.

Jan 1, 1927

By W. J. Wiehagen

The Work Crew Performance Model (WCPM) seeks to define performance variability within similar tasks of an underground work crew and relate observed variability to a cost consequence. Performance variability is described using work site observations to determine the adherence to job elements con¬tained within a standard operating procedure. Key components of the WCPM include (1) job definition through task analyses and the ranking of job elements by perceived cost consequence, (2) observational techniques for establishing performance baselines by measuring adherence to safe and proficient job procedures, and (3) cost linkages between adherence to task procedures and measures of consequence for noncompliance. Data presented within this report were obtained through the study of shuttle car operation in an underground mine in Appalachia. Observed adherence to safe and proficient job procedures by opera¬tors matched well with the consensus profiles (measured through a nominal group technique) with min¬ing personnel. It was also found that experienced operators consistently outperformed less experienced, incidental operators. These findings imply potential use of the WCPM as a practical procedure for thinking systematically about the choices available to reduce performance variability. Field application of the model can offer useful data to evaluate training and financially support performance improvement strategies that can be tested for their ability to reduce human error.

Jan 1, 1994

By Edmund S. Leaver, R. S. Dean, T. L. Joseph

The metallurgy of manganese has developed along the lines of iron metal¬ lurgy. Enough high-grade ore has Been available so that by reduction with carbon it could be turned into an iron-ma.nga.nese alloy and a slag containing some 9 to 15 percent manganese. More siliceous ores have been smelted in the blast furnace to form iron-silicon-manganese alloys called spiegel. When lower-grade ores came in for serious consideration, which lias only been since l°l4, two types of processes received the most consideration — hydrometallurgical processes to produce a concentrate which could be smelted like the higher-grade ore and processes involving concentration of the manga¬ nese from manganiferous iron ores by preferential reduction of the iron (184)1. Special chapters in this bulletin are devoted to the production of ferro¬ manganese from ore, the hydrometallurgy cf manganese, and the Bureau of Mines modification of the preferential reduction process. Other methods of producing manganese alloys from low-grade or refractory ores have been suggested and may find future application. Manganese has a very high affinity for sulphur and is particularly adaptable to concentration by matte smelting. According to Betts (26), manganese silicate may be smelted with pyrite to give manganese sulphide and iron silicate. This method would be applicable to concentration of either the silicate or carbonate ores. The sulphide, once obtained, could be roasted to oxide and reduced in the usual way. Another possibility for the production of manganese from silicate ores involves their reduction by silicon or manganese silicides. Swedish Patent 52290, February 25, 1925. covers the reduction of a slag rich in manganese by silicon-manganese alloy containing more than 10 percent silicon, Joseph H. Brennan (38.) describes the concentration of manganese iron ores by partial reduction with silicon. Beckett (7,4,19) describes the reduction of manganese dioxide with a manganese silicide for the production of standard ferromanganese. Beckett gives as a typical alloy, manganese 64.4, silicon 24.6, and as a typi¬ cal ore, 5S.5O manganese as MnO^. The product of the reaction between these two is 80.11 percent manganese and 1.22 percent silicon.

May 1, 1934

By R. E. Chaney

This report summarizes the research on the Strategic and Critical Materials Program tasks conducted at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL) between Mdy 1983 and April 1984. The work is divided into two areas: 1. Production Technologies - Tasks directed at developing advanced extraction technologies ? Biologically-Assisted Minerals Processing ? Metal/Gas Reactions and Thermal Plasmas ? Dehydration of Aluminum Chloride Hexahydrate. 2. Conservation/Substitution Technologies - Tasks directed toward establishing the technical processing base which will permit the use of advanced materials ? Joining of Rapidly Solidified Alloys (RSA) ? Joining of Silicon Nitride-Based Ceramics ? Nondestructive Evaluation of Ceramic and RSA Joints and Materials.

Jan 1, 1984

By THOMAS SOULE, R. I. C. Manning

The Phelps Dodge Corporation considers safety a major operating problem , both from the humanitarian standpoint , for this company has a real interest in the welfare of its employees , and from the economic standpoint , for it has found the safe way to be the most economical . In turn , a feeling among employees that the company really has their interests at heart has a wonderful psychological effect . It is bound to bring forth more and better work and to attract and keep workmen of the better class . There is keen competition between the various branches of this corporation for a trophy that is awarded each year to the one having the best accident record . This trophy was won by the Nacożari branch of the Moctezuma Copper Co. in Mexico in 1926 and 1927 , and the Morenci branch won the trophy in 1928 and 1929 .

Oct 1, 1930

By R. R. Sayers

The increasing use of hydrogen fluoride (annual consumption now exceeds 500,000 pounds (1)4/) directly and its occurrence as a byproduct of the utilization of fluorine compounds in the mineral industries, especially in metallurgical processes and in the refining of petroleum products, has aroused interest in its toxicity, and a brief review of the literature, with special reference to the hazard of poisoning in the mineral industries, seems to be opportune. Recently, residents in the vicinity of aluminum plants have been complaining of injury to livestock and vegetation as well as to their own health from the gases discharged into the air during operation of the plants, hydrofluoric acid gas apparently being the offender. The comparatively recent utilization of hydrofluoric acid in the alkylation process for the production of high-octane gasoline has raised the question of the hazard of poisoning in the petroleum Industry. In addition, the use of fluorine-containing refrigerants has extended the potential al exposure outside of industry (2).

Jan 1, 1945

By W. W. Adams

In mining coal, the Nation's principal mineral fuel, loss of life has been much lower recently than in earlier years when coal mining contributed so heavily to the industrial-accident death toll in the United States. Particularly notable has been the relatively small number of deaths during the past few years compared with the number that occurred 20 or 30 years ago. Reports received by the United States Bureau of Mines, covering all commercially operated mines that were active during all or any part of the calendar year 1935, showed that accidents during that year had resulted in the loss of 1,242 lives. This death toll, although regrettable, represents a material improvement over the industry's experience during most years prior to 1935, and especially over the industry's worst year, 1907, when 3,242 men were killed. Fewer lives were lost in 1933, when 1,064 men were killed at work, than during any year for which complete figures are available.

Jan 1, 1938

By M. D. Aldridge

The results of designing, constructing, installing and operating a ventilation monitoring system throughout an entire commercial coal mine is presented. Measured parameters were airflow, methane, carbon monoxide, temperature, relative humidity and differential pressure. A central computer provided for automatic system operation. Preliminary tests of two remotely controlled ventilation regulators were performed in conjunction with the monitoring system.

Jan 1, 1977

By David E. Siskind

A Bureau of Mines survey of noise from quarry production blasting was conducted at seven crushed-stone quarries, providing information on close-in noise generation, comparative instrumentation, and evaluation of the sound levels as related to blasting parameters and existing State and local noise standards. The results from this preliminary survey will be useful in the design of a complete investigation of the problem of noise from blasting. There exists an immediate need for technical guidelines for noise pollution control agencies presently working on the regulation of impulsive noise sources. This survey and results from previous work by other researchers are used to derive interim recommendations on weighting scales, generated sound levels, and instrumentation. These recommendations are based on the limited data presently available and may be modified with subsequent investigation of noise generation, propagation, structural damage, and human tolerance.

Jan 1, 1974

The first metal-mine accident-prevention course was prepared and published in 1942-45 as a series of seven miners' Circular (Nos. 51-57). The scope of the course has been broadened, revised, and brought up to date and is being published as a similar series of seven miners' circular pros. 51-57, revised) on accident prevention in metal and nonmetallic mines. These circulars are: Accident Statistics (Miners' Circular 51), dealing with general statistics on accidents and injuries at metal and nonmetallic mines, including causes, costs, and the uses of investigations and reports of all accidents.

Jan 1, 1957

By George K. Clement

Manual estimating method through use of equations, factors and curves for preparation of feasibility type estimates for capital and operating cost of mining and primary beneficiation in the United States and Canada of various types of minerals occurrences, except fossil fuels, using state-of-the-art technology. User should have basic estimating experience in the mining industry and/or related fields. Primary usage of this handbook will be for the preparation of preliminary estimate within a reasonable degree of accuracy with relative small amounts of hard input data. Output may be used to determine if a more finite type of estimate should be produced.

Jan 1, 1978

By Mark S. Sanders

The present study was designed to explore the contribution of organizational climate and management practices to the injury experience in underground coal mines. A cross-lagged panel design was used in which miners from 22 mines completed questionnaires assessing 27 organizational climate, structure, and function dimensions on two occasions, The results strongly support the hypothesis that climate and management practice have casual effect on the incidence of disabling injuries.

Jan 1, 1976

By C. Harry Benedict

This paper, describing the leaching practice at the Calumet and Hecla mills, Lake Linden, Mich., is one of a series on milling methods and costs being published by the United States Bureau of Mines. GENERAL DESCRIPTION The reclamation plant is located along the shores of Torch Lake at a slightly lower level than the concentrator itself. The entire location of the original concentrator, in connection with the present reclamation plant, has been ideal, lore particularly as the leaching and flotation departments are common to both units. After 15 years of operation and with the reclamation sands just a little more than half exhausted it would appear that the remaining life of the deposit could be worked by the present plan, without decided changes or renewals of plant or equipment.

Jan 1, 1930

By O. C. Garst

"The lightness and relatively high strength per unit weight of certain magnesium alloys have interested designing engineers for many years. Ever since the noted investigator Bunsen3/ first produced the element by electrolysis of the fused chloride in 1852, utilization of this light metal has been considered. Magnesium is widely distributed over the earth's surface in high-grade as well as low-grade deposits; it occupies eighth place in the list of elements arranged in order of their decreasing abundance, as there is 2.24 percent magnesium in the earth's lithosphere. Even though the element is distributed widely in the form of relatively insoluble: minerals and also as soluble salts in sea water and spring water, as well as being an indispensable constituent of plants and animals, the technology of magnesium was slow development. This slowness of development was first caused by confusion or the part of the early investigators who thought that magnesia, magnesite, magnetite, and the pyrolusite-type manganese ores were compounds of the same metal. At one time the metal that we now know as manganese was called magnesium, and magnesium was called either magnium or talcium. In addition to this coon, the chemical activity of the metal, especially at high temperatures, created problems that are still difficult to solve.With the advance of science in all branches, .methods for -he production of magnesium were developed. The methods first used for producing the element were: (1) reduction of magnesium salts with alkali metals,4/ (2) electrolysis of aqueous solutions of magnesium salts, and (3) electrolysis of fused magnesiun salts.The first attempts to produce magnesium by the carbothermal reduction of magnesia were failures as sufficient thermodynamic knowledge concerning the reversibility of the reaction between magnesia and carbon was not at hand. As the igneous electrolytic Method for making the element was more easily controlled than the others and. yielded more metal per unit of energy, considerable work was expended on the improvement of this process. The work in this field paralled that on the electroreduction of aluminum and the alkali metals. For several years the entire magnesium industry was dependent on this igneous electrolysis process for its supply of the metal, but as demand for the metal increased and more scientific knowledge was available, other processes were developed. Today magnesium is produced by the electrolysis of molton magnesium chloride electrolytes, the carbothermal reduction of magnesia, in arc furnaces followed by shock cooling of the furnace gases by a coin inert atmosphere, and the silicothermal reduction of calcined dolomite in stainless steel retorts."

Mar 1, 1946

By Lloyd A. Morley

This seven-chapter document is the first volume of a two-volume report that presents a comprehensive outline of coal-mine electrical power systems from theory to practice. Together, the two volumes contain the vital aspects that go into planning and designing a mine power system. After a short introductory chapter, Chapter 2 discusses the history of electrical use in mining and introduces "typical" mine- power-system arrangements. Chapter 3, 4, and 5 supply basic information on electrical theory, circuit analysis, and motors. Next, the Grounding and Distribution Chapters detail unique aspects of mine power systems. Elements of surface and underground use are included in all these chapters. An index concludes Volume I and is cross-referenced to both report volumes.

Jan 1, 1982

The following pages discuss the objectives, the background, the scope and a statement of the problem of the study of methods to improve the pillar extraction practices in underground coal mines. 1. OBJECTIVES The objectives of this project were: ? to determine the principal factors contributing to high accident frequency and severity in both conventional and continuous mining operations; ? to compare and evaluate the safety aspects of the "open end" and "split and fender" systems of pillar mining; to establish basic data required to decide what constitutes an adequate pillaring plan that will optimize efficiency, recovery, and safety; ? to determine what measurements or information should be collected, (e.g. roof sag, pillar stress,) to make on-the-spot judgment of impending roof or pillar collapse; ? to make recommendations to improve existing methods or to insure proper techniques are implemented, and ? to suggest areas where additional studies or new research may be of value.

Jan 1, 1975

This report is a proceedings of a briefing recently sponsored by the Bureau of Mines at which Bureau personnel presented findings from their research efforts to improve steelmaking techology currently used in the United States. The papers contained in this report address many areas of concern to the iron and steelmaking industry. Among these are improving arc stability in electric arc furnaces, preheating ferrous scrap to reduce energy consumption, fluorspar substitutes in steel-making, basic steelmaking refractories, corrosion of iron-based materials, improvements in stainless steel acid pickling processes, recycling of stainless steel dusts and other wastes, and use of wastes as a source of zinc for electro/galvanizing.

Jan 1, 1988