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By Robert S. Schechter

This report describes the development and application of PHASEQ/FLOW, a geochemical flow simulator capable of describing the dynamic changes in chemical composition of an aqueous solution during flow in a permeable medium. The solution components can react through intraaqueous reactions, redox, precipitation, or dissolution. The assumption of local thermodynamic equilibrium ensures maximum generality with respect to the number of species and components possible; however, the fluid flow itself is limited to one-dimension. The report describes several applications: generic batch equilibria, flowing equilibria, uranium roll-front deposition, and roll-front leaching.

Jan 1, 1985

By J. J. Taber

This is the final report on Grant No. G0144067. The report presents the results of a number of laboratory studies carried cut in several different ways to determine the effectiveness of foam for blocking the flow of gas in coal. The effectiveness; (of foam for retarding or blocking the flow gas in various porous media has been observed by many investigators1-4 but we are not aware of similar detailed studies in coal. Because of the diversity of our experiments, the key findings and general conclusions are presented very briefly in Section II. As a convenience to the reader a complete table of cements is included to enable the reader to find those experiments and studies of greatest interest.

Jan 1, 1976

By T. F. Myners

This paper, describing the concentration methods and costs of Witherbee, Sherman and Company at Mineville, N. Y., is one of the series of papers on milling methods and costs being prepared by the United States Bureau of Mines. It deals principally with the production of high-grade concentrate. ACKNOWLEDGMENT The author is indebted to C. F. Jackson, principal mining engineer, United States Bureau of Mines, to A. M. Cummings, general superintendent of Witherbee, Sherman and Company, and to the company's engineering staff, for assistance in preparing this paper.

Jan 1, 1932

A compilation of papers presented at the Fifth WVU Conference on Coal Mine Electrotechnology in Morgantown, West Virginia, on July 30, 31, and August 1, 1980. Papers cover areas of electromagnetics/power systems, power systems, monitoring and control, and communications.

Jan 1, 1980

The purpose of this study is to formulate practical guidelines for active underground mining in close proximity to water bodies. This was accomplished through systematic completion of three phases of study: I) Collection and Documentation of Data; II) Application of Existing Guidelines to Case Histories of Previous Inundations; and III) Development of Recommended Guidelines for Underground Coal Mining Near Bodies of Water. Phase I of the study involved a worldwide data collection effort designed to obtain foreign and domestic guidelines for mining near water bodies, and accident records and case histories of accidental mine inundations. Within Phase II, existing guidelines were categorized and classified and then evaluated as to their effectiveness in precluding past inundations had they been in effect at the time of inrush. Advantages and disadvantages of existing guidelines were defined. Drawing on the broad data base established in previous study efforts, Phase III was directed at development of viable guidelines to promote the greatest possible coal extraction while precluding accidental mine inundation. Two levels of guidelines are presented; Level I Guidelines require little or no subsurface exploration on the part of the mine operator, while Level II Guidelines recommend various testing and investigative procedures to permit greatest possible mineral extraction. This report presents findings and conclusions of the study.

Jan 1, 1976

By LeRoy D. Loy

The disposal of excess overburden from surface mining can be accomplished by use of a reclamation technique entitled head-of-hollow or valley fill. This report attempts to assess current valley fill regulations and practices, identifies inherent benefits and deficiencies, and develops concepts to enhance fill technology.

Jan 1, 1978

By James P. Ludwig

This report provides the results of a two year study of the projected time and cost requirements for new mine development in Wisconsin and is based on a unique blend of information from mining company officials, state regulatory agency officials and contractor experience. Through formal cooperative and review agreements with Kennecott Copy per Corporation, Exxon Minerals Co., U.S.A. and Noranda Mines Ltd., and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources plus informal arrangements with knowledgeable Wisconsin persons, lists of the tasks and subtasks required to plan a new mine in Wisconsin were developed. Times and costs were assigned to all tasks and subtasks and these data reviewed by all cooperators. Critical Path Method Diagrams were then developed for a generalized mining project. Total time and cost for the premine planning process was estimated to be 25..1 years and 223 person-years of professional time excluding public affairs effort respectively. By eliminating redundancies in the process and by increasing project efficiency through early public review and participation, recom¬mendations were made to lessen the time and lower the cost of premine planning. The streamlining recommendations could shorten the overall critical path length to 18.16 years and lower the cost to 208 person-years of professional time excluding public affairs effort. The estimated distribution of professional effort (cost) for mine planning in Wisconsin approximates 50.5% for traditional mine engineering tasks, 36.6% for environmental-regulatory tasks and 12.9% for traditional geological-exploration tasks.

Jan 1, 1979

By Chas. F. Jackson

During the past 5 years the Bureau of Mines has published information circulars dealing with mining methods and costs at 78 ore mines; 7 circulars, each of which is devoted to a discussion of one of the principal mining, methods; and 23 circulars dealing with special phases of mining, such as ventilation, shaft sinking, tunnel driving, the cost of equipping and developing prospects and small mines, underground transportation, diamond drilling, and ground support. These circulars were written by many different authors, and in order that the method of presentation and the basis for compilation of data might be the same in all the papers the Bureau drafted an outline to be followed in their preparation. To clarify the data in these circulars, which are in the libraries of many engineers and mining companies, and the summarized data presented in this paper, that portion of the outline dealing with cost and labor-performance data is reproduced below.

Jan 1, 1934

By Charles Enzian, Donald F. MacDonald

It is a far cry from the small and uncertain mining efforts of 50 years ago to the splendidly equipped and solidly financed organiza- tions that now handle thousands of tons of ore per day. The old mining was largely speculative; the new is practically on a manu- facturing basis. In the old days of mining the aim was, chiefly, to find comparatively rich ore; modern practice looks more toward efficiency in mining and milling, so that vast tonnages of low-grade material may be worked at a profit. The old operators had faith and hoped for good returns; the new ascertain with a fair degree of precision what the available tonnage is, what the cost of mining and treating the ore will be, the time necessary to exhaust the deposit, the capital required, and the net profits to be made. The old mining was financed on a highly speculative basis, and the value of mining stock was largely controlled by the imaginations of the promoters and of the individual holders. In the new régime the financing of mines is often as conservative as the financing of manufactures or railroads, and the value of stock, quoted on the leading exchanges, is controlled by the carefully estimated profits in sight. Of course, with every legitimate industrial enterprise go certain business risks, and mining is not exempted from these. Then, too, valueless mining as well as valueless industrial stocks are sometimes offered for sale by the intentionally dishonest, or the ignorant. However, the prospective purchaser of a mine nowadays, if he is willing to pay for the services of reputable mining engineers, can obtain information on which to base an opinion as to the quality of his investment. The relatively recent development of cheap and efficient methods of mining and of ore dressing has given value to low-grade ore bodies that a few years ago were almost valueless. The iron mines of northern Minnesota have been fruitful in developing efficiency in mining methods, notably the open-cut methods in which steam shovels strip off the overburden and then load the ore directly into railroad trains for transport to the furnace. In 1907 open-cut mining was applied to the low-grade copper ores of Bingham, Utah, with splendid results, and since then it has won a most important place in the min- ing of large masses of low-grade ores in several other mining regions, especially at Santa Rita, N. Mex.

Jan 1, 1916

By D. J. Parker

Because of its convenience and availability, natural gas (and to a much less extent manufactured gas) in being used more generally throughout the country for domestic and industrial purposes. With this use, specific and little-recognized hazards have arisen owing principally to the fact that the public and the consumer lack knowledge of the explosive property of this fuel. During the past 8 years gas explosions hove occurred in public and private buildings with loss of more than 300 lives and injury to many others. Such appalling catastrophes can and will be prevented if and when the necessary precautions are taken in the construction of buildings and the installation and maintenance of gas lines and gas appliances, plus adequate supervisions inspection, and education.

Jan 1, 1941

By Paul M. Tyler

The outstanding trend in the graphite market is the fast-growing demand for cheaper qualities of graphite and the declining consumption of the more expensive varieties. The manufacture of graphite, crucibles for melting metals was one of the earliest applications of the-mineral and for many years constituted by far the leading source of demand. In later, years, however; and more especially since the Great War, the increasing demand for high-grade steel ingots and castings instead of enlarging crucible sales has permanently curtailed the domestic demand for crucibles because it has hastened the introduction of electric, oil or gas fired furnaces to replace the older types requiring pots to hold the metal during melting. While there has been a substantial increase in the use of graphite for miscellaneous refractories the total consumption for such purposes is too small to offset the shrinkage in demand for crucible making, and though it consumes the better and hence more expensive grades of crystalline flake graphite, it does not call so insistently for the still costlier Ceylon grades.

Jan 1, 1929

By Chas. F. Jackson

The mining literature is replete with descriptions of methods and costs of operation at producing mines. To day the mine manager can find published information bearing upon almost any problem with which he may be faced. From this literature he can familiarize himself with methods employed by otter operators for coping with problems similar to his own, under more or less parallel conditions. Transaction of mining societies, publications of the U. S. Bureau of Mines, technical journals, and handbooks all afford valuable information dealing with operating methods and costs, Very little has been published, however, regarding methods and costs of equipping and developing new properties and bringing them to tae productive stage. There may be some question in the minds of many as to the value of papers on this subject, due to the great variety of conditions encountered. No two prospects are alike. Obviously, it is impossible to forecast what expenditure will be required to develop a mine from a raw prospect or even to predict whether the prospect can be developed into a productive mine.

Jan 1, 1933

By F. W. Lee

List of GEOPHYSICAL ABSTRACTS

Jul 1, 1932

By C. B. Kenahan

A summary of Bureau of Mines research on recycling, reuse, and disposal of mineral-, metal-, and energy-based wastes is presented, accompanied by an extensive bibliography of related publications. The Bureau's waste recycling and disposal program is directed toward the following four main areas of research and development: (1) extraction of mineral, metal, and energy values from urban refuse; (2) upgrading and recycling of automotive and related ferrous and nonferrous scrap; (3) recovery, utilization, and stabilization of mine and mill processing wastes, and (4) recovery and reuse of values from industrial waste products. This publication updates Bureau of Mines Information Circular 8529, which was issued August 1971.

Jan 1, 1973

By Serge Rudchenko

A study to determine the potential use of retaining structures in open pit backfilling. Research and review of the open pit mine environment, mine waste disposal, and past and current use of retaining structures. A development of specific structures, the culvert/ tunnel concept, and an anchor block retaining concept. The cost benefit of retaining structures used for in-pit backfilled waste.

Jan 1, 1981

By CLARENCE G. SMITH

Prior to the actual development of an oil property it is difficult to determine the quantity of oil under the property and the rate at which this oil can be brought to the surface-factors that determine the ultimate value of the property. Consequently, there has been much confusion in devising accounting systems that, during the entire life of a property, will show costs and profits from which the producer can determine whether his property is being worked at a profit or otherwise. The Bureau of Mines publishes this report in recognition of a distinct need for a simple treatise on accounting methods adapted to the peculiarities of the petroleum industry. Probably many companies operating oil wells are not fully acquainted with details important to the welfare of their business, because their account books fail to furnish them with exact and adequate data. With the accountant rests the responsibility of providing the management with reports setting forth the details of the business expressed in fitting terms as well as in dollars and cents. These reports are a means whereby efficiency may be maintained, waste prevented, oil obtained and sold, and money suitably reinvested. They also enable a concern to study the progress of its business in order to conserve to the utmost the possible benefits from an exhaustible deposit of mineral wealth. When managements realize the extent of the waste at their properties more attention will be given to the character of the accountancy records. Herein are presented descriptions and discussions of balance sheets, profit-and-loss statements, and bookkeeping methods peculiarly adapted to the oil business. As far as possible, technical phrases have been omitted in order that those not familiar with accounting terms may be able to follow the subject matter. The systems of keeping books outlined in Chapter X have all been found practical. For brevity as well as clearness the major part of the work refers to the company operating only one property.

Jan 1, 1917

By George S. Rice

"The emission of hydrocarbon gases from coal beds and contiguous strata causes many accidents in coal—mine workings, the number of fatalities so caused being second only to those due to falls of roof. Gases tend to increase in amount with depth of coal mining, hence the danger of explosion is increased with depth. The pressure of the gas in virgin—coal areas at a distance from mine workings likewise tends to increase with depth from the surface, probably due to corresponding increase in hydraulic head and possibly, when the gas is held in nonporous formations, to greater ground pressure. The rise in gas pressure with depth under usual conditions is shown in wells drilled from the surface and in some coal fields in drill holes into the face of workings; however, under normal conditions of coal formation gas does not issue into workings under high pressure because the coal and adjacent strata have many bedding and joint planes which allow the gas to escape freely at the face of the workings. The rare occurrence of instantaneous outbursts of gas, with violent effects referred to later, constitute the exception.Variations of volume and pressure of fire-damp or methane found in different coal beds by wells at a distance from mine workings, are analogous to variations in volume and pressure of natural gas found in different gas and oil sands, although in general the pressure tends to increase with the depth. Sometimes, however, in tight sands higher in the formation the pressure of gas therein is abnormally high, and on drilling the well deeper gas in the lower strata may be found at lower pressure."

Jun 1, 1934

By M. H. Kline

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

Jan 1, 1948

By E. D. Calvert

The Bureau of Mines, in its effort to promote greater utilization of domestically abundant materials, conducted reasearch on an alternate mold material that has commercial potential for titanium investment casting. Using variations of the conventional lost wax molding process, investment shell molds were formed entirely of fused, calcia-stabilized Zr02 and a Zr02-forming binder. Optimization of binder/slurry properties', stucco grain size and dis¬tribution, and curing practices resulted in a structurally sound investment shell that was distortion free and thermally stable. Small titanium castings, weighing up to 10 pounds, were prepared in unheated molds by both static and centrifugal casting techniques. Microstruc¬tural examination of the castings revealed that mold fill and surface quality were enhanced by centrifugal casting, although good results also were obtained from the statically poured molds. Microstructural and electron microprobe examinations showed that excessive, brittle case formation could be avoided by curing the dried shell molds in air for at least 2 hours at 1,400° C. Increasing curing temperature and time above these levels yielded added bene¬fits. Molds fired in vacuum at 1,500° C for 4 hours yielded castings essen¬tially free of case formation. The tensile properties of as-cast test specimens (no surface conditioning performed) id the chemical composition of representative metal samples showed that castings produced were comparable to Grades C-1 and C-2 unalloyed titanium This indicated that no sifnificant degradation of metal properties resulted from mold/metal interaction.

Jan 1, 1981

By Richard E. Thill

The Bureau of Mines' Oil Shale Data- Bank (OSDB) was created in 1976 to serve as a centralized source for the storage, retrieval, and dissemination of technical literature, patents, and information on research projects in oil shale. Thousands of bibliographic references, patents, and research projects relating to the mining of oil shale have been identified, abstracted, and indexed according to selected keyword topics. The resulting data bank listings are contained in three sections, each with a separate keyword breakdown for use in rapidly identifying references pertaining to a specific subject. All references cited in the OSDB were published prior to an established cut-off date of May 1, 1981, when a redirection of Bureau of Mines programs resulted in the loss of project funds and the subsequent phasing-out of data bank operations. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The oil shale data bank listings are the result of a team effort of the project staff. The contributions of Jimaleen Jansma for keypunching, information acquisition, and data entry, and John Brandenburg and Sandra Brake for keywording and information acquisition are gratefully acknowledged. Appreciation is expressed to the staff members of the Smithsonian Science Information Exchange, Washington D.C. for their cooperation in supplying data on recent research projects in oil shale for inclusion in the OSDB listings. Appreciation is extended also to the staff of the Gallegos Research Group for assisting with computer services to obtain the final printouts and transfer of files onto magnetic tape.

Jan 1, 1982