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By Robert E. Johnson

THE MILDEST recession of the postwar period ended in the first months of 1961, and the economy climbed steadily during the remainder of the year. The Federal Reserve Board (FRB) Index of Industrial Production climbed from a low point of 102 (1957=100) in February to 115 in December, a rise of 12.5 percent. But economic activity for the year as a whole was only 1.5 percent higher than the 1960 level, as measured by real gross national product (GNP). Although activity increased throughout 1961, much of it was merely regaining ground lost in the decline during the second half of 1960 and the first months of 1961. The FRB index did not re ain the July 1960 high of 110 until June of 1961. Mineral fuels did not fully share in the economic recovery. The (FRB) crude oil and natural gas index rose only 5 percent between February and December. Although the index of monthly coal production increased 11.5 percent during the year, the February level was so low that total production for the year was the lowest since 1954. Total production of energy measured in Btu's was up slightly (1 percent) during the ear. Coal production was down; production of crude oil and natural gas was up. Calculated consumption paralleled production-total up slightly, coal lower, and crude oil and natural gas higher. The most interesting product developments were in coke and residual fuel oil. Sales of coke showed a sharper drop than steel

Jan 1, 1962

The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) defines an independent contractor as "any person, partnership, corporation, subsidiary of a corporation, firm, association or other organization that contracts to perform services or construction at a mine." Contractors that perform specific types of work are required to report the number of employees who perform work at coal mines and at noncoal mines.

Feb 1, 2005

By G. W. Eiger

Bureau of Mines laboratory tests show that ilmenite concentrates with titanium dioxide contents as low as 33 wt--pct can be beneficiated to produce a crystalline substitute for natural rutile suitable for direct chlorination. The synthesized product prepared by a three-step procedure was comparable with natural rutile in titanium content. Reduction smelting of ilmenite removes iron as a pig iron byproduct, and the remaining slag phase is greatly enriched in titanium. Oxidation of the slag in the presence of phosphorus¬bearing slag additive converts the titanium-bearing phases to discrete rutile crystals and a glass phase containing most of the associated impurities. Rutile is separated from the glassy impurities by attrition scrubbing ground slag in dilute phosphoric or sulfuric acid solutions. Tests made in a laboratory fluid-bed reactor show that synthetic rutile responds to chlorination at the same rate as natural rutile and that more than 95 pct of the titanium contained in the feedstock was extracted as titanium tetrachloride.

Jan 1, 1974

By A. Gene Collins

The Bureau of Mines conducted a research study of the geochemistry of the Smackover Formation to determine what geochemical relationships are useful in exploration for and production of oil and gas. Samples of oil, gas, brine, and rock were collected and analyzed. The oilfied brines were analyzed by methods recommended by the American Petroleum Institute and by tentative methods of the American Society for Testing and Materials. The crude oils were analyzed by Bureau of Mines methods; the gas, by Bureau of Mines methods; and the rocks, by wet-chemical, atomic absorption, and neutron activation methods. The results were correlated and interpreted, and several geochemical relationships useful in exploration and production were found. These include the type and class of brine, organic constituents in the brine, redox potential, in situ temperature and pressure of brine, degree of sulfate and carbonate saturation of brine, and halide concentrations in the brine.

Jan 1, 1974

By John A. Davis, John Gross

This paper is one of a series giving the results of metallurgical tests conducted by: the Alaska station of the Federal Bureau of Iſines, on the recovery of gold from the black sands of placer clean-ups. The data given in this report were obtained from tests on a lot of black sand from a property located on St. Patrick Creek, Fairbanks mining district, Territory of Alaska. This property comprises the Sagan Fraction and adjoining bench claims, and is being operated by J. A. Lillie. The sand ad already been treated at the mine by amalgamation. A sample taken by Mr. Lillie and assayed at the station showed that the gold still remain ing amounted to ll cents per pound. As this gold content was sufficiently high to justify further treatment of the same, 770 pounds were shipped to the station for testing. The reader will note that the gold content is given in cents per pouni, rather than per ton. This is in conformity with practice in the district in valuing black sands, as the quantity obtained at any one time is small, much less than one ton. . The sand consisted principally of schist and quartz, with very little ilmenite and garnet; and no magnetite or sulphides. Most of the gold present as contaminated with quartz, as the free particles of gold had been removed by amalgamation at the mine.

Sep 1, 1920

By Noel N. Moebs

Coal mine roof failure is categorized according to character, trend, or pattern of occurrence. Two principal categories of failure are proposed--geology related and stress related. Geology-related failure includes both lithology and structure. Each of several subcategories reflects the probable cause of failure and thereby provides a basis for the selection of appropriate techniques for reducing the incidence of failure. These control techniques, depending on local conditions, may include supplementary support, destressing, reduction of mine air humidity, or a change in the customary support methods.

Jan 1, 1986

By Robert W. Freedman

This report describes sampling and analytical procedures used for measurement of sulfates in diesel tailpipes and in the diluted exhaust within dilution tunnels. A variety of methods exist for sulfate analysis for such systems, including ion exchange. Two chemical methods used by the Bureau of Mines are described in detail. These are based upon spectrophotometric measurement of chloranilic acid using barium chloranilate. The procedures are rapid and relatively inexpensive. In general, ion exchange is preferred by many analysts for sulfate analysis. However, it is more complex and expensive than chloranilic acid procedures, which are adequate for exhaust analysis.

Jan 1, 1982

By Joseph C. Zelanko, Anthony T. Iannacchione

One of the most difficult, longstanding engineering problems associated with coal mining is the catastrophic failure of cog mine structures known as bumps. For more than 70 years, researchers and practitioners have assembled a wealth of technical information on coal bumps in an attempt to understand and control them. However, many technical issues raised long ago are still being debated today. This paper examines past experiences and recognizes achievements in the realm of coal bumps. U.S. Bureau of Mines (USBM) researchers collected and analyzed 172 coal bump incident reports and compiled the pertinent statistics into a database. Actual field studied are also discussed. Examination of past experience has shown that there is no one set of defining characteristics that is responsible for coal bumps. In all cases, bumps occur when complex arrangements of geology, stress, and mining conditions interact to interfere with the orderly dissipation of stress. However, it is evident from the database that a tremendous reservoir of knowledge has been established from past experience that has unquestionably limited the severity of coal mine bumps in the United States.

By M. L. Whisman

The Bureau of Mines developed a radiotracer method for detecting the contribution of selected components and additives to thermally induce deposits of turbine aircraft fuels. Fuels were examined before and after 52 weeks of storage at 130° F. Of particular concern was the influence of aromatic hydrocarbon fuel constituents on thermal-stability quality of jet fuels during storage. A microfuel coker test apparatus was used to thermally stress the test fuels and blends, and the resultant contribution to deposits of selected fuel components, labeled with carbon-14, was determined by radioactive-counting techniques. Ninety-one blends of five test fuels with carbon-14-labeled fuel additives or components were prepared, tested, stored for 52 weeks at 130° F, and reanalyzed for deposit-forming tendency. These additives included two anti-oxidants, a metal deactivator, and a corrosion inhibitor. Of the labeled hydrocarbon fuel systems studied, the greatest reaction was observed in blends containing methyl-and ethyl-substituted indenes. Other aromatic types also showed some contribution to the deposits. Three of the additives showed a marked tendency to degrade and react during storage and thermal stress. A cresol antioxidant, however, barely contributed to deposit formation. Oleic acid interacted with cadmium present in aircraft fuel systems and produced deleterious effects upon the thermal-stability quality of the fuel.

Jan 1, 1971

By George McCaa, H. C. Howarth

"During recovery operations following a recent coal-mine explosion, 12 small fires were encountered near the break line of pillar extraction in a large panel. All of the fires except one were quickly extinguished by the rescue and recovery parties. This fire had found its way into a large quantity of loose material at a corner of the cut-through between two rooms, about 100 to 150 feet from the break line of an extensive goaf; had it been necessary to seal the fire, the inclusion of this break line not only would have made the work difficult but would have made the section hazardous as it probably would have given off gas. The fire covered a floor space of about 100 square feet and when discovered was burning briskly, with the flame extending to the roof at a height of 3 or 4 feet; it was the cause of much apprehension on the part of those in charge of the recovery operations and resulted in delaying the work considerablyThe object of this article is to describe in detail the method by which the fire was brought under control and finally extinguished, so that other persons encountering similar conditions may have the benefit of the experience.When the fire was discovered a request for rock-dust, fire extinguishers, and other fire fighting equipment was telephoned to headquarters on the surface. The promptness with which fire fighting equipment and material was provided was a big factor in finally extinguishing the fire and illustrates one of the many advantages of a good organization for fire-fighting. Material was transported in mine cars to a point on the main hauling road about 1,200 feet from the fire. It was then carried to the scene of activity by workmen. The first material to be delivered at the fire was a number of fire extinguishers of various types. The contents of 30 to 35 of these were discharged on the fire and with the aid of a small quantity of rock-dust were sufficient to smother the flame temporarily. It was the opinion of several persons who were present when the fire extinguishers were used that the acid-soda type of extinguisher gave more effective results than the two or three other types used.When the contents of all of the fire extinguishers had been exhausted the fire was temporarily smothered, but as there appeared to be danger that the flame would burst forth again, means for completely extinguishing the fire were"

Feb 1, 1929

By D. Cummins

This Information Circular presents a brief history of the lead-acid battery and describes ways to prevent serious injury from battery explosions when servicing and charging lead-acid batteries, particularly in the surface mining industry. The Mining Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, battery manufacturers, and the mining industry have all contributed information as well as recommendations for injury-free handling for this report.

Jan 1, 1980

By J. Roger Loebenstein

Demand for arsenic exceeded supply, and major domestic and foreign producers allocated available supplies to customers for the fourth consecutive year. Major demand for arsenic was about evenly divided between industrial chemicals and agricultural chemicals. Legislation and Government Programs.-Effective April 1, 1981, taxes were collected from companies producing and importing 42 chemicals and petroleum products designated as hazardous, The revenue was used to begin funding of the 5-year, $1.6 billion "superfund" being established under Public Law 96-510, the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, designed to help clean up spills of hazardous substances throughout the United States. As hazardous chemicals, arsenic metal and arsenic trioxide were taxed at the rate of $4.45 and $3.41 per short ton, respectively.

Jan 1, 1982

Determine the effectiveness of remining operations in reducing contaminant load (acidity, iron, and sulfate) of discharges emanating from abandoned surface and underground coal mines. Background Until the implementation of remining initiatives, most States had regulations that held the operator remining an abandoned site responsible for preexisting acid mine drainage (AMD) discharges. For example, if a mining. company wanted to remine an area hydrologically connected to an existing AMD discharge, the company became responsible, as soon as the site was activated, for treating that discharge to meet effluent standards. If the mining operation improved the quality of the discharge, but the discharge failed to meet effluent standards, the company was held accountable for perpetual treatment. Because of this regulation, most mine operators avoided abandoned sites with minable coal reserves and AMD discharges. However, changes in remining legislation allow coal companies to be released from treatment liability as long as the post-remining pollution load does not exceed the pre-remining level. If remining can improve water quality through improved mining and abatement techniques, abandoned mine land (AML) areas that previously were liabilities could become

Jan 1, 1994

By John Nagy

Data from experiments and literature on gas and dust explosions in closed vessels are presented to show the effects of the vessel size and shape; the initial pressure, temperature, and turbulence; and the fuel-air ratio and the strength of ignition source on pressure and rate of pressure rise. An attempt is made to correlate some of these parameters with an elementary mathematical model. Analyses of data on 17 vessels--spherical, cubical, cylindrical, and rectilinear in shape--ranging from 0,018 to 905 cubic feet in volume were made. Although the study was initiated to provide information primarily on dust-explosion phenomena, some data were obtained for gas explosions so that the factor of initial turbulence caused by the pneumatic blast used to disperse dust could be evaluated. The mathematical interpretation of the explosion phenomena was in general accord with the experimental data, and correlation was obtained for several factors affecting explosion development. Neither vessel size nor shape affected maximum pressure (when heat loss was neglected). The rate of pres-sure rise decreased as vessel size increased, and the rate was proportional to the ratio of the surface area of the vessel to its volume. Induced initial turbulence markedly increased the rate of pressure rise and slightly increased the maximum pressure. Changes in initial pressure produced proportional changes in maximum pressure and rate of pressure rise. Initial temperature and maximum pressure were inversely related, but initial temperature had little effect on the maximum rate of pressure rise. Comparative experiments showed no appreciable difference in explosion development of gas and dust fuels. The vessels and experimental work are described, and all data are given in tables. The mathematical model will facilitate extrapolation from laboratory to industrial conditions and will allow comparison of results obtained in different laboratories.

Jan 1, 1971

By Lloyd A. Morley, Robert Stefanko

This report was prepared by The Pennsylvania State University, College of Earth and Mineral Sciences, ' Department of Mineral Engineering, University Park, Pennsylvania, under USBM Grant No. GO-133077. The grant was initiated under the Coal Mine Health and Safety Research Program. It was administered under the technical direction of the Pittsburgh Mining and Safety Research Center with Mr. G. J. Conroy acting as the technical project officer. Mr. J. A. Herickes was the grant administrator for the Bureau of Mines. This report is a summary of the work recently completed as part of this grant during the period 19 June, 1973 to 17 June, 1975. This report was submitted by the authors on 18 July, 1974. This technical report has been reviewed and approved.

Jan 1, 1974

By J. F. Barkley

"In the course of the Government's Fuel Economy Survey of its own power plants, studies and tests have been made of various oil-burning equipments under power-plant boilers. There are now many types of burners being offered in the relatively limited field of power-plant use. The majority of the types used may be grouped into two general classes- those using steam to effect the atomizing of the oil, and those using mechanical means.Burners using steam have had the most prominence in this field for a long period. The mechanical atomizing type of burner successfully applied on shipboard, however, pointed to a possible betterment in land work. The vision presented itself of a burner that would need no steam for atomizing that would permit of air inlets or registers compactly arranged as a part of the entire burner, and that would only require the natural stack draft usually available in land boiler furnaces. Hence, rather recently there has been much development along this line, resulting in various types of burners.In Table 1 are grouped test items chosen from many tests showing representative analyses of the products of combustion obtained with various burners installed in various types of furnaces. In all these tests the burners were handled by experts and represent practically the best attainable for that particular arrangement. The boiler efficiencies ranged from 70% to 80%. It will be noted that the burners using steam for atomizing were able to secure slightly better 002 and less 02 without the presence of CO."

Feb 1, 1926

By A. Z. Dimitroff, A. C. Moschetti

An improvised rock- dust disseminator, consisting of a 10-gallon galvanized metal milk can that dispenses rock dust in return air currents by the injection of compressed air has reduced the float dust explosion hazards at the Koehler coal mine, Koehler, N. Mex.

Jun 23, 1964

By D. R. Babich, E. R. Bauer

US. National Institute for Occupational .Safety and Health (NIOSH) researchers are conducting a Cross-sectional survey of equipment noise and worker noise exposures in the mining industry. Surface and underground limestone is one commodity recently sun eyed. The sound levels of milling and processing equipment were recorded to identify noise sources. Full-shift worker noise exposures were completed to determine the exposure of various occupations. This article presents the results o f the noise research conducted in both underground and surface limestone manes, detailing the equipment likely to cause worker overexposures, and the occupations experiencing overexposures. Implications for worker noise exposure reduction are also reported.

By W. T. Millar

Graphite in the Suffern deposits near Hillburn, N. Y., consists of flakes ranging in size from fines to one-half inch in diameter. The Bureau of Mines investigated the Suffern deposits in the spring of 1943. Gneiss outcrops were examined, and five trenches excavated and sampled. The graphite is not confined to any definite zone but occurs in small, local pockets. Eleven samples were collected and combined for laboratory tests. Tests by the Bureau of Mines indicate that the graphite ore can be beneficiated by stage crushing, "skin flotation" of coarse flakes, and wet flotation of minus 10-mesh flakes. Over 90, percent of the graphite was recovered.

Jan 1, 1949

By Joseph A. DeCarlo

This publication presents a tabulation of oven-and beehive-coke plants in the United States as well as pertinent statistical data on the number, capacity, kind, and condition of the ovens. Coke is an essential raw material in pig-iron production and the coal-chemical materials produced during the coking process are used to manufacture fertilizers, paints, plastics, synthetic rubber, explosives, detergents, nylon, pharmaceuticals; dyes, and many other products necessary to the high standard of living in this country. In table 1 the oven-coke plants in the United States on December 31, 1959, are listed. This shows the name and address of the company, location of the plant, classification or type of ownership, number and type of ovens, annual coke capacity, and the coal-chemical materials produced. The "furnace" plants I are those owned by iron and steel companies and most of them are integrated with blast furnaces to facilitate transportation of raw materials for steel making. Furnace plants represented 87 percent of the total coking capacity and their average annual capacity was 1. 3 million tons. The "merchant" plants are those associated with chemical companies, gas utilities, as well as those that produce metallurgical, industrial, and residential-heating grades of coke and coal-chemical materials for sale on the open market. These coke plants are smaller than furnace plants and in 1959 their average coke capacity was only 520 thousand tons annually. On December 3l, 1959, there were 54 furnace and 20 merchant oven-coke plants in existence in the United States.

Jan 1, 1960