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By C. W. Davis

This paper is the second of a series of progress reports on a study of the hydrometallurgy of manganese which is being, conducted in an endeavor to make possible utilization-of the large deposits of low-grade domestic manganese ores that occur in several States. There are at least four processes in which a knowledge of the action of S02 gas on manganese oxides at elevated temperatures may prove of value.

Jan 1, 1930

By C. W. Davis

This paper is the second of a series of progress reports on a study, of the hydrometallurgy of manganese which is being conducted in an endeavor to make possible utilization of the large deposits of low-grade domestic manganese ores that occur in several States. There are at least four processes in which a knowledge of the action of SO2 gas on manganese oxides at elevated temperatures may prove of value. One ,of these involves dissolution of manganese from ores. The Bureau of Mines has investigated the hydrometallurgy of manganese by a process in which SO2 gas, a waste product at many smelters, is passed into water to form a solvent for manganese. Although Several manganese minerals acre readily dissolved, rhodochrosite (MnCO3) was attacked but superficially.§. Recent experiments have shown that a roast at 650 to 900°C converts the manganese of rhodochrosite to a form that is quickly dissolved by a weak SO2 solution. Introduction of smelter gases containing as much as 5 per cent SO2 during such a roast would not add much to the cost of the operation and might result in the formation of considerable water-soluble manganese sulphate.

Jan 1, 1930

Kaiser Aluminum & Chemical Corp. announced that it planned to spend $66 million to increase the efficiency of its Baton Rouge, Louisiana, alumina plant. The improvements are designed to reduce energy consumption but will not change the annual capacity of the plant, now rated at about one million short tons. The project was expected to be initiated immediately and be completed by 1982. ALUMINUM Producers in this country posted unalloyed 99.5 percent aluminum ingot at 53-57.5 cents per pound, yet actual selling prices were closer to 53 cents. Domestic merchants quoted unalloyed ingot on a spot basis at 54-56.3 cents. London Metal Exchange 3-month forward contracts fell during November's trading from 55,2 cents to 52.8 cents per pound.

Jan 1, 1978

By Joseph H. White, DR. JAMES G. CUMMING

This report presents the results of an investigation of hookworm infection in the deep gold mines of the Mother Lode, California. In this investigation 1,440 miners of the Mother Lode have been examined for hookworm infection; 444 miners were found to be infected; and 91 miners have taken the treatment and have gotten rid of the infection. ·Within a short time after this preliminary examination, an industrial strike started, which gradually scattered the miners and made it difficult to institute the treatment of many of those who had been found infected. ·With the completion, however, of the State survey all these will eventually be identified and treated. In 1906 Dr. F. F. Sprague, of Jackson, Cal., and formerly of the Philippine Islands, recognized the prevalence of hookworm infection in the gold mines of California. He treated many cases of the infection and brought the prevalence of the disease to the attention of his colleagues. Following closely this pioneer work of Dr. Sprague was that of Dr. E. E. Endicott, health officer of Amador County. In 1911 Dr. Endicott a related his experience in a paper before the American Medical Association. In 1909, Dr. Herbert Gunn, under the auspices of the California State Board of Health, made an investigation to determine the prevalence of the disease among miners. b He reported on the blood and stool examinations of groups of men from three large mines in Amador County. The high eosmophilia verified by stool examinations in many of the cases, and the demonstration of larvae in soil from the workings led Dr. Gunn to the following conclusions: 1. Hookworm disease is endemic in certain mines of California. 2. From 50 to 80 per cent of those working in these mines are infected. 3. The infection undoubtedly is present in practically all the gold mines of California and in those of Nevada just over the border. vYhen it was definitely determined by the California State Board of Health to make an investigation, in cooperation with the Industrial Accident Commission of the State of California and the Federal Bureau of Mines, as to the prevalence of hookworm infection among the miners of California, the following procedure was planned: (1) To encourage the superintendents of the various mines to cooperate in the campaign; (2) to diagnose fecal specimens from the miners and determine the percentage of infected miners; (3) to reach an agreement with the superintendents that all infected men must be treated; (4) to make reexaminations of all treated men; (5) to issue "hookworm certificates"; and (6) to eventually reexamine all California miners. A visit to several of the mines on the Mother Lode made it evident that the mine operators would cooperate most cordially in this campaign; in fact, several superintendents had already considered the advisability of such an undertaking.

Jan 1, 1917

By B. H. Clemmons, C. H. Schack

Extractive metallurgy techniques currently employed to recover silver from primary ores and secondary scrap were reviewed and evaluated to identify and delineate metallurgical problems whose resolution would increase the supply of silver from domestic materials. The survey revealed that practically all primary silver is recovered by froth flotation concentration of various types of ores, followed by smelting and refining of the separate lead, copper, and zinc concentrates. Silver losses during the complex processing are, with rare exception, inconsequential. Furthermore, any silver production gain from base metal ores, which contribute about two-thirds of the total primary silver, is directly dependent on improvement in the market for the base metals. Statistical data on new and old silver scrap are wholly inadequate to make reliable conclusions about scrap processing problems and the possibility of increasing the recovery of silver from the many forms of secondary silverbearing materials. The available information indicates (1) that efficient silver reclamation practices are employed by the larger users of silver, and (2) that recovery of additional secondary silver involves solution of problems of collection rather than of processing. Several possibilities exist for limited increases in silver production from primary ores by improvement in metallurgical practices. Specifically, research is needed to (1) solve the problem of recovering silver from the copper ores of the Copper Range district, Michigan; and (2) devise economically feasible methods for recovery of silver from presently marginal or submarginal ores that because of grade, location, and frequently complex nature cannot presently be exploited by conventional techniques.

Mar 1, 1965

Workers at the Consolidated Aluminum Corp. primary aluminum smelter at Lake Charles, LA walked out at midnight March 31 when their contract expired. Management personnel operated the smelter and prebaked carbon anode facilities until an agreement for a new 3-year contract was reached April 18. The Aluminum Company of America (Alcoa) began operations at its can recycling facility at Taylor, MS. The facility can process 3 million pounds per month of aluminum and steel cans. Alcoa announced plans to increase the capacity of its aluminum paste and flake production plant at Logan's Ferry, PA by 50 percent. Completion was scheduled for mid-1980.

Jan 1, 1979

By Christopher C. Jobes

Computer-assisted control of a mining machine can place the operator in a safe, remote location. A guidance system aids remote positioning of a mining machine by determining its position and heading. The mechanical position and heading system (MPHS) is one of several guidance systems being developed at the U.S. Bureau of Mines. The MPHS uses linear position transducers (LPT's) to provide navigation information during face maneuvers. This report presents an overview of the MPHS theory and implementation, including recent design modifications made for more successful underground testing. This report also presents the experimental setup and procedure for the underground test. The test showed that the MPHS provides reliable and accurate results and can, therefore, provide useful guidance information for face navigation.

Jan 1, 1992

By Joseph M. Kurtak

The Bureau of Mines (Bureau) and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) conducted a 4-year (1979-1982) mineral assessment study of the Chugach National Forest (CNF), Ak, as part of the Roadless Area Review and Evaluation (RARE II) Program. The USGS remapped the geology and distribution of mineral resources. The Bureau investigated mines, prospects, and mineral occurrences. This report describes the results of Bureau work in the central 790,880 acres of the Forest. Copper, with by-product zinc, silver, and gold, has been the major metal produced from the study area as well as from the entire Chugach National Forest. The majority of the copper deposits are concentrated within basaltic rocks on Knight Island but the major producers are hosted by sedimentary rocks on Latouche Island. Approximately 182.6 million lb of copper, 1.5 million oz of silver, and an unknown but substantial amount of gold were produced during a 30 year period. Currently no mines in the area are producing. Inferred, indicated and measured reserves having mineral development potential total 4.6 million tons, with weighted average grades of 1.6% copper, 0.30 oz silver/ton, and 0.04 oz gold/ton.

Jan 1, 2011

By Keith L. Harris

Real2 gross national product (GNP) grew at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.3% in the fourth quarter and at 2.5% for all of 1986, according to the most recent Department of Commerce estimates table 1). The 1986 GNP growth was the lowest since the recession in 1982, and was slightly below the estimate published in the last issue of Minerals and Materials. Barriers to greater economic growth in 1986 included the Federal budget deficit, the trade deficit, reduced energy-sector investment because of low oil prices, and uncertainty over changes in the Federal tax code.3 Major sectors of the economy responsible for the fourth-quarter growth included real Government purchases of goods and services, up $19.9 billion from the third-quarter level; real net exports, up $12.2 billion; real residential investment, up $3.0 billion; and nonresidential fixed investment, up $1.5 billion. The increase in Government purchases of goods and services was attributed to the S25.1 billion rise in net purchases of farm products by the Commodity Credit Corp-oration. Real personal consumption expenditures and inventory investment declined, however. Personal consumption expenditures declined primarily because of reduced motor vehicle purchases. Despite only modest growth during the fourth quarter, the economy improved significantly because of the narrowing of the trade deficit and growing employment (table 2) while maintaining low unemployment and inflation rates. Business sounded an optimistic note, with planned increases in current-dollar capital spending of 0.9% for 1987 compared with a 1.7% decrease in 1986. While it is primarily the nonmanufacturing industries that expect to increase investment from 1986 levels, some manufacturing industries are increasing investment by significant percentages as well, notably the steelmaking and nonferrous metals industries (table 3).

Jan 1, 1987

The accompanying supply/demand flow diagrams and 10-year tables for mineral and fuel commodities present essential data required by government, industry, and others to formulate policies and programs that can help assure an adequate and continuing supply of mineral raw materials. The 10-year data base terminates with 1975 figures because adequate world information was not available beyond that date. The selected mineral supply/demand tables and flow diagrams comprise but one "output" from the massive body of information and data collected and compiled by the Bureau of Mines on a continuing basis covering mineral production, consumption, prices, shipments, imports, exports, and stocks, as well as industry activities in all States and abroad.

Jan 1, 2012

By D. Harrington

This circular presents Part III-A of a series reviewing the literature on effects of breathing dusts with special reference to silicosis; it deals with the economic and legal aspects of dust diseases in industry; Part III-B will contain data on the status and cost of compensation for silicosis, Parts I and II of the series have been issued as Information Circulars 6835, 6840, and 6848; Part I defines and classifies dusts, indicates sources of exposure, and describes the physiological effects of breaching dusts; Part II-A discusses the principal dust factors producing pulmonary pathology and methods of determination of dust in air; and Part II-B presents data on the engineering and medical control in the prevention of dust diseases and general recommendations for their control in industry. A summary and general conclusions will complete the series.

Jan 1, 1935

As shown in Table 9, consumption has risen steadily for the period November through April, reaching its highest level since June of 1974. Imports remained at a relatively high level in spite of decreased imports from Zaire and Belgium-Luxembourg. Award prices for cobalt sold by the General Services Administration on June 17, 1976 ranged from $5.058 to $5.41211 per pound of contained cobalt. The high bid was about $1 per pound above the current market price set by the major sales agent in the U.S. for cobalt on April 15, 1976. COPPER: Eight domestic producers on July 1 hiked refined copper prices by 4¢ to 74¢ per pound for cathode and to 74.625¢ for electrolytic wirebar. New York Commodity Exchange (COMEX) June pricing of prompt contracted copper averaged 70.6¢, with daily quotes registering between 67¢ and 72.5¢ per pound. In June, London Metal Exchange (LME) cash wirebar prices averaged 70.3¢, trading between a low of 65.5¢ and a high of 73.6¢. End of the month copper stocks totaled 108,758 short tons for the COMEX and 539,350 metric tons for the LME.

Jan 1, 1976

By William O. Vanderburg

[This circular is one of two papers on the tungsten industry in the United States end contains general information on the subject. The second paper which will be issued in the near future deals with the methods ailed costs of mining and milling tungsten ores. These two papers are abstracts from the general bulletin on tungsten which will be issued at some future time Modern civilization and progress depend largely on tools wherewith the forces of nature are brought under control and directed toward human comfort. These tools are made chiefly from metals derived from the earth's crust. During the present century powerful tools have been made available through the development of ferrous and. nonferrous alloys containing such elements as molybdenum, vanadium, titanium, tantalum, and tungsten, which were little used before 1900. One of the most important of these so-called rare elements is tungsten; its use ins alloys for high-speed cutting tool is partly responsible for the era of mass production. So widespread has the use of alloys become that the period may be termed an "Alloy Age".]

Jan 1, 1935

By Arthur Matzick

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Jan 1, 1966

By W. C. Holliman

Commercial production of synthetic rubber in the United States became a reality in 1931 when E. I. duPont de Nemours, Inc., announced the manufacture of Duprene, a synthetic rubber made by polymerizing r chloroprene. Duprene was later improved and reintroduced as neoprene. Since 1931 other synthetic rubbers and rubberlike materials have been announced and are now produced commercially or are in the pilot-plant stage in the United States. These include Thiokol, Buna S, Perbunan, Koroseal, Vistanex, Flamenol, Ameripol or Hycar, Chemigum, Butyl rubber, and Flexon. None of these is synthetic rubber in the strict chemical meaning of the word synthetic, as none is identical in chemical structure with natural rubber. However, all possess some of the physical properties of natural rubber, and in addition usually have some outstanding property not found in natural rubber that makes them superior for certain uses. Because of these superior qualitites, a considerable demand had arisen for synthetic rubbers before the present emer¬gency, although the price was several times that of natural rubber.

Jan 1, 1943

By Russell R. McLellan

The Tertiary channel gravel deposits in northern California were selected Or detailed investigation by the U. S. Bureau of Mines as part of a national program to locate potential sources of gold that might be developed rapidly by large-scale mining operations. Five bureau research centers representing mining and metallurgy subsystems coordinated their efforts in a team operation to identify and investigate possible solutions to the problem area, that long have discouraged the resumption of large-scale mining in the deposits. This report summarizes the individual investigations, conclusions and recommendations conducted and prepared by all mining subsystems research groups after the completion of two years of field work at the deposits on San Juan Ridge in Nevada County, California. The studies indicate that modern mining technology can cope with the environmental problems that closed the immense hydraulic mines in 1,884. however, they also indicate that mining can be conducted with only marginal profits its unless the price of gold remains substantially above $70 per ounce or unless sufficient by-products can be recovered and sold to place the average value per cubic yard of gravel into a positive commercial range. The by-product potential of the Tertiary gravels remains to be investigated in more detail.

Jan 1, 2012

By K. C. Dean

During the course of the investigation of manganese mineral occurrences in the western United States, the Bureau of Mines collected several lots of ore' from properties in the vicinity of Winkelman, Ariz. As none of the ores would be marketable directly, an investigation was made to determine their amenability to concentration by ore dressing. The Geronimo group of claims is in Pinal County, 8 miles west of Winkelman, Ariz. The manganese oxides occur as cementing material in ore zones of conglomerate. Representative samples of a 2-ton lot of ore cut from outcrops of two lenticular deposits were laboratory-tested. Two 1-ton samples from the Benningfield property were similar in physical characteristics but differed in grade. This claim is 11-1/2 miles south of Winkelman and about 1 mile west of the San Pedro River on the south side of Putman, Wash. The manganese minerals occurred as nodules and lenses, replacing limestone, in a capping over a dark, igneous dike. The North Star group consists of five claims on the west side of the San Pedro River 14 miles south of Winkelman. The ore consists of a low-grade, manganese oxide-calcite occurrence interspersed with stringers of higher-grade material and is present as filling in a fissure zone in porphyry. Two samples were obtained by the examining engineer; one sample represented run-of-mine material, the other represented ore from the vein that could be hand-sorted or selectively mined.

Jan 1, 1952

By John W. Taber

The Bohemia mining district is a small but intensely mineralized area in western Oregon . For its size , it has made a substantial although somewhat sporadic production of gold throughout a long period of years . The veins also contain lead, zinc , and copper, but in the past these metals have not been recovered in important amounts . In reviewing the progress of mining activity in the district , an effort has been made to gather under one cover all available information on former operations , including methods of mining , production, and geology pertinent to the ore deposits , problems encountered, and other factual data that may affect future mining in the district . A special effort has been made to assemble as many maps of former workings as possible in order that these may be preserved and readily available to assist in future exploration. The data presented herein are based on brief reconnaissance examinations made during several weeks spent in the field in September 1946. These are supplemented by information obtained from various individuals actively or formerly connected with operations in the district . Only the principal properties and several of the more outstanding prospects were actually examined. Many of the older workings were inaccessible.

Aug 1, 1949

By C. Travis Anderson

"Nickel is an essential metal in stainless steel, armor plate, and nickel steels and also in nonferrous alleys, such as monel metal and cupre-nickel, which are used in marine service. Nickel is one of the metals that must be greatly restricted in civilian use to provide the amounts needed for our War program. Consequently, it is desirable to investigate every possible substitute.The 5-cent coin no z in use contains 2.3 percent nickel. At the end of 1941, about 450 tons of nickel was being consumed annually to produce these coins. If the nickel used for that purpose in 9141 had been diverted to military use, 15,000 tons of armor plate could have been produced. As nickel is vitally needed for military as well as essential civilian products, it would seem desirable to substitute some other alloy for the 25 percent nickel alloy now being used. The Bureau of Mines has been asked to suggest possible substitutes.The substitute should have physical properties similar to the alloy now being used. It should have a metallic appearance and ring and a reasonably white color, so to be distinguishable from the present 1-cent coin. It should also be reasonably resistant to corrosion."

Aug 1, 1942

By Hal J. Kelly

A number of problems that developed in processing the halloysitic clays of eastern Washington and northern Idaho were investigated by the Bureau of Mines. The deflocculating effect of tetra sodium pyrophosphate is compared with several other compounds, and on the basis of current theory, the advantage of sodium pyrophosphate as a deflocculating agent is explained. The adsorption of the sodium ion by clay in a clay"-water system was established by a radioactive tracer technique, and the deflocculating action of sodium pyro- phosphate was postulated. The effective dispersion of the halloysitic clays was limited by the occurrence of tightly bound aggregates of small, individual crystals. Disaggregation of the agglomerates was investigated by liquid extrusion and ball milling of dilute slurries and by extrusion of the clay in a plastic state. The greatest increase in the production of small particles was by high? pressure liquid extrusion.

Jan 1, 1963