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By W. J. Fene, J. J. Forbes

Through education, investigations, and studies and an expanded coal- mino inspection program the Bureau continued to dischargo the responsibility placed on it by Congress 39 years ago for promoting safety and health in the mineral industries. Although much still remains to be dono, definite progress was made in combating physical and psychological hazards in mines and plants. Accident-prevention cours os for coal-mine supervisory officials and special courses for coal-mine safety committeeman were inaugurated. First- aid, mine rescue, and other safety training was conducted for those engaged in all branches of the mineral industries. Assistance was given in recovery work after mine explosions and fires. Studies to reduce the danger of roof falls, the greatest single cause of fatal mine accidents, resulted in the development and adoption of new coal-mine roof-support techniques. Knowledge of the explosion and health hazards of mine and plant dusts and ways of pre-. venting them were advanced. Electrical equipment was tested for safety of operation in gassy coal mines, and emergency mine communications apparatus was developed and tested. More progress was made in the study of controlling flood waters that threaten life and property in the Pennsylvania anthracite region. More coal-mine inspections were made than in any previous year, and an impressive number of improvements resulted from the Federal inspectors' recommendations, even though many of them went unheeded. A program of con- trolling fires in inactive coal deposits on the public domain and private property was instituted during the year.

Apr 1, 1950

By T. M. Barczak

One of the primary goals of Bureau of Mines research is to reduce the cost of coal mining by improving the efficiency of longwall supports. One method of achieving this goal is the optimization of stress distribution within the support structure, resulting in a lower overall weight, more fully stressed shield. However, before stress optimization can be initiated, load conditions must be defined that cause maximum stress in the various support components. A finite-element model of a longwall shield was used to identify these critical load conditions. These load conditions were then evaluated in the Bureau's mine roof simulator (MRS) by instrumentation of a longwall shield and measurement of strains in each of the shield components. The critical (canopy-base contact) load conditions were identified that can cause structural failure at less than rated shield (hydraulic yield) capacity. Comparisons were made between full-contact and partial-contact load conditions. Other parameters investigated included the stiffness of the contact material, changes in shield geometry, rate of load application, and effects of horizontal constraint. Conclusions were drawn regarding the structural integrity of the major shield components and potential for stress optimization.

Jan 1, 1987

By Eliezer Kamon

To finalize the three years granted for the study of miners physiological responses to emergency situations, all the data obtained, were summarized into the following relevant sections; A.. Information on elements of the Man Test required under Subpart 4, Part 2, Title 30 in the Code of Federal Regulation (see Table M-T and Ref. I., Section A). B. Investigation on possible emergency activities, its simulation in the laboratory and the physiologic data obtained on miners performing them This included some studies under cool ambient conditions, expected to prevail in coal mines. C. While in section B the steady state responses have been obtained, time was devoted to establish a unit that will allow data gathering for non-steady state, i.e., transient responses to rapidly changing activities. Section B and C contained elements that were relevant to section A; the Man Test. Therefore some of the information described under section A Man Test, were actually measured during the battery of tests in either section B or in section C.

Jan 1, 1974

By Wilbert J. Huff

The organization of the'Explosives Division is indicated by the accompanying chart (fig. 1). As this has been discussed in a previous report3/, it will not be considered further in this report. The activities of the various units are outlined below. I. INFLAMMABILITY OF GASES AND VAPORS4/ Determination of the Explosion Hazards of Combustible Gases and Vapors Found in Mines and Industries The Explosives Division maintains, at the Pittsburgh Experiment Station, a laboratory specially equipped for the determination of the explosion hazards of combustible gases and vapors. Of particular importance, is the determination of the chemical composition within which explosions may occur and beyond which there is no danger of explosion, combustion or inflammation. These limits, known as the limits of inflammability, as determined by this and other laboratories, have been compiled in Bulletin 279 of this Bureau. The last revised edition (1931) of this bulletin has been exhausted. Since it was published, the Pittsburgh laboratory has determined the limits of about 40 combustibles and has ascertained more precisely and accurately many previously published limits.

Jan 1, 1938

By T. H. Dubaniewicz

Many mines rely on toxic gas sensors to help maintain a safe and healthy work environment. This report describes a prototype monitoring system developed by the U.S. Bureau of Mines (USBM) that uses light to power and communicate with several remote toxic gas sensors. The design is based on state-of-the-art optical-to-electrical power converters, solid-state diode lasers, and fiber optics. This design overcomes several problems associated with conventional wire-based systems by providing complete electrical isolation between the remote sensors and the central monitor. The prototype performed well during a 2-week field trial in the USBM Pittsburgh Research Center Safety Research Coal Mine.

Jan 1, 1995

Senior staff representatives of the Bureau of Mines and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) met in Washington on September 6, 1972, to review and evaluate their cooperative accomplishments to date and to consider the planning and conduct of future coordinated activities. The six presentations given at this joint staff seminar are published here for the benefit of those concerned with the problems of coal mine health, and especially those with responsibilities in administering the Coal Mine Health and Safety Act of 1969.

Jan 1, 1972

By James Westfield

This publication covers the work of the Division of Coal Mine Inspection, Bureau of Mines, as performed under provisions of the Federal Coal Mine Safety Act. It presents background information and data since 1952 when the Act became effective and includes up-to-date statistics for the calendar year 1962. During that year, approximately 9,704 coal mines were active in the United States, and the Bureau made 12,810 regular inspections. BACKGROUND The Federal coal-mine inspection program was established to carry out the provisions in Public Law 49, 77th Congress, (H. R. 2082) approved May 7, 1941. This act has since been amended as Title I, Advisory Powers Relating to Health and Safety Conditions in Mines, under Public Law 552, 82d Congress, approved July 16, 1952, which also included Title 11, Prevention of Major Disasters in Mines. Public Law 552 is known as the Federal Coal Mine Safety Act.

Jan 1, 1963

By Earl T. Hayes

[This work represent a continuation of the efforts of the Metallurgical Division of the Bureau of Mines to ascertain and apply knowledge of miner physics to processes metallurgy.]

Jan 1, 1941

By Earl T. Hayes

[This work represents a continuation of the efforts of the Metallurgical Division of the Bureau of Mines to ascertain and apply knowledge of mineral physics to process metallurgy.]

Jan 1, 1941

By Joseph S. Coffman

To determine the availability of manganese for metallurgical purposes from selected world resources, the Bureau of Mines evaluated the potential production of contained manganese in concentrates based on the demonstrated resources of 23 foreign and 8 domestic mines and deposits in 9 market economy countries. All but 2 of the 23 foreign deposits are operating mines; none of the domestic deposits are in operation. The demonstrated resources of the mines and deposits used in this study represent an in situ ore resource of approximately 2.2 billion tons," containing 780 million tons of manganese with a total recoverable production potential of 514 million tons of contained manganese in concentrates. The analyses of mines and deposits in this study indicate that about 213 million tons of the contained manganese (41 pct) is potentially available at a January 1981 constant dollar long-run total cost of up to $1.50 per long ton unit (22.4 lb, or 10.15 kg contained Mn), approximately 428 million tons (83 pet) is potentially available at a cost of about $1.75 or less, and 491 million tons (95 pet) is available at less than $3.30. The remaining 23 million tons, which is potentially available at much higher costs (about $8 to $35 per unit), represents the U.S. deposits. On an annual basis, with a cost range of up to $1.75 per long ton unit, the availability from currently operating mines would last at least 80 years based on 1980 world production data. Total manganese production costs are estimated to comprise mining-8 pet, beneficiation-3 pet, transportation-26 pet, and smelting-63 pet.

Jan 1, 1984

By H. E. Heide

The serious shortage of domestically produced asbestos during the war prompted the Bureau of Mines to investigate reported asbestos deposits in Alaska. The most promising' appeared to be these in the Cosmos Hills and Jade Hills areas along the Kobuk River in northwestern Alaska. The deposits along the west side of Shungnak River, a tributary of the Kobuk River, were the first to be investigated by the Bureau, in the summer of 1944. Four bulldozer trenches were excavated, from Which a 2-ton sample was taken. This sample was shipped to Rolla, Mo., for testing in the Bureau of Mines laboratory. In the summer of 1945 an investigation of asbestos deposits on Cosmos Creek, also a tributary of the Kobuk River, was begun; the work was completed during the field season of 1946.

Jan 1, 1949

By James Westfield

This report covers the calendar year 1953 and has been prepared and submitted in accordance with the provisions of Sec. 106(a) and Sec. 212(c) of the Federal Coal Mine Safety Act (66 Stat. 692; 30 U.S.C. Secs. 451-483). During this first full calendar year of operations under the Federal Coal Mine Safety Act, the coal-mining industry of the United States attained the best injury records in its history - improving the former best records (made in 1952) by 91 fatal and 10,020 nonfatal injuries. Whereas, the mandatory provisions of the act were intended and designed to prevent major mine disasters, apparently the effects have reached beyond the scope thereof in reducing mine accidents generally.

Jan 1, 1954

By JOHN W. KOSTER, JAMES R. FLEMING

The following report is made through the Bureau of Mines as a result of the work under the cooperative agreement with the State geological survey and the engineering experiment station of the University of Illinois. It deals with the use of permissible explosives in the coal mines of Illinois, and is intended primarily to present to mining men the possibility of assuring safer conditions in mining through the use of these explosives. Twenty coal mines in Illinois were using these relatively safe explosives at the time this report was prepared. Of these, seventeen were in Franklin County, two were in Saline County, and one in Montgomery County. In these various fields experience had shown that although black blasting powder was a useful agent in breaking down the coal at the working face, yet it had given such conclusive evidence of its danger to life and property in causing explosions and mine fires that a substitute was sought and has been found in permissible explosives. Each coal mine in Illinois in which permissible explosives are used was visited and a study made of the problems involved. The report deals briefly with the dangers of black blasting powder now in such common use in coal mining. It discusses the development of permissible explosives and their introduction into Illinois coal mines and points out the characteristic differences between permissible explosives and black blasting powder. The present system of blasting and the most approved methods of using permissible explosives are described. Data are given to show that not only has safety and efficiency in these mines been greatly improved, but that the cost of explosives to the miner per ton of coal has been reduced, and that sizes of coal produced from permissible explosives compare favorably with those previously obtained at the same mines with black blasting powder. The successful use of permissible explosives in these Illinois mines as well as in many other mines throughout the country should aid in their introduction into a larger number of mines and bring about that degree of freedom from explosions and fires which should be attained in mining.

Jan 1, 1917

By R. Farrar

Protective canopies for conventional electric face equipment, including shuttle cars, operating in low coal (less than 48 inches) were designed, fabricated, installed and evaluated on in-mine machines engaged in regular coal mining operations. This work was performed under contract to the U.S. Bureau of Mines, Pittsburgh Mining and Safety Research Center. The canopies will support a vertical load of 18,000 pounds and provide protection against both roof falls and contact with the mine rib. Canopy configurations were established based on human engineering studies, full scale canopy mockups, and in-mine observation and consultation with mine and equipment manufacturing personnel. Overall height of each canopy is hydraulically adjustable between a minimum of 32 inches and a maximum of 40 inches. Canopy tops are open framework, welded structures, covered with expanded metal mesh. Structural members are 1 3/4-inch or 2-inch square tubing of AISI 413ON and ASTM A500 material, respectively. The canopy tops are typically supported by an understructure and upright post arrangement that is either integrated into the current operator platform or attached to the machine frame. The four upright corner posts house the hydraulic actuators. Canopy tops are elevated horizontally. Canopies are welded or bolted to the existing machines. Installation is accomplished with a minimal amount of interface modifications. No major machine design changes are required. Canopies were trial installed and load tested at the manufacturer's facility prior to installation on the in-mine machines. Canopies were installed on a Joy 14BU10 Loader, 16RB-3AH Cutter, and two 21SC Shuttle Cars, and a Galis 300 Roof Drill and 460-S Face Drill. Canopy installations were evaluated in the Jewell Ridge Coal Company No. 12 and Big Creek Tiller Mines. Operational time accumulated on the installations during evaluation ranged from 1 week to 14 weeks of two-shift operation. All five canopy designs, manufacture, and test were successfully accomplished. The five canopies met all safety requirements. Three of the five canopies were deemed to be completely successful from an operator's point of view. That is, mine management as well as the machine operator found that the canopies did not impede the operation of the machines to function with the same efficiency as before the installation of the canopies. The loader canopy, in fact, appeared to have provided a mole efficient operation of the loader by providing added safety to the operator from rib contact thus allowing him to concentrate more fully on the loading function. Operational problems were encountered with the shuttle car and the roof drill. The shuttle car canopy obstructed visibility to an objectionable amount and the roof drill canopy impeded maneuverability of the machine, more than doubling the roof bolting time.

Jan 1, 2012

By J. Frederick Stampfer

Current certification testing of self-contained breathing apparatus includes tests with human subjects wearing the apparatus while exercising. During these tests, certain apparatus variables are measured during rest periods. Because of concerns that the present tests may not accurately simulate the stresses to which an apparatus is subjected in the field, the Bureau of Mines proposed new human subject tests. It was also felt that different measurement techniques would supply more reliable data on the apparatus response to these stresses. The Los Alamos National Laboratory was asked by the Bureau to evaluate the proposed tests and monitoring techniques. The major conclusions derived during this study are these: (1) The proposed tests are not too physically demanding. (2) As long as human test subjects are used, a minimum subject weight should be required for certification tests. (3) Important apparatus variables are the breathing resistance, temperature, and carbon dioxide and oxygen concentrations of the inhaled gas. (4) Continuous monitoring should be used, rather than monitoring only during rest periods. (5) New pass/fail criteria based on realistic estimates of the user's physiological requirements, as tempered by present and future engineering limitations, are needed. (6) When available, breathing machines, rather than human subjects, should be used for most certification testing. (7) A more realistic ergonomics test than that proposed is needed. (8) A gas leak test for the system and a facepiece leakage test are also needed.

Jan 1, 1983

The original manuscript of section 2 of this series of miners' circulars devoted to accident prevention in bituminous-coal mines was completed in September 1944. At that time roof bolting had been tried with some success in the lead-mining district of south-eastern Missouri, but information on the subject was so fragmentary that it was not included as a method of roof support. References to roof support in bituminous-coal mines, therefore, were confined almost entirely to conventional timbering methods. In 1947 the Bureau instituted a research program and intensive study of the general problem of roof control, which emphasized roof-bolt application. The rapid increase in mechanized mining following the close of World War II provided the impetus for the Bureau's roof-control investigations, because the vertical supports used with conventional timber restricted the maneuverability of mechanical face equipment, and the industry wanted to explore every possible method of eliminating interference with the production cycle to gain full advantage of mechanized mining. Moreover, the accidental dislodgment of vertical supports greatly increased the roof-fall hazard. As roof falls have killed and seriously injured more mine workmen every year than any other cause or classification of injury since records have been kept, the Bureau assumed this investigative leadership with the prime objective of substantially reducing the annual toll from falls of roof, including falls of rib and face.

Jan 1, 1958

Real gross national product increased at a larger-than- expected annual rate of 8.3 percent in the first quarter of 1984, with both consumption and investment spending increasing significantly in real terms (table 1). Residential and nonresidential fixed investment increased at annual rates of 25.7 and 14.6 percent during the first quarter of 1984, and investment in nonresidential structures, which declined in 1983, also increased during the first quarter of 1984, nearly attaining its 1982 level. The annual level of personal savings increased $27.7 billion, while the personal savings rate (the ratio of personal savings to disposable income) increased to 5.8 percent during the first quarter. The increase in the personal savings rate comes as welcome news to analysts concerned over the flow of loanable funds to the private sector and the impact on interest rates in 1984 of increased private and Government demands. U.S. Minerals Industry Performance A major upswing in the performance of the metal mining sector occurred during the first quarter of 1984, with production increasing almost 11.2 percent from January to March, The recovery of the metal sector is also reflected in the performance of primary metal industry profits, which were positive during fourth quarter 1983 following seven consecutive quarterly losses (table 1). Two thousand nine hundred more metal mining production workers were employed in February 1984 than in February 1983.

Jan 1, 1984

By R. J. Kuczynski

The U.S. Bureau of Mines operated a 2,000-g (4.4-lb) batch process development unit for recovering platinum-group metals (PGM) from automobile catalysts. Virgin monolith, used pellet, and used monolith catalyst samples were tested. Leaching twice with 1-pct sodium cyanide (NaCN) solution at 1600 C for 1 h dissolved more than 95 pct of the PGM from virgin catalysts and more than 90 pct from used pellet catalysts. More than 85 pct of the PGM was dissolved from used monolith catalysts when a third autoclave step was added. Solid PGM concentrates containing more than 99.8 pct of the dissolved PGM and analyzing greater than 70 pct PGM were recovered by heating the pregnant leach solutions from virgin catalysts to 2500 C and used catalyst to 2750 C for 1 h. The solution after heating contained less than 0.2 ppm. total cyanide. The virgin residues passed the EPA Extraction Procedure Toxicity Test (EP Tox Test), the EPA Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP), and the California Waste Extraction Test (WET) for all elements except Ba. Adding sodium sulfate (Na2S04) to the virgin leach residues reduced the amount of Ba dissolved to an acceptable level. The used leach residues passed the EP Tox Test for all elements but failed the WET and TCLP for Pb.

Jan 1, 2010

By Alfred Petrick

This report analyzes the byproducts systems of lead, zinc, uranium, rare earths, iron, aluminum, titanium, and lithium. Specific byproduct metals covered are cadmium, germanium, indium, and thallium from the zinc system; antimony and bismuth from the lead system; vanadium, radium, and scandium from the uranium system; rare-earth oxides from the rare-earth system; and cobalt, gallium hafnium, and rubidium from other systems. The report discusses various metallurgical systems, marginal and incremental production costs of byproduct subsystems, industry structure and organization, and historical data on price, consumption, and supply.

Jan 1, 1973

By H. A. Dierks, H. B. Link

The purpose of this investigation was to develop a practical feeder apparatus to introduce comparatively large pieces of coal and similar material into a pipeline under pressure in connection with the vertical hydraulic transportation of solids , termed " hydraulic hoisting . " This method of hoisting the precrushed run - of - mine product of an underground mine has been given unusually wide attention abroad and could be of considerable significance to the U.S. mining industry in its search for operating improvements and cost reduction . A lock-hopper assembly was developed after a series of sinking velocity tests were made by dropping anthracite in a column of water . The system functioned reliably as an automatically operated feeder apparatus .

Jan 1, 1964