One Hundred Years of Federal Mining Safety and Health Research

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development of performance requirements for industrial respiratory-protective equipment, (6) development of protective measures against mine explosions and fires, and (7) improvement of ventilation in mines and tunnels. An internal Bureau report entitled “Research Facilities Program to the Year 2000” written in 1965 described the then research facilities existing in 1965 and contained a proposed plan for consolidation and expansion [USBM 1965]. In 1965, the Bureau owned and operated research facilities in the following locations: • Tuscaloosa, AL • Tucson, AZ • Rifle, CO • College Park, MD • Minneapolis, MN • Rolla, MO • Boulder City, NV • Reno, NV • Grand Forks, ND • Bartlesville, OK • Albany, OR • Bruceton, PA • Pittsburgh, PA • Schuylkill Haven, PA • Norris, TN • Salt Lake City, UT • Morgantown, WV • Laramie, WY The Bureau also operated laboratories in leased space owned by others in the following locations: • San Francisco, CA • Berkeley, CA • Anchorage, AL • Denver, CO • Mt. Hope, WV • Spokane, WA • Seattle, WA The laboratories at Denver, Spokane, and San Francisco were in facilities administered by another federal agency, the General Services Administration. Many Bureau research labs were located on or adjacent to the campuses of universities that included mining or metallurgy departments. The close proximity allowed for employment of faculty and students by the Bureau for its research and allowed Bureau staff to assist the faculty 35
at the schools, establishing mutually beneficial arrangements to both the government and the universities. The major activities of the Bureau in the mid-1960s were: 1. Research into the extraction, processing, and utilization of minerals, minerals fuels, and metals; and the safe use of explosives. 2. Development and conservation of minerals and fuel raw material resources. 3. Health and safety of persons engaged in the minerals industries. 4. Production and distribution of helium. 5. Special federal mineral industry programs, such as anthracite mine drainage and control of fires in inactive coal deposits. Unlike many other federal research agencies, the Bureau’s research programs were accomplished almost entirely in-house rather than by contracts or grants. In 1965, the Bureau had offices in 28 states and the District of Columbia. 4.3 USBM Research Laboratories in the 1960s Most USBM research in the 1960s was focused on the efficient extraction, processing, and utilization of minerals and mineral fuels. Research primarily related to miner safety and health was performed at only a few labs, as described below. 4.3.1 Denver Mining Research Center, Denver, CO This center performed basic and applied research on ground stabilization and control in mining, and the utilization of high-speed computers for the development of total mining systems. The Denver center maintained a close liaison with the Colorado School of Mines, located about six miles away. 4.3.2 Applied Physics Research Laboratory (Mining), College Park, MD This lab specialized in theoretical laboratory and field studies on the behavior of rock formations under redistribution of stresses caused by mining, and also studies of stresses and rock breakage effects of blasting operations. This laboratory was closed in 1965 with the personnel and research transferred to Denver and Minneapolis. 4.3.3 Minneapolis Mining Research Center, Minneapolis, MN This center performed mining research studies of rock penetration and fragmentation, including basic research in rock and mineral structures and their bonding systems. 4.3.4 Reno Mining Research Laboratory, Reno, NV This lab undertook investigations into mining technology related to open-pit slope stability. The mining research and staff were transferred from Reno to Denver in 1966. 36
Page 1 and 2: Department of Health and Human Serv
Page 3 and 4: This document is in the public doma
Page 5 and 6: 4.3.7 Spokane Mining Research Labor
Page 7 and 8: Figure 26. Joy loading machine in 1
Page 9 and 10: 2p REL SCSR SMCRA SRL STOP TC U.S.
Page 11 and 12: The origins of the USBM were in the
Page 13 and 14: Figure 3. Headline from the 1907 Mo
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Page 17 and 18: Figure 8. Official seal of the Unit
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Page 21 and 22: Seven hundred twenty miners were gi
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Page 29 and 30: observing the effects of temperatur
Page 31 and 32: (permissible) type, whereas by 1929
Page 33 and 34: stations in mining areas. Over the
Page 35 and 36: Dr. Coward eventually became the Di
Page 37 and 38: Figure 26. Joy loading machine in 1
Page 39 and 40: Figure 30. The results of conventio
Page 41 and 42: 4. Public Health Service Mining Stu
Page 43: Public Health Service conducted a s
Page 47 and 48: The Bureau’s annual progress repo
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Page 51 and 52: private organizations. NIOSH was gi
Page 53 and 54: Note that at this time a great deal
Page 55 and 56: • Energy-related minerals informa
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Page 61 and 62: for efficient processing of radium,
Page 63 and 64: Figure 36. Air currents when using
Page 65 and 66: Figure 37. Testing of the mine roof
Page 67 and 68: developed several new illumination
Page 69 and 70: which disturbs and exploits the lan
Page 71 and 72: 1996 Appropriations Bill stated in
Page 73 and 74: Novel approaches undertaken by NIOS
Page 75 and 76: esearchers reanalyzed data from the
Page 77 and 78: other applications. The Libby mine
Page 79 and 80: 6.2.8 Ground Control Ground falls i
Page 81 and 82: To facilitate the application of th
Page 83 and 84: on refuge alternatives [NIOSH, 2007
Page 85 and 86: 6. Reduce ground failure fatalities
Page 87 and 88: 7. Conclusion: Lessons Learned The
Page 89 and 90: 8. References Amandus HE, Piacitell
Page 91 and 92: National Research Council and Insti
Page 93 and 94: Appendix A: Joseph A. Holmes Biogra
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Table 1. U.S. Bureau of Mines appro
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Table 3. Metal/Nonmetal Fatalities,
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One Hundred Years of Federal Mining Safety and Health Research

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