Abstract: A manifold for a borehole miner, wherein the manifold is rigidly secured to a first and a second pipe of a pipe bundle; movably connected to at least one other pipe; and provided with a collimating nozzle unit associated with a deflector plate unit, such that a pressurized abrasive jet spray can be directed against the walls of a bore hole, and the back splash from the jet spray will be prevented from adversely affecting the pipes in the pipe bundle by the deflector plate unit.

Abstract: A binary process for the concentration and recovery of contaminants from an aqueous environment by submerging lipids (11) inside of a thin non-porous polymeric film enclosure (10) in an aqueous environment (13) to concentrate the contaminants in the lipids (11) and polymeric film (10); and, recovering contaminants or impurities from the first part or from other contaiminated lipids or biogenic extracts by sumberging the polymeric film enclosed materials (10) in a solvent medium (16).

Abstract: A chemical process for selectively removing organoselenium compounds and selenate from water supplies. The process utilizes a combination of transition metal selected from the group consisting of nickel and copper and an electropositive metal selected from the group consisting of magnesium and aluminum to effectively remove selenium whether present in the water as organic or inorganic compounds or in ionic or non-ionic form.

Abstract: The geological gyrocompass is an accurate, portable instrument useful for geologic mapping and surveying which employs an aircraft gyrocompass, strike reference bars, a pair of sights and leveling devices for horizontally leveling the instrument. A clinometer graduated in degrees indicates the dip of the surface being measured.

Abstract: A concave drag bit cutter device and cutting method using such a concave cutter bit are provided which provide substantially increased efficiencies over conventional point attack bits. A number of different cutter bit shapes employing a concave cutting face can be used. The cutter bits are intended to replace the conventional point attack cutter bits and can be used in continuous mining machines, saw blades, auger drills, longwall shearers and the like, in cutting and mining operations.

Abstract: The apparatus of the present invention provides means for obtaining accurate, dependable, measurement of bearings and directions for geologic mapping in subterranean shafts, such as, for example, nuclear waste storage investigations. In operation, a laser beam is projected along a reference bearing. A pyramid is mounted such that the laser beam is parallel to the pyramid axis and can impinge on the apex of the pyramid thus splitting the beam several ways into several beams at right angles to each other and at right angles to the reference beam. The pyramid is also translatable and rotatable in a plane perpendicular to the reference beam.

Abstract: A continuous method is provided for purifying and recovering transition metals such as neodymium and zirconium that become reactive at temperatures above about 500.degree. C. that comprises the steps of contacting the metal ore with an appropriate fluorinating agent such as an alkaline earth metal fluosilicate to form a fluometallic compound, and reducing the fluometallic compound with a suitable alkaline earth or alkali metal compound under molten conditions, such as provided in an induction slag metal furnace. The method of the invention is advantageous in that it is simpler and less expensive than methods used previously to recover pure metals, and it may be employed with a wide range of transition metals that were reactive with enclosures used in the prior art methods and were hard to obtain in uncontaminated form.

Abstract: A chemical process for the denitrification of water comprising treating water with a metal sufficiently electropositive to decompose the water while regulating the pH within a range effective to permit efficient reduction of nitrate ion. The pH is regulated with alkali in a manner that avoids metal oxide formation and loss of metal by decomposition of water and results in the selective reduction of nitrate ion in the presence of sulfate and chloride ions.

Abstract: An apparatus for providing purified water to row crops is disclosed which comprises a dark plastic lower sheeting layer upon which impaired water can be ponded, and a clear plastic upper sheet which is positioned above the lower layer in the shape of an inverted V by means of a suitable supporting structure. The apparatus is designed to be placed between two row crops in a field in need of irrigation, and irrigation takes place by filling the lower sheeting layer with impaired water which evaporates when solar energy is transmitted onto the lower layer through the clear upper sheet. The evaporated water collects on the underside of the clear plastic sheet and drips downward along the sheet until it contacts the ground in the vicinity of a crop row. In another embodiment of the invention, clear rigid panels can be employed instead of the clear plastic sheet.

Abstract: A seismic signal receiving system is provided for use in boreholes to receive seismic waves in carrying out geophysical investigations. The system includes three pairs of opposed plates, each of the pairs of plates including oppositely facing outer surfaces for engagement with opposite sides of a borehole. A seismic receiver is mounted on the inner surface of each of the plates for receiving seismic signals. A double-acting, fluid-operated actuator selectively causes relative movement of the plates of the pairs of plates away from each other to provide expansion thereof so as to enable the plates to engage the walls of a borehole and selectively causes relative movement of the plates of the pairs of plates toward each other to provide retraction thereof so as to enable the system to be removed from a borehole. The pairs of plates each comprise a relatively long plate and a relatively short plate. An expandable linkage interconnects the long plates at the distal ends thereof.

Abstract: An ultrasound flotation unit for separation of tails from liquors obtained by floating ores, wherein the unit comprises a vertically disposed cylindrical mixing chamber that forms a bubble-particle contact region within a cylindrical flotation cell that has a bubble-pulp separation region surrounding said mixing chamber; the chamber having an air feed conduit in a lower portion thereof, an ore pulp feed conduit in a higher portion above said air feeding chamber, an ultrasonic transducer disposed above an aperture in a top portion of the mixing chamber and means for subjecting said chamber to an amount of power in kilowatt-hours per metric ton through a sonic probe to focus an amount in watt/ml of ultrasonic power to the chamber to provide a residence time of slurry within the bubble-pulp separator region that is about 30 to 100 times longer than in the ultrasonic mixing chamber.

Abstract: The invention is used to extract pore fluid from porous solids through a combination of mechanical compression and inert-gas injection and comprises a piston for axially compressing samples to force water out, and top and bottom drainage plates for capturing the exuded water and using inert gas to force water to exit when the limits of mechanical compression have been reached.

Abstract: This invention relates to new and useful hard, dense, composite materials made from metallic nitrides such as titanium nitride when combined with aluminum oxide and aluminum nitride and a process comprising the steps of: (1) mixing constituent materials using kerosene as a mixing medium; (2) screening, settling, filtering, and washing the mixture in acetone; (3) filling and sealing said materials in a latex mold; (4) isostatically pressing the material into a compacted powder; and (5) sintering the compacted powder in a gas atmosphere at 1,850.degree. C. for two hours.

Abstract: Method of separating components from gaseous mixtures in an arc plasma reactor energized by surrounding magnetic field coil windings by producing an electrical arc discharge of at least about 600A at about 22V between a positively charged centrally disposed electrode ball that is movable upwardly or downwardly in a surrounding negatively charged electrode; introducing a plasma working gas of a mixture of a heavy and light gas in spaces between the electrodes at about atmospheric pressure at a temperature of about 10,000.degree. K. to produce gas rotation electromagnetically at a rotation rate that is sufficient to force the heavy gas to a peripheral area of the reactor and accumulate the light gas in a centerline area of the reactor; and removing the heavy gas from the peripheral area of the reactor and removing the light gas from the centerline area of the reactor.

Abstract: A method of extracting coal from a coal refuse pile comprises soaking the coal refuse pile with an aqueous alkali solution and distributing an oxygen-containing gas throughout the coal refuse pile for a time period sufficient to effect oxidation of coal contained in the coal refuse pile. The method further comprises leaching the coal refuse pile with an aqueous alkali solution to solubilize and extract the oxidized coal as alkali salts of humic acids and collecting the resulting solution containing the alkali salts of humic acids. Calcium hydroxide may be added to the solution of alkali salts of humic acid to form precipitated humates useable as a low-ash, low-sulfur solid fuel.

Abstract: A method wherein a light emitting device, such as a laser, is used to precisely measure strike measurements of planar geologic features; for example, bedding planes, fractures, or fold axes. A pre-existing survey line between two spads is first located on a plan view map of the mine. A tape measure is placed between the two located spads in the mine. A laser is then placed on the planar surface to be measured, and the instrument leveled. The laser unit in the instrument is activated and the beam located at its intersection with the tape measure. The location point of the laser unit on the wall of the mine is marked on a mine map, the point on the tape where the beam intersects the tape is marked on a mine map, and a line is drawn between the two points. This line defines the strike of the planar feature relative to the survey line.

Abstract: A method of mining seams is provided for a mineral deposit situated beneath a substantial overburden, such as would be found in a mountaintop ridge formation previously mined by contour mining operations so that roadways exist at the sides of the ridge formation. A continuous loop chain cutting device which extends across the width of the ridge is positioned near the front end of the seam. Vehicles supporting the ends of the device move along the roadways so that the cutting device cuts a thin slot in the seam which remove the mineral deposits yet allowing the remaining mineral deposit and overburden to subside gradually after the cutting blade has passed a given point. At a desired point along the length of the ridge, the vehicles direction and the cutting device continues to cut a thin slot in the seam in the opposite direction. This back and forth movement is continued until the mineral deposit is substantially removed from the ridge.

Abstract: A universal ripper miner used to cut, collect and transfer material from an underground mine working face includes a cutter head that is vertically movable in an arcuate cutting cycle by means of drive members, such as hydraulically actuated pistons. The cutter head may support a circular cutter bit having a circular cutting edge that may be indexed to incrementally expose a fresh cutting edge. An automatic indexing system is disclosed wherein indexing occurs by means of a worm gear and indexing lever mechanism. The invention also contemplates a bi-directional bit holder enabling cutting to occur in both the upstroke and the downstroke cutting cycle. Another feature of the invention discloses multiple bits arranged in an in-line, radially staggered pattern, or a side-by-side pattern to increase the mining capacity in each cutting cycle. An on-board resharpening system is also disclosed for resharpening the cutting edge at the end of cutting stroke position.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for removing selenate from waste water through the use of selenate respiring microorganisms under substantially anoxic conditions is described. The method includes a first zone for removing nitrate by assimilation into biomass. The first zone is maintained under aerobic conditions and is separated from a second zone where selenate is respired to elemental selenium by selenate respiring microorganisms under anoxic conditions. Biomass produced in the first zone may be processed to provide nutrients and electron acceptors for the maintenance of selenate respiring microorganisms when selenate becomes growth limiting. An optional sulfate reduction zone is provided in the method and apparatus where hydrogen sulfide is produced. The hydrogen sulfide so produced is circulated to the second zone and may be used to reduce residual selenite to elemental selenium.

Abstract: An apparatus for the sequential fracturing and cutting of subsurface volume of hard rock (102) in the strata (101) of a mining environment (100) by subjecting the volume of rock to a beam (25) of microwave energy to fracture the subsurface volume of rock by differential expansion; and , then bringing the cutting edge (52) of a piece of conventional mining machinery (50) into contact with the fractured rock (102).