A HISTORY OF 

THE BUREAU OF MINES 

PITTTSBURGH RESEARCH CENTER 

By Robert J. Tuchman and Ruth F. Brinkley 

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Manuel Lujan, Jr., Secretary 

BUREAU OF MINES 

T S Ary, Director 
CONTENTS 

Page 

Abstract ........................................ 1 

Introduction ..................................... 2 

Acknowledgments .................................. 3 

A new agency is born ................................ 3 

The early years .................................... '7 

Focus on fires. explosions. and explosives ...................... 8 

The Center's mission broadens ............................ 10 

The present-day Center emerges ........................... 14 

The Pittsburgh Research Center today ........................ 17 

The Center's greatest resource ............................ 23 
A HISTORY OF 

THE BUREAU OF MINES 

PITTSBURGH RESEARCH CENTER 

By Robert J. ~uchman' and Ruth F. ~rinkle~~ 

ABSTRACT 

This report presents the origins of the Bureau of Mines and the evolution of the Pittsburgh Research 

Center from its inception to its present form. Areas of major research emphasis over the years, as well as 

administrative reorganizations, are discussed. 

'~echnical publications editor, Pittsburgh Research Center, Bureau of Mines, Pittsburgh, PA. 

%ethnical publications editor, Pittsburgh Research Center, Bureau of Mines, Pittsburgh, PA (retired). 
INTRODUCTION 

The Pittsburgh Research Center is the largest 

of the Federal mining research centers operated by 

the Bureau of Mines under the U.S. Department of 

the Interior (fig. 1). It is also the oldest, being descended in direct line from the original Bureau of 

Mines established on July 1, 1910, in response to 

the alarming number of fatal explosions and fires 

in U.S. underground coal mines. Administrative 

headquarters for the Bureau were in Washington, 

DC, while mining research was centered in Pittsburgh, PA. Over the course of time, the Pittsburgh Research Center has undergone several administrative mergers and reorganizations, but its 

mission has remained essentially the same-to improve health, safety, efficiency, and productivity 

in the mining industry. This report summarizes 

the evolution of the Center to the present day, with 

reference to both administrative structure and 

research program emphasis. 

FIGURE I. - A erial view of the Pittsburgh Research Center. 
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 

This history of the Pittsburgh Research Center Dr. Bernard Lewis, Chief, Explosives and 

represents a project that has spanned a number of Physical Sciences Division; and Earle P. Shoub, 

years. Grateful acknowledgment is given to the Regional Director. Without their valuable historifollowing former Bure.au emp1oyee.s at Pittsburgh: cal input, this seemingly endless task could not 

Dr. Robert W. Van Dolah, Research Director; have been completed. 

Norman E. Hanna, Deputy Research Director; 

A NEW AGENCY IS BORN 

The original mission of the Bureau of Mines ... was -_ to provide the mining industry with information on blasting materials and techniques that 

could be used safely in the presence of flammable 

mine gases and dust. This meant identifying the 

chemical and physical characteristics that allowed 

explosives to perform usefully without initiating 

disastrous fires and explosions. These considerations defined the two main objectives of the 

Bureau's initial research and development: Safer 

blasting materials for underground coal mines, and 

prevention of underground mine gas and dust 

explosions. 

Initially, this work had been assigned in 1908 

to the Technologic Branch of the U.S. Geological 

Survey of the Department of the Interior under the 

direction of Dr. Joseph A. Holmes. However, in 

1910, an act of the 61st Congress created the 

Bureau of Mines under Richard A. Ballinger, 

Secretary of the Interior. Although administratively headquartered in Washington, DC, the principal research activities were conducted by 

the Pittsburgh Mining Experiment Station, ..-A-.. n.. u i-p ulluG1 ul. .~o~II~,s, who had becn appointed the 

first Director of the newly created Bureau. 

According to the act (Public Law 179), the Bureau 

was, among other things, "to make diligent investigation of the methods of mining, especially in relation to the safety of miners, ... the use of 

explosives, ... the prevention of accidents." This 

reflects the origin of what is today known as the 

Pittsburgh Research Center. 

In establishing the Bureau of Mines, 

U.S. Congress undoubtedly was mindful of similar 

test stations established earlier in England, 

Germany, Belgium, Austria, and France, whose 

work had done much to reduce the frequency and 

severity of coal mine accidents. Recognizing this, 

the then Secretary of the Interior, James R. 

Garfield (1907-9), had requested a delegation of 

foreign experts to visit U.S. mines to make recommendations to improve safety and efficiency. 

Thus, the groundwork for the birth of the Bureau 

had been laid. 

THE EARLY YEARS 

The Bureau's Pittsburgh Mining Experiment 

Station, as it was then called, was located at the 

Government Arsenal in the Lawrenceville section 

of Pittsburgh, where the War Department had graciously allotted a portion of grounds and buildings 

to the U.S. Geological Survey. A 100-foot-long 

test passage, or gallery, that simulated an underground coal mine entry had been installed at the 

arsenal. It was similar to galleries already established in Courri2res, France, and Altofts, England. 

Although primarily intended to test explosives, it 

also became the site of numerous coal dust explosion demonstrations, which were necessary to alert 

the public as to the severity of such explosions. 

However, many observers were not convinced that 

a rather short gallery could recreate actual mine 
conditions. Accordingly, in 1910, the newly cre- One of the first objectives of the new Pittsated Bureau of Mines leased a 38-acre tract of burgh Mining Experiment Station was to test and 

land from the Pittsburgh Coal Co. in Bruceton, 

about 13 miles south of Pittsburgh. Here, a new 

mine, known as the Experimental Mine, was 

opened (fig. 2). One of the early experiments in 

the Experimental Mine demonstrated that coal 

dust by itself was capable of propagating an explosion even in the absence of any methane gas. 

This demonstration was contrary to the old belief 

widely held at the time that coal dust could not explode without gas. This view had led to the very 

dangerous and widespread nractice raw of using loose 

coal dust in mines to pack explosives in boreholes, 

which had cost many thousands of lives. These 

early experiments clearly proved that such a practice was too hazardous to continue. 

approve explosives whose detonation products had 

temperatures low enough and flames short enough 

in duration to be considered safe in flammable 

mine atmospheres. Such explosives were then 

classified as permissible, or approved, for use in 

coal mines. At first, there were no safe, permissible types of explosives nor certified permissible 

equipment of any kind for use in U.S. coal mines. 

To be classified as permissible for use in underground coal mines, explosives now had to pass a 

series of scheduled safety and perfomancc tcsb. 

Some of the original tests are still in use; others 

have been replaced by more sophisticated testing 

procedures. 

FIGURE 2. - Dedication of the Experimental Mine, 

which opened in December 1910. 
In 1910, the following Bureau projects were In addition to work on safer blasting materials 

underway in Pittsburgh: and prevention of underground gas and dust exInstallation of equipment for testing explosives 

similar to that used in European testing 

stations, and certification as permissible of a 

number of "short-flame" U.S. explosives that 

had been developed by manufacturers for use 

in gassy coal mines; 

Operation of an electrical section to develop 

permissibility requirements for electrical 

equipment, safety lamps, and electrical types 

of methane indicators; 

Investigation of the occurrence of methane 6 "as 

in U.S. coal mines and the adequacy of 

ventilation to prevent the accumulation of 

dangerous concentrations of the gas; 

Laboratory research on the flammability of 

coal dust and quenching of flame by the 

presence of rock dust. 

plosions, mine postdisaster survival and rescue 

was another concern of the young Bureau of 

Mines. Director Holmes initiated the scheme of 

equipping railroad cars, one of which was headquartered at Pittsburgh, as movable safety and 

rescue stations (fig. 3). These cars-purchased 

second-hand, and refitted and equipped at a total 

cost of $5,000 each-toured the Nation's 

coalfields, training miners in first aid, rescue 

work, and mine safety. In a mining emergency, 

the cars could be immediately dispatched to the 

accident scene. On October 30-31, 1911, the first 

national mine safety demonstrations were held at 

Pittsburgh "as an object lesson to those who had 

not adopted first-aid instruction or instruction in 

the use of artificial breathing devices and lifeFIGURE 3. - Bureau of Mines mine safety railroad cars, which were 

equipped as movable safety and rescue stations. 
saving apparatus."3 Nearly 2,000 persons witnessed the demonstrations and exhibits of the 

Bureau of Mines at the Arsenal grounds on the 

morning of October 30, 1911. Nearly 1,200 persons visited the Bureau's Experimental Mine at 

Bruceton despite exceptionally inclement weather 

to observe a demonstration of the explosion of 

coal dust. At a public demonstration of mine 

rescue work on October 31, 1911, which was 

attended by President William H. Taft, about 

15,000 persons, chiefly miners, were present. The 

demonstration took place at the former Forbes 

Field, the use of which had been graciously tendered by the Pittsburgh Baseball Club (fig. 4). 

President Taft handed Red Cross medals and first 

aid packages to the rescue team captains, saying: 

"We must stamp out the spirit of carelessness and 

the happy-go-lucky idea that I am afraid is too 

common with Americans generally."4 

At the Experimental Mine, work focused on 

identifying the processes associated with initiation, growth, and eventual extinguishment of 

mine fires and explosions. There, under conditions similar to those of a working mine, it was 

learned how weak methane explosions can initiate 

violent coal dust explosions and how rock dust, 

water, and other quenching agents can be applied 

to arrest these explosions (fig. 5). Instruments 

were developed for the early detection of open 

flames and incipient fires due to spontaneous combustion. 

Much of this work had wider appiication that 

resulted in an important body of information on 

the flammability and explosibility of numerous 

other gases, liquids, and dusts, as well as on the 

toxicity of their combustion products. Early 

research at the Experimental Mine, in support of 

construction of the Holland Tunnel between New 

York and New Jersey, had established ventilation 

requirements for maintaining carbon monoxide 3~ilson, H. M., and A. H. Fay. First National MineSafety Den~onstration, Pittsburgh, PA, October 30 and 31, automobile exhaust at maximum 

191 1: BuMines B. 44, 191 2, p. R. 

4~age 52 of work cited in footnote 3. 

levels. This was accomplished through construction of an ovai track in the Experimental Mine, 

FIGURE 4. - First national mine rescue demonstration held at 

Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, PA, on October 31, 191 1. 
whereby test cars were run around the track while 

observations were made of the effects of temperature, humidity, airflow rate, smoke, and exhaust 

gases on the drivers. A carbon monoxide detector 

installed in the Liberty Tubes in Pittsburgh was 

the first of a long series of atmospheric monitors 

and detectors developed by the center. Another 

extensive investigation into the spark ignition of 

anesthetic gases virtually eliminated the risk of 

explosions in hospital operating rooms. A later 

study for the American Gas Association resulted 

in burner designs capable of maintaining stable 

flames for a range of gas compositions, giving 

utilities greater flexibility in exchanging gases to 

meet peak commercial and private demands. 

In 1917, a major landmark in the Bureau's history occurred when the Pittsburgh Mining Experiment Station was moved from Lawrenceville to 

the newly constructed Central Experiment Station 

at 4800 Forbes Avenue, adjacent to what is now 

Carnegie Mellon University, in the Oakland section of Pittsburgh (fig. 6). For reasons of safety, FIGURE 5. - test for methane gas in the the explosives testing activities were moved to Experimental Mine using flame 

safety lamp. Bruceton, where additional buildings were erected 

to house the Explosives Experiment Station, later 

FIGURE 6. - Central Experiment Station at 4800 Forbes Avenue, 

in the Oakland section of Pittsburgh, PA. 
to be known as the Explosives Testing Station. 

All of the land occupied by the Bureau at that 

time, including the Experimental Mine, was purchased in 1924. 

The earliest major organizational change for 

the Bureau of Mines occurred in 1925, when 

President Calvin Coolidge transferred the Bureau 

from the U.S. Department of the Interior to the 

U.S. Department of Commerce. The reason for 

this transfer is not apparent except that it was expected to bring the activities of the two entities 

into closer coordination. This shift proved to be 

short=!ived, for in 1334 President Fiaiik:in D. 

Roosevelt returned the Bureau to the U.S. Department of the Interior, where it has remained since. 

In 1928, Dr. Arno C. Fieldner, Chief Engineer, 

Experiment Stations Division, described the Pittsburgh Mining Experiment Station as consisting of: 

The health laboratory section charged with 

control of mine gases and dusts, disposal of 

mine waste waters, mine sealing against acid 

mine drainage, and catalytic treatment of 

automobile exhaust; 

The explosives section; 

The fuels section; 

The metallurgical section; 

The physical section; 

The Experimental Mine section; 

The mining research section; 

The falls of roof and coal section? 

With the exception of the fuels and metallurgical sections, all of the above functions are part of 

the Pittsburgh Research Center today. 

FOCUS ON FIRES, EXPLOSIONS, AND EXPLOSIVES 

By 1936, research emphasis was placed on explosives, explosions, and combustion. Wilber! J. 

Huff was Chief of what was then known as the 

Explosives Division, followed by Dr. Bernard 

Lewis in 1946. Under Dr. Lewis' leadership, 

the division became the Explosives and Physical 

Sciences Division, and its function was substantially expanded to include fundamental research in 

the structure of flames, explosions, and detonations. 

Over the years, the Bureau sought to reduce 

the use of unsuitable explosives, as well as the improper use of explosives, through research, training, and demonstrational programs. The 

introduction of permissible explosives to the coal 

mining industry had been a major step in increasing safety in gassy and dusty coal mines. Even 

though these early permissible explosives met 

with initial acceptance by the coal mining industry, it required about 30 years of unceasing effort 

in the form of education and developmental 

endeavors before mounting acceptance of permissible~ eclipsed the use of black powder, the principal blasting explosive used in underground coal 

mines, to which many mine disasters were directly 

attributed (fig. 7). Additionally, in 1948, after extensive experimentation, an increase in the permissible charge limit from 11/2 to 3 pounds, as 

requested by the industry, was authorized, which 

greatly improved productivity. Also paralleling 

these developments has been the introduction 

Of ----A- roll -Y waiar-lirreu stemming b- dgS - , single- and 

multiple-shot blasting machines, and short-delay 

detonators. 

Further improvement in the safety of explosive 

formulations without the loss of necessary 

strength and reliability of ignition continued to be 

a longstanding objective. During 1955 to 1960, 

a major advance in this direction was achieved 

when it was established experimentally that the 

'~ieldner, A. C., and A. H. Emery. Work of the Experimental Stations of the Bureau of Mines. BuMines IC 6060, 

1928,29 pp. 
also resulted in the development 

of a new table of safe distances, 

adopted internationally, for the 

bulk storage of ammonium 

nitrate and ammonium nitratefuel oil compositions. 

Dr. Fieldner was able to 

report at an international conference that since the inauguration 

of the Bureau's explosives testing program, there had not been 

a single coal mine explosion in 

the United States definite!^^ J 

chargeable to permissible explosives when used in a permissible manner. It is noteworthy 

that these results had been 

obtained without any appreciaFIGURE 7. - Former gallery for testing explosives at Bruceton, PA. ble loss in blasting efficiency. 

Here, black powder-a nonpermissible explosive- The permissible explosives 

produces a violent explosion. initially developed by U.S. inaddition of sodium chloride to an explosive formulation significantly reduces the probability of a 

methane explosion. As a result of this research, 

by 1962 all active permissible explosives were 

modified by the manufacturer to include approximately 10% sodium chloride. A low-strength permissible explosive that included sodium chloride 

in its formulation was specially designed by the 

Bureau for use in small coal mines as a substitute 

for black powder, --vL:-L --v-- wllrcll wm ultimately outlawed 

in 1966. Bureau research also led to the development of slurry and emulsion explosives, which are 

less subject to accidental initiation, thereby improving safety in explosives handling, transport, 

and storage. 

dustry generally did not require 

large amounts of inert diluents or inert sheaths, as 

used in Europe, to pass the scheduled tests prescribed by the Bureau at that time. The use of 

these relatively strong permissible explosives had 

materially aided in maintaining the coal production rate in the United States. Meanwhile, fundamental research, made possible by electronic 

instruments and ultra-high-speed and x-ray photography, provided much-needed insight into the 

high-temperature, high-pressure reactions associated with efficient detonation and the factors responsible for effective explosive performance. In 

1967, Dr. Robert W. Van Dolah, the Center's 

Research Director from 1954 to 1978, had the singular honor of being awarded the Nitro-Nobel 

Growing interest in field-mixed explosives Gold Medal for theory he developed to explain the 

raised problems as to the potential hazards of accidental initiation of liquid explosives. 

ammonium nitrate-fuel oil (ANFO) compositions Technology initially developed for the coal 

used in open pit mines and underground metal and mining industry was extended to a wide range of 

nonmetal mines. These were resolved in various potentially explosive and flammable materials of 

studies leading to recommendations for safe prac- interest to other industries and Government agentices with these blasting agents. These studies cies, including the U.S. Department of Defense, 
U.S. Air Force, U.S. Department of Transportation, U.S. Coast Guard, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). 

Preliminary work on the explosives trigger for the 

atomic bomb, specifically, the first experimental 

work on cylindrical implosions, was conducted 

at the Bureau of Mines explosives laboratory in 

Bruceton. During World Wars I and 11 and thereafter, major contributions were made to the formulation of new military explosives and to the 

development and safe use of fuels and fluids for 

conventional aircraft, jet engines, and space vehicles. Projects for the military and NASA ranged 

from the destruction of earthen tunnels used by the 

Viet Cong to the effect of the extraterrestrial environment on Apollo attitude control engines. Investigations on the safe handling of hazardous 

materials ranged from routine loading of oil tankers, and the storage and transport of liquid natural 

gas, liquid hydrogen, and liquid chlorine to the 

safest method of ejecting burning fuel from a 

space capsule at an altitude of 100,000 feet. The 

effect of extraterrestrial atmospheres on the performance of explosives was also investigated. 

Dr. Van Dolah was one of an eight-member board 

that investigated the disastrous fire aboard 

Apollo 204 in 1967 wherein three astronauts perished. Other Bureau scientists developed methods 

for determining flammability hazards of combustible materials. Standard tests to determine autoignition temperatures, flammability limits, and 

minimum ignition energies, developed by Bureau 

personnel, were adopted by the American Society 

for Testing and Materials. Fundamental and 

highly innovative research into the manner in 

which flames and explosions originate, propagate, 

and are quenched assured the Center and the 

United States an authoritative place in the international scientific community, a posture that has 

continued to grow since. 

THE CENTER'S MISSION BROADENS 

Passage of the 1969 Federal Coal Mine Health In addition to the above, increased emphasis 

and Safety Act by the 91st Congress (Public Law began to be placed on conservation and the envi91-173) marked a major reorientation and expan- ronmental impacts of mining. 

sion of the Center's mission and responsibilities. In the area of respirable dust, the primary To the traditional work on fires7 explosions, and approach was at-source control. Deeper, slower 

were added the and Pro- cutting by specially designed bits in conjunction ductivity problems associated with the increasing with water sprays reduced dust formation. Conuse of mechanized mining, the introduction of trol of generated dust was achieved with machinelongwall mining, and the exploitation of deeper, mounted water sprays and improved ventilation, less accessible resources. The aforementioned cutting sequences that kept machine operators in 

new concerns of the Center were divided into two clean air, and by improved dust collectors. 

and with Research into high-pressure water-jet-assisted 

activities listed below: cutting also achieved significant dust reductions 

Health Safety (fig. 8). Personal protection was attempted by 

canopies that surrounded machine operators with 

Respirable dust Fire and explosion prevention clean air. In silica sand processing plants, new 

hardware greatly reduced worker dust exposure Ventilation Methane control during bag filling and handling. New respirable 

Noise Ground control dust monitors that continuously recorded the 

Industrial hygiene Postdisaster survival and rescue wearer's dust exposure attested to the significant 

Explosives reductions in respirable dust that had been 
FIGURE 8. - Water-jet-assisted cutting utilized on a longwall 

shearer to reduce respirable dust. 

achieved. However, more sophisticated analytical 

instruments revealed a high incidence of unsuspected quartz concentrations, necessitating current 

research to comply with increasingly strict 

standards. The effect of somewhat coarser particles known as thoracic dust also became a matter 

of concern and research. 

The respirable dust area received considerable 

ciinnnrt frnm the venti!ation research, UUYYuL uLLL 

characterized by simple, low-cost procedures for 

maintaining sufficiently clean, cool air in mine 

workings. Typical developments have been the 

use of a series of temporary cloth stoppings that 

are readily installed and easily repaired, a rapid 

brush-on method for sealing permanent masonry 

stoppings, and simple, reliable techniques for 

determining airflow patterns and detecting leakage 

using a tracer gas (sulfur hexafluoride) to follow 

airflows. 

Ventilation air must be not only adequate in 

quantity but also healthful. The Center's industrial hygiene research has 

produced a number of 

small, lightweight Samplers and analyzers that 

have helped to ensure that 

potentially hazardous 

products from blasting, 

diesel engines, and other 

underground operations do 

not exceed safe levels. 

The Center also has developed and/or tested fire sensors that are capable of 

detecting carbon monoxide 

and smoke particles at low 

levels, thus providing early 

warning of developing 

fires in underground 

mines. 

In the always critical 

area of roof control, roof 

bolting has become the 

accepted support practice. 

Introduced by the Bureau of Mines as an adjunct 

to timbering, roof bolting proved its effectiveness 

in preventing roof fall fatalities. Advances in 

drilling and bolting techniques have contributed 

greatly to the spread of roof bolting. The longterm objective of predicting and forestalling catastro~hic roof and rock falls was being met through 1 w w 

identification of the responsible geological factors 

(fig. 9). More immediate results were obtained 

with techniques that eliminated the need for working under unsupported roof, such as automated 

temporary roof support systems for use on roof 

bolting machines, now federally mandated for all 

coal mines, and machine-mounted cabs and 

canopies. The Bureau also took an active part in 

the evolution of longwall mining, including developing one of the first shield faces in the United 

States, the first lemniscate-type shields, and the 

first shields in steeply pitching coalbeds, which 

contributed to a downward trend in ground 

control-related accidents. 
FIGURE 9. - Conducting a geologic study in a coal mine roof fall area. 

Techniques were developed that allowed mining companies to determine the gassiness of 

coalbeds. Armed with this new technology, 

Bureau researchers conducted a number of geological studies that identified the gassiness of most 

major coal basins. This information was, and still 

is, used by most coal mining companies as a 

planning tool for methane control systems. New 

developments for methane control included 

advance surface drainage of coalbeds through vertical boreholes, with commercid recovery of the 

drained gas; underground drainage through long, 

horizontal boreholes, accurately controlled by 

wireless surveying of the hole trajectory; and 

cross-measure drainage of gob gas where surface 

drainage was not feasible. Additionally, analytical 

techniques such as direct core analysis and computer modeling now made it possible to predict 

methane control needs. 

safety problems, such as recognition of unstable 

ground and training in dealing with perceived hazards. The second approach was to provide a better 

working environment through safer equipment 

and electric power systems, better lighting, minewide monitoring and communication, and mechanization of materials handling. Self-paced 

computerized training programs and equipment 

models for hands-on experience became available 

for numerous tasks. Much was learned about 

organizational and personal factors that affect performance and safety, such as job satisfaction and 

absenteeism. As the number and size of mobile 

machines increased, so did the need for electrical 

power. Considerable progress was made toward 

intrinsic electrical safety, the elimination of spark 

ignitions and electrical shocks, and the development of explosion-proof electrical housing, intrinsically safe hardware, circuit breakers, cable-fault 

The Center's industrial-type hazards research detectors, and warning devices. Problems of 

used a double approach to a wide variety of safety severely inadequate illumination in underground 

problems. The first was aimed at preventing mines were resolved through the introduction of 

human errors through heightened awareness of portable, stationary, and machine-mounted light- 
ing systems, and a lighter-weight nickel-cadmium 

battery for the miner's cap lamp. Safety and 

efficiency of mobile equipment operators were 

enhanced by the development of humanengineered compartments and control panels. 

St,abi!itlr Jindicators OF. surface enuinm~nt -I rA------ reduced 

rollover hazards. Inadequate materials handling 

practices in mines and plants, long recognized as a 

source of injuries, were relieved with the development of training and mechanical devices. 

Although noise control research gave some 

attention to personal protection with earmuffs, the 

emphasis again was on at-source control. Cutting 

and drilling equipment, such as pneumatic drills 

and auger miner heads, were redesigned for lower 

noise levels. Dozers, loaders, and similar mobile 

equipment were provided with mufflers, sound 

barriers, and vibration absorbers. Workshops and 

handbooks on simple, "do-it-yourself" noise treatments were made available to industry. 

Both routine and emergency operations were 

significantly improved by whole-mine monitoring 

and communication systems that provided continuous, two-way exchange of verbal and visual information between underground workings and the 

mine office, supported by extensive data display, 

storage, retrieval, and analysis. A vest with a 

built-in, two-way radio and portable phones and pagers kept 

roving miners in touch with all 

parts of the mine. 

Rescue apparatus for application in mines continued to 

become more sophisticated. In 

earlier years, a Bureau-approved 

self-rescuer made by Mine 

Safety Appliances Co. was 

available that could be carried in 

the pocket or worn on the belt. 

This protected the wearer 

against carbon monoxide for 

about one-half hour, but did not 

since passage of the 1969 Federal Coal Mine 

Health and Safety Act, considerable emphasis has 

been placed on supplying the missing oxygen. To 

the filter self-rescuers that protected against 

toxic gases, postdisaster research has now added 

self-contained self-rescuers that supply the 

wearer with oxygen. 

A second crucial, postdisaster action is locating and communicating with miners trapped 

underground. Here, of course, speed is of the 

essence. Major advances in electromagnetic technology now permit two-way, through-the-earth 

communication. At the same time, teievision 

cameras and other instruments lowered down 

boreholes can assess the underground environment 

and the presence and condition of trapped 

survivors. 

The Center's long experience in mine fires and 

explosions was applied in generating new and 

more quantitative knowledge on the burning 

behavior of a wide variety of dusts, gases, fluids, 

and solids, and on the relative merits of flame 

inhibitors, quenching agents, and high-expansion 

foam. Large-scale research in the Experimental 

Mine produced much basic information on the origin, growth, and suppression of fires and explosions (fig. 10). Passive barriers designed to 

supply any oxygen. However, FIGURE 10. - Coal fire extinguishment test in the 

Experimental Mine. 
disperse a quenching agent under the action of an under residential and other structures. It was also 

oncoming explosion were successfully demon- effective as a base for revegetating mined surface 

strated in a working mine. Improved cutting bits, lands. At the same time, significant progress was 

directed water sprays, and machine-mounted igni- made in developing models to predict the amount 

tion suppression systems were developed to com- of subsidence to be expected over a mining 

bat the - growing - problem of frictional methane operation. 

ignitions associated with modern, mechanized Resource conservation research resulted in 

coal cutting equipment. several promising approaches to the problem of 

The Center's explosives research continued 

along established lines, identifying factors that 

influence the safety and performance of explosives 

and other blasting agents, as well as developing . - - -*.A &:-. n--- 1 A -:- - - ;II~IUV~LI VL LA~~U~IVL~ and evaluating candidate 

permissible explosives. Proposed revisions in 

delay blasting regulations led to an extensive evaluation of commercial delay blasting relative to the 

hazards of explosive misfires. 

acid mine drainage from mines and waste piles. 

Treatment of contaminated areas with surfactants 

successfully inhibited the action of iron-oxidizing 

bacteria that perpetuate acid mine drainage. ElecLa:--* --- J-- -A:--:A-- ---------- rrr~ar ~u~~uu~rrvrry survcys identified buried 

sources of acid. For acid mine drainage from 

active mines, an in-line treatment system was developed that combined aeration and neutralization 

in a single, low-cost operation. Pneumatically 

The effects of mining on the environment had stowed limestone was also used successfully to 

been a concern of the Bureau for some time, one seal openings into abandoned mines. 

that became intensified with the growing national A new approach to the control of abandoned 

effort to conserve the quality of land and water. mine fires, another environmental concern, was 

Surface stability research by the Center pioneered demonstrated in an abandoned underground mine. 

methods for controlling subsidence over mined- In this controlled burnout process, combustion is 

out areas. Waste fly ash from electric power carefully accelerated until all the fuel is conplants, injected in various forms, has been used sumed; heat from the operation generates revenue 

successfully in some cases to stabilize the ground or can be recovered for industrial use. 

THE PRESENT-DAY CENTER EMERGES 

A major organizational change had occurred in Division of Petroleum Technology 

1954 that divided the field activities of ,the Bureau (Morgantown, WV); 

of Mines into five Regions. Region V, headquar- Division of Mineral Industries 

tered in Pittsburgh under Harold P. Greenwald as (Pittsburgh, PA); 

Regional Director, was itself divided into six divisions, as follows: Division of Administration (Pittsburgh, PA). 

Division of Mineral Technology 

(College Park, MD); 

Division of Solid Fuels Technology 

(Pittsburgh, PA); 

Division of Explosives Technology 

(Pittsburgh, PA); 

The Division of Explosives Technology 

underwent several name changes: Explosives 

Research Laboratory (1 959-63) and Explosives 

Research Center (1963-69). Mr. Greenwald had 

been followed as Regional Director by his deputy, 

Earle P. Shoub. Another reorganization had abolished the regional network structure, and in 1963 

the Eastern Administrative Office in Pittsburgh 
and the Western Administrative Office in Denver 

were formed. The former covered the 27 Eastern 

States and was headed by Arlow L. Julian. In July 

1969, the Explosives Research Center and the 

Health and Safety Research and Testing Center, 

both in Pittsburgh, merged to form the Safety 

Research Center. In March 1971, following a 

merger with the Pittsburgh Mining Research 

Center, the Safety Research Center became the 

Pittsburgh Mining and Safety Research Center. 

Notwithstanding the growing importance of 

the Bruceton complex, for many years the activities of the Pittsburgh Research Center had 

remained headquartered at 4800 Forbes Avenue. 

However, their rapid expansion made the need felt 

for space and larger facilities. By the early 

1970's, activities essentially became concentrated 

at Bruceton, where new buildings were erected to 

house new laboratories and a steadily growing 

staff. The Bruceton underground facilities had 

been expanded by enlarging the Experimental 

Mine. A small mine, previously operated by the 

Bureau's Health Branch, was incorporated into the 

Experimental Mine and became a part of a new 

Safety Research Coal Mine. This mine is now 

used to test new equipment and procedures before 

transferring them to industry. 

Following the oil embargo in 1973 by the 

Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, 

emphasis on energy self-sufficiency as a national 

priority accelerated efforts to improve production 

of our Nation's abundant coal reserves. The 

Mining Equipment Test Facility (METF), unique 

in the United States, was designed and constructed on 9 acres of !ad at, Brureton to 

evaluate new designs of equipment, systems, and 

techniques needed to effect substantial increases in 

coal productivity. Major features of the METF are 

the mine roof simulator, capable of 3 million 

pounds of force for load tests of various roof supports and for studies of dynamic roof mechanics, 

and full-scale facilities for research and development of coal cutting and in-mine mechanical haulage equipment (fig. 1 1). 

FIGURE I I. - Mine roof simulator in the Mining Equipment Test Facility. 
The responsibility of mine inspection, 

which had belonged to the Bureau of Mines 

since 1941 (Public Law 49), was transferred 

in 1973 to a new U.S. Department of the 

Interior agency-the Mine Enforcement 

and Safety Administration (MESA). In 

1978, MESA was transferred to the 

U.S. Department of Labor and was renamed 

the Mine Safety and Health Administration 

(MSHA). 

Meanwhile, in 1975, the growing national concern with energy led to the transfer of Bureau of Mines energy research 

activities to the newly created Energy 

Research and Development Administration 

(ERDA). In 1977, President Jimmy Carter 

created the U.S. Department of Energy, 

which included ERDA facilities and the 

Bureau of Mines coal mining technology 

program. 

In August 1979, the Pittsburgh Mining 

and Safety Research Center received its 

present title-the Pittsburgh Research 

iorz of grain dust explosion 

Laboratory. 

Lake Lynn Laboratory, a 400-acre Bureau of 

Mines underground laboratory located near 

Fairchance, Fayette County, PA, became operational in early 1982. It was developed in a limestone bed adjacent to an abandoned limestone 

mine. Lake Lynn is a highly sophisticated laboratory and experimental mine that provides an isolated setting for large-scale explosion tests and 

mine fire research (fig. 12). At Lake Lynn, 

Bureau of Mines researchers can ignite and monitor massive explosions of gas and coal dust in the 

mine to determine how the explosions propagate, 

how to stop them, and how to prevent them from 

happening at all. Lake Lynn is designed to be representative of the newest coal mines, in which relatively wide entries are made possible by modern 

roof support techniques. The long entries also can 

simulate the layout of longwall operations, allowing full-scale tests of explosions like those that 

might occur in the growing number of U.S. mines 

with longwall sections. Also at Lake Lynn is the 

Subsidence Abatement Investigation Laboratory, 

which is utilized for the evaluation of remote 

backfilling methods for controlling subsidence in 

abandoned mined lands (fig. 13). 

Effective September 1982, the Bureau of 

Mines coal mining technology program, which 

had been assigned to the U.S. Department of 

Energy, was returned to the Bureau, including the 

Mining Equipment Test Facility. Lastly, in 

May 1983, the Bureau of Mines complex at 

4800 Forbes Avenue was sold to neighboring 

Carnegie Mellon University. 
FIGURE 13. - Subsidence Abatement Investigation Laboratory at Lake Lynn. 

THE PITTSBURGH RESEARCH CENTER TODAY 

Today, the Pittsburgh Research Center occupies 180 acres at Bruceton, PA, and continues to 

pursue an aggressive, innovative program of research to promote the safety and health of the 

Nation's miners, to improve mine productivity and 

enhance the recovery of mineral resources, and to 

minimize the environmental impact of mining. 

The Center has gained prominence in a number of 

areas of expertise in which advances continue to 

be made. Improving disaster survival capability 

constitutes an area of special technical competence 

at the Center. Lightweight breathing apparatus 

with a life-support capacity of up to 2 hours have 

been devised for rescue team wear, to be used 

either alone or interfaced with a rescue team helmet equipped with a communication system. An 

automatic breathing and metabolic simulator has 

been developed by the Bureau that has proved to 

be more reliable for evaluation of respirators than 

human subjects. A remote methane detector is 

under development to warn the individual wearer 

when the content of the mine atmosphere becomes 

hazardous. The Center continues to work to improve the safety of explosives, initiating systems, 

and blasting practices. A sheathed rock-breaker 

explosive charge (fig. 14) suitable for unconfined 
FIGURE 14. - Evaluating a commercial version of the 

Bureau-developed sheathed rock-breaker 

explosive charge. 

FIGURE 15. - Part of an ergonomic study on avoiding 

back injuries by determining acceptable 

weights for lifiing in low-coal seams. 

underground coal mine blasting has 

become available as an alternative 

to the hazardous practice of 

mudcapping, whereby an explosive 

is placed on top of the rock and 

covered by a cap of mud or earth. 

Current research also has confirmed 

the feasibility of safely extending 

the total delay time of a shot pattern 

beyond the present 500 milliseconds and is studying the effect 

of temperature and pressure on explosive sensitivity and the premature initiation of explosives by 

lightning. 

Another important mission of 

the Center remains the control and 

prevention of underground mine 

fires and explosions through safer 

equipment and more effective 

quenching techniques. Research is 

being conducted into a detection 

system that can distinguish between 

smoke from rr.ine fires and diesel 

exhaust particulate. Major attention also is being given to perfecting inflatable and expansion-type 

seals that can be used for rapidly 

sealing mine fire areas. Ergonomic 

studies are aimed at providing a 

more efficient mine working 

environment through systematic 

training and greater safety in manual materials handling (fig. 15). 

Recent investigations have dealt 

with methods of providing more effective training for procedural tasks 

such as donning self-contained 

self-rescuers. Research to improve 

safety and economy in the hoisting 

of personnel and materials in underground mines is conducted in 

the Center's Wire Rope Research 

Laboratory (fig. 16). 
FIGURE 16. - Wire Rope Research Laboratory. 

In its environmental activities, the Center 

continues to undertake research into prediction 

of ground subsidence and control of acid mine 

drainage. Most recently, the use of natural 

and artificial wetlands has become a widely 

used technique for biologically controlling 

acid mine drainage (fig. 17). Grouting of 

stream beds over mines is also a promising 

approach to eliminating excess mine water. 

In addition to its more traditional activities 

in health and safety research mentioned above, 

the Pittsburgh Research Center is increasing its 

efforts in advanced mining systems. A longterm objective is to reduce personal exposure 

and to increase productivity and the percentage 

of the resource recovered. Several innovative 

concepts, now in various stages of development, are expected to increase productivity significantly. Studies also will address new 

methods to exploit very thick, thin, and/or 

steeply pitching seams, multiple seams above 

FIGURE 17. - Bureau researchers examine a con- or below a previously mined seam, and diffi- structed wetlnnd designed to biologically cultly accessible coal reserves. control acid mine drainage. 
A continuous miner equipped with a temporary roof support system and auxiliary ventilation, 

known as the Automated Extraction System, has 

been developed to eliminate the hazard of working 

under unsupported roof, reduce roof bolting time, 

UllY 2nd mginfain la...* c!ear! air at the vvorknlace. !r! the YA 

rapidly growing area of longwall mining, a better 

understanding of the effect of longwall extraction 

on ground stability has been obtained. New criteria have been established for shield support systems that are expected to accelerate the expansion 

of longwall mining in the United States. Various 

promising approaches to the problem of moving 

out extracted coal include: A 250-foot train of 

self-propelled conveyor cars, known as the 

Multiple-Unit Continuous Haulage (MUCH) system, which requires only two operators to tram 

continuously through a room-and-pillar mine 

(fig. 18); a microprocessor-controlled train of conveyor cars to follow the continuous miner; and a 

monorail bridge conveyor suspended from the 

mine roof. A conveyor belt service machine has 

facilitated the time-consuming and hazardous task 

of extending or retracting belts as the mine face 

advances or retreats. In conventional shuttle car 

haulage, car capacity has increased, and a fly 

wheel used as an on-board power source offers an 

alternative to the more hazardous trailing electric 

cable. 

Much of the technology developed today by 

the Pittsburgh Research Center has been adopted 

either permanently or experimentally by the mining industry, contributing substantially to bringing 

the industry into compliance with Federal and 

State regulations and advancing industry productivity. In so doing, conferences, demonstrations, 

convention proceedings, seminars, and publications have proved to be powerful technology 

transfer tools (fig. 19). To date, the Pittsburgh 

Research Center has published a wealth of scientific literature summarizing its research and findings. These usually appear in the Bureau of Mines 

own series of publications called "Reports of 

FIGURE 18. - Intermediate vehicles of the Multiple-Unit Continuous Haulage system. 
FIGURE 19. - Conferences and seminars have proved to be powerful 

technology transfer tools for the Pittsburgh Research Center. 
Investigations" (RI's), "Information Circulars" 

(IC's), and "Bulletins." These publications are 

received by many libraries in the United States 

and abroad. Additionally, the Center works in 

a cooperative spirit with many companies, universities, and other government agencies through 

Memorandums of Agreement and Memorandums of Understanding in order to pursue 

avenues of investigation in mining research that 

are of mutual benefit. 

Close cooperation with European and Asian 

counterparts dating from its earliest days has kept 

the Pittsburgh Research Center abreast of developments and problems in world mining. The Bureau 

of Mines has served repeatedly as program host to 

the prestigious International Conference of Safety 

in Mines Research Institutes, most recently in 

September 1989 in Washington, DC. 

Programmatic changes have begun to appear 

in the Bureau of Mines' plans to reflect the growing national concern over strategic and critical 

minerals and the desire for independence from foreign imports. Research on mine health and safety 

continues and is expanding to all aspects of mining. Long experience had shown that a safe mine 

is a productive mine. Ultimately, one objective is 

to remove humans from the hazardous tasks involved in one of the dustiest, noisiest, and most 

dangerous work environments-that of the 

working face. To this end, adoption of the dramatic advances realized in other industries 

through computer-assisted technology is one of 

the current major objectives of the Pittsburgh 

Research Center (fig. 20). Already, some progress 

has been made in the remete computer control of 

machines and the development of "intelligent7' 

equipment capable of planning its own path and 

forestalling its own breakdowns. For coal mining 

specifically, one of the major problems is 

"teaching" cutting machines to detect the interface between coal and rock. 

In sum, it has been a long path from the 

Center's first tentative approach to coal mine fires 

and explosions, but it has been a steady and consistent one, and promises to remain so. 

FIGURE 20. - Computer-assisted mining systems allow the relocation of workers 

from hazardous tasks and improve worker safety and productivity. 
THE CENTER'S GREATEST RESOURCE 

In the years that have passed since the Bureau of Mines was established in 1910, the research and 

technologic investigations conducted by Bureau personnel, many of whom have worked at the Pittsburgh 

Research Center, have helped significantly in improving health and safety in the mineral industries and 

have contributed substantially-through improved techniques in the mining and treatment of mineral 

commodities-in conserving the Nation's mineral resources. This is the reason the Pittsburgh Research 

Center's own greatest resource has been, and remains, its employees. Today, the Pittsburgh Research 

Center team has grown to more than 350 employees trained in many different disciplines, including engineering, geology, physics, chemistry, industrial hygiene, psychology, and computer science. These fine 

men and women are dedicated to conducting quality mining research and disseminating the results of 

their research nationwide to ensure that our mineral resources are developed wisely for the greatest benefit of a!! Americaa citizens. To this end, their research helps guarantee that America's mineral heritage 

will endure and guide us well into the 21st century.