miner's inch
{{Short description|Measurement unit for flow rates}}
The miner's inch is a unit of flow in terms of volume per unit time, usually in relation to the flow of water. The definition of a miner's inch varies by location.
In hydraulic mining and some forms of placer mining, as well as ore dressing, a large and regular supply of water is needed. The miner's inch is a method of measuring the amount of flow a particular water supply system (such as a flume or sluice) is capable of supplying.
The miner’s inch measures the amount of water that would flow through a slot of a given area at a given pressure (for example, at a head of {{nowrap|6 inches of water}}, or {{val|1.5|ul=kPa}}.) In miner's inch the word inch refers to the area of the slot in square inches, while the pressure in inches of water refers to the height of water above the slot. A variable-width slot can be used to modify the flow rate.
Definition
{{More citations needed section|date=January 2024}}
Historically, the unit lacked a firm definition or equivalent measurement, and varied by location, leading to confusion within the mining industry.{{cite book|title=Placer Mining|year=1897|publisher=Colliery Engineering Co.|location=Scranton, PA|pages=[https://archive.org/details/placermininghand00coll/page/76 76]–80|url=https://archive.org/details/placermininghand00coll}}{{cite book|last=Wilson|first=E. B.|title=Hydraulic and Placer Mining|year=1907|publisher=John Wiley & Sons|location=New York|pages=[https://archive.org/details/placermining00wilsrich/page/91 91]–92|url=https://archive.org/details/placermining00wilsrich}} In 1905, its usage in California was standardized. Today, standards vary across jurisdictions, with values between {{frac|1|60}} and {{nowrap|{{frac|1|36}} {{val|u=ft3/s}}}}.
| class="wikitable"
|+Definition of a miner's inch{{citation needed|date=March 2013}} ! colspan="2" | jurisdiction ! colspan="2" | definition |
| colspan="2" | New Zealand
| {{cvt|1/60|ft3/s|mL/s|0|disp=table|abbr=on|lk=on}} |
| rowspan = "3" | United States
| {{cslist | California (south) | Idaho | Kansas | Nebraska | Utah }} |{{cvt|1/50|ft3/s|mL/s|0|disp=table|abbr=on}} |
| {{cslist|
| Arizona | California (north) | Montana | Nevada | Oregon }} |{{cvt|1/40|ft3/s|mL/s|0|disp=table|abbr=on}} |
| Colorado
|{{cvt|1/38|ft3/s|mL/s|0|disp=table|abbr=on}} |
| Canada
|{{cvt|1/36|ft3/s|mL/s|0|disp=table|abbr=on}} |
State regulations sometimes forbid{{citation needed|date=May 2018}} the use of the unit without its being associated with a definition in the same document.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.sizes.com/units/miners_inch.htm description at sizes.com]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20060826001847/http://www.supreme.state.az.us/wm/pdfs/RulesRev053105.pdf Arizona government definition]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20090705163046/http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/displaycode?section=wat&group=00001-01000&file=1-26 California definition (Water Code section 24)]
- [http://www.idwr.idaho.gov/water/rights/INST_FOR_APP_FOR_PERMIT_10-10-2007.pdf Idaho government definition]
- [http://www.leg.state.nv.us/NRS/NRS-533.html Nevada government definition]
- [http://legis.state.sd.us/statutes/DisplayStatute.aspx?Type=Statute&Statute=46-1-7 South Dakota government definition]