Reducing the concentration of air-contaminated dust in the atmosphere of the cleaning chamber during mechanized potash ore mining

High dust formation is a concomitant process in mining operations in potash mines. In the bottomhole zone of the cleaning chambers, during the operation of combine complexes, the dust concentration significantly exceeds the maximum permissible, which leads to a number of negative consequences for miners and mining equipment. Existing dust control measures are either ineffective or significantly reduce the productivity of sinking and mining operations. Thus, at the moment, the urgent task is to develop technical solutions that reduce the intensity of dust formation in the treatment face without reducing the productivity of mechanized potash mining. For this purpose, it is proposed to modernize the hopper loader in terms of equipping it with a removable awning. An automation system is provided to control the filling of the hopper loader. In order to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed solution, a number of measurements of the dust concentration in the treatment face were carried out using a prototype removable awning hopper loader. The measurement results confirmed the effectiveness of the proposed solution, which made it possible to significantly reduce dust concentration by isolating the dust formation area inside the hopper during ore transshipment from the sinking combine to the hopper loader. The presence of a removable hopper loader awning will reduce the content of solid particles in the treatment face without reducing the productivity of the combine complex. The proposed technical solution can be used by enterprises in the manufacture of new modifications of hopper transporters.

Senkin A. V., Isayevich A. G., Shishlyannikov D. I., Tyubeev I. H., Bruev N. A. Reducing the concentration of air-contaminated dust in the atmosphere of the cleaning chamber during mechanized potash ore mining. MIAB. Mining Inf. Anal. Bull. 2026;(6):110–120. [In Russ]. DOI: 10.25018/0236_1493_2026_6_0_110.

The research was supported by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation (project Supported by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation (project NO. FSNM-2023-0005).

A.V. Senkin¹, Graduate Student, e-mail: senkin.anton59@gmail.com, ORCID ID: 0009-0007-2910-6211,
A.G. Isayevich^1,2, Dr. Sci. (Eng.), Acting Head of Chair; Leading Researcher, e-mail: aero_alex@mail.ru, ORCID ID: 0000-0003-3759-5514,
D.I. Shishlyannikov¹, Dr. Sci. (Eng.), Professor, e-mail: dish844@gmail.com, ORCID ID: 0000-0002-7395-6869,
I.H. Tyubeev¹, Graduate Student, e-mail: tyubeev2001@mail.ru, ORCID ID: 0009-0006-8772-7107,
N.A. Bruev², Engineer, e-mail: nikitabruevv@gmail.com, ORCID ID: 0009-0006-4013-8225,
¹ Perm National Research Polytechnic University, 614990, Perm, Russia, 
² Mining Institute of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences – branch of the Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution Perm Federal Research Center of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 614007, Perm, Russia.

A.V. Senkin, e-mail: senkin.anton59@gmail.com.

1. Semenov V. V., Shmakin I. G. Substantiation of rational parameters of cutting units of «Ural» type heading-and-winning machines. Mining Equipment and Electromechanics. 2008, no. 4, pp. 49—52. [In Russ].

2. Maksimov A. B. Obosnovanie parametrov porodorazrushayushchikh ispolnitel'nykh organov i pogruzochnogo oborudovaniya prokhodchesko-ochistnykh kombaynov «Ural-20R» [Substantiation of parameters of rock-destroying executive bodies and loading equipment of Ural-20R sinking and cleaning combines], Candidate’s thesis, Perm, 2019, 18 p. 

3. Martell J., Guidotti T. L. Trading one risk for another: consequences of the unauthenticated treatment and prevention of silicosis in Ontario miners in the McIntyre Powder Aluminum Inhalation Program. New Solutions: A Journal of Environmental and Occupational Health Policy. 2022, vol. 31, no. 4, pp. 422—433.

4. Hutsich E. A., Kosiachenko G. E., Sychik S. I. Peculiarities of morbidity and assessment of occupational health risks for workers who contact aerosols of man-made mineral fibers. Health Risk Analysis. 2019. no 4, pp. 113—121. DOI: 10.21668/health.risk/2019.4.12.eng.

5. Semenov V. V. Obosnovanie i vybor parametrov ispolnitel'nykh organov prokhodchesko-ochistnykh kombaynov novogo pokoleniya dlya dobychi kaliynykh rud [Substantiation and choice of the parameters of the executive bodies of the new generation heading-and-winning machines for the production of potassium ores], Candidate’s thesis, Tula, 2011, 23 p. 

6. Isaevich A. G., Tchaikovsky I. I., Polyakov I. V. Features of the formation of dust conditions in the combine face of a deep potash mine. News of the Tula state university. Sciences of Earth. 2021, no. 4, pp. 539—550. [In Russ].

7. Trifanov M. G. Otsenka nagruzhennosti privodov prokhodchesko-ochistnykh kombaynov «Ural-20R» dlya vybora tekhnicheski obosnovannykh rezhimov raboty v real'nykh usloviyakh ekspluatatsii [Evaluation of the load capacity of drive units of heading-and-winning machines «Ural-20P» for choice of technically valid operating modes in real operating conditions], Candidate’s thesis, Ekaterinburg, 2018, 15 p. 

8. Chekmasov N. V., Sidyakin D. A. Determining the rational parameters of a screw loader. Mining Equipment and Electromechanics. 2010, no. 7, pp. 52—53. [In Russ].

9. Semenov V. V., Shmakin I. G., Zhabin A. B., Chebotarev P. N. Substantiation of parameters and choice of cutters of the executive body of the Ural-61 tunneling and cleaning combine for the extraction of potash ores. News of the Tula state university. Natural Sciences. 2009, no. 3, pp. 300—309. [In Russ].

10. Trifanov M. G. Kontrol’ parametrov raboty i otsenka tekhnicheskogo sostoyaniya privodov prohodchesko-ochistnyh kombajnov «Ural-20R» [Control of operating parameters and evaluation of technical condition of drive units of the heading-and-winning machines «Ural-20R», Materials of the II International Scientific and Practical Conference], Saint-Petersburg, 2014, vol. II, pp. 82—85. [In Russ].

11. Chekmasov N. V., Shishlyannikov D. I., Demin V. M. Improving the efficiency of loading potash ore during the operation of sinking and cleaning combines. Mining Equipment and Electromechanics. 2016, no. 6, pp. 4—10. [In Russ].

12. Morozova O. V. Analysis of the mine atmosphere for dustiness during extraction and transportation of potassium-magnesium ores in mines and mines. International Journal of Advanced Research. 2021, vol. 11, no. 1-1, pp. 25—36. [In Russ].

13. Zemskov A. N., Leskova M. Yu., Gaidin A. M. Methods and means of combating hydrogen sulfide in mine air and in groundwater. News of the Tula state university. Sciences of Earth. 2021, no. 1, pp. 91—100. [In Russ].

14. Medvedev I. I., Krasnoshtein A. E. Aerologiya kaliynykh rudnikov [Aerology of potash mines], Sverdlovsk, 1990, 250 p. 

15. Fajnburg G. Z. Problems of establishing a new paradigm for the ventilation system of mines. News of the Tula state university. Sciences of Earth. 2024, no. 1, pp. 450—456. [In Russ].

16. Semin M., Ivantsov A., Lyubimova T., Isaevich A., Sukhanov A. Analyzing the impact of heat emissions from the borer miner on the efficiency of the exhaust ventilation system in a blind heading. International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer. 2024, vol. 235, pp. 126—183. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheatmasstransfer.2024.126183.

17. Medvedev I. I., Krasnoshtein A. E. Bor'ba s pyl'yu v kaliynykh rudnikakh [Dust control in potash mines], Moscow, Nedra, 1977, 192 p. [In Russ].

18. Isaevich A., Semin M., Levin L., Ivantsov A., Lyubimova T. Study on the dust content in dead-end drifts in the potash mines for various ventilation modes. Sustainability. 2022, vol. 14, no. 5, article 3030. DOI: 10.3390/su14053030.

19. Feinburg G. Z., Isaevich A. G., Zaitsev A. V. Improving the efficiency of ventilation of dead-end combine mine workings of potash mines by the dust factor. News of the Tula state university. Sciences of Earth. 2024, no. 4, pp. 671—685. [In Russ].

20. Roghanch P., Kocsis K. C. Improving the climatic conditions in development and production workings of hot underground mines by redesigning the auxiliary ventilation system: a case study. International Journal of Mining and Mineral Engineering. 2017, vol. 8, no. 4, pp. 280—293. DOI: 10.1504/IJMME.2017.10008864.