Ecological and technological aspects of iron-ore underground mining

Purpose.To substantiate drilling-and-blasting technologies allowing to reduce the amount of hazardous substances affecting the level of ecological safety during underground ore mining. Methods. The laboratory research of atmospheric air condition in the vicinity of mine were conducted by means of the physical-chemical analysis. The normative technique for calculation of harmful substances concentration in the atmospheric air was used for defining peculiarities of ecologically hazardous substances dispersion in the atmosphere from mine ventilation shafts. Findings. The research into ecological condition of the atmospheric air in the vicinity of iron-ore mine allowed to reveal the regularities of changing the ground level concentration of ecologically hazard substances depending on the distance to the ventilation shaft. Values of hazard indices were determined for different distances from the emission source in the cases of TNT-based and emulsion explosives application. Originality. Regularities of hazard index change depending on the ground level concentration of ecologically hazardous substances and the distance to emission sources were established. Practical implications. The new technology of drilling-and-blasting operations using eco-friendly emulsion explosives during ore deposits mining by means of square-chamber system is proposed. It will allow to lessen ecological hazard indices of harmful substances effect.