On the issue of studying the size of dust particles in coal mining areas using the depositing ability of the snow cover

The analysis of the particle size of suspended solids in snow samples from various areas near the coal-mining enterprise “Razrez Arshanovsky” LLC in the Republic of Khakassia. Snow sampling sites of the snow cover were located in the area of the road along which coal is transported, and at a distance of 0,5 km from the village of Arshanovo in accordance with the wind rose. Particle size analysis was performed using a LaskaTD device. It was found that in the samples under study, the main proportion of suspended particles, regardless of the point of study, had sizes from 5 to 20 microns, which numerically amounted from 63.8 to 81,3 % of the total weight of suspended substances. The site located in the western direction at a distance of 0,5 km from the Arshanovo had such low values of suspended solids that it was not possible to determine them using the Laska-TD device. The average particle size, depending on the point of study, had the following values (μm): № 1 - 11,2 ± 0,4; № 2 - 11 ± 1,6; № 3 - 9,3 ± 0,2; № 4 - 7,3 ± 0,9; № 5 - 13,5 ± 0,3; № 6 - 11,5 ± 0,2; № 8 - 11,6 ± 0,3. The obtained results of the study allow to conclude that there is a large amount of fine dust in the snow cover, which can accumulate in the environment and negatively affect its biological component, including humans.