The current ever growing disparity between the today’s needs of production in new competencies of engineers and capabilities of the system of special engineering education makes JSC SUEK-Kuzbass proactively address the task of enhancing the efficiency of engineering education through the introduction of modern information technologies in the educational process provided by the Personnel Training and Development Center.

The article addresses the problems of growing electricity rates. Escalation of rates has an effect on the basic mining, transportation and production costs of energy-intensive sectors. In search of feasible solutions it is important to make a forecast of the interrelated development of the mining and power industries. For the transition to the new wave of innovation new tools and mechanisms of making the studied sectors competitive are required.

The article deals with the application of microwave technology of hydrometallurgical processing of minerals. The authors present the general information and describe the advantages of microwave radiation for dewatering processes. The main problems of finely ground filter cake dewatering with the use of microwave technology are discussed. The first results of laboratory and pilot-scale tests with finely ground filter cake of hydrometallurgical process are provided. The authors note that the results are promising and a new microwave dryer technology has been developed on their basis.

Ammonium nitrate (AN) is the main component-oxidizing agent in production of explosive compositions (EC), and its share accounts for nearly 90-95% of the total weight of EC. Application of ammonium nitrate as an oxidizing agent for explosive compositions has a long history. The so-called “mixed on the job” explosives (named Igdanit in the USSR and ANFO in foreign countries) were created on the basis of ammonium nitrate and fuel oil (AN-FO) and came into common use in ore and coal mining sectors. They replaced dynamite and TNT-based explosives in blasting processes for water-free holes, including underground conditions of non-gassy and non-dusty mines.

The article contains data on the research into dry calcium nitrate for emulsion explosives production and description of physical-chemical properties of their oxidizing basis. The authors present their conclusions on the results of tests of the selected explosives characteristics and properties and on the optimal content of dry calcium nitrate.

The article presents the results of Emulit VET emulsion explosives application in conditions of Kovdorskiy GOK AO. For the production of these explosives use is made of ammonium nitrate supplied by Novomoskovskiy Azot. The author describes practical advantages of porous ammonium nitrate application from the viewpoint of economic feasibility, as well as enhancement of technological efficiency and safety of emulsion explosives.

The authors present a brief description of composite explosives production and application practice in Mongolia, as Monmag and Blast companies case studies, with a special emphasis on some innovative technology and management solutions.

The authors discuss some measures aimed at the enhancement of the efficiency of earthmoving machinery performance. The article covers the aspects of efficiency enhancement of earthmoving machinery operation in conditions of the Extreme North.

As ecosystems of nearly all geographic zones are exposed to technologyrelated effect, and the scale of this effect is global, the restoration of derelict lands is viewed today primarily as ecological restoration – restoration of natural ecosystems for sustainable development of the biosphere.

The authors have performed the assessment of the efficiency of Wirtgen 4200SM operation with due account for geological conditions of Elga coal deposits. The article presents the results of Wirtgen 4200SM performance and economics assessment. It has been found that the average capacity of Wirtgen 4200SM in overburden rock is 4.4- and 2-fold lower than that of PC-5500 and ESh 20/90 excavators accordingly, while, on the contrary, in coal its capacity is 2.2- and 3.2-fold higher than that of PC-2000 and PC1250 hydraulic excavators respectively. In the course of the studies it has been found that application of Wirtgen 4200SM in selective mining of Elga deposit coal seams of a complicated structure will significantly reduce production costs and improve the quality of coal output.