Effects of surfactant treatment on the strength of frozen overburden soil samples from coal deposits in the cryolithic zone

DOI: https://doi.org/10.30686/1609-9192-2023-6-162-165

Читать на русскоя языкеD.V. Hosoev , V.V. Kiselev
Institute of Mining of the North named after N.V. Chersky of the Siberian branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Yakutsk, Russian Federation
Russian Mining Industry №6 / 2023 р. 162-165

Abstract: The harsh climatic conditions of the cryolithic zone with its long winter period and presence of permafrost soils significantly slow down all technological processes in surface mining. The resistance of frozen rocks at coal mines to digging with mining equipment can be reduced by their preliminary softening with the use of surfactants. The paper discusses the softening effect of aqueous surfactant solutions on samples of frozen overburden rocks. The authors demonstrate that treatment of rocks with solutions of optimal composition and concentration decreases their strength, which makes it possible to enhance the efficiency of In-Pit Crushing and Conveying Systems based on the rotary mechanical shovel in combination with a conveyor as well as the use of continuous miners. Experimental data are presented on the strength properties of artificially made samples of overburden rocks from the Kangalassky coal deposit saturated with surfactant solutions of different concentrations. The authors point out that the highest decrease in the samples strength is achieved when using aqueous solution of aluminum chloride. The results of experiments carried out to establish the effects of distilled water (H2O) and NaCl solutions of different concentrations on the strength properties of fine-grained sandstones from the Elga coal deposit are presented, which confirm that at the temperature of -10°С the maximum reduction of up to 55% is achieved in the strength of the samples, and when the temperature decreases from -10°С to -20°С a slight increase is observed in the sample strength. The authors suggest that the use of surfactants will reduce the strength of the frozen overburden soils, thus making it possible to apply a blast-free mining technology.

Keywords: coal deposit, surfactants, rock samples, continuous miners, blast-free mining technology, cryolithic zone

Acknowledgments: The study was carried out within the State Assignment of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation (Topic No.0297-2021-0020, No.0297-2021-0021, EGISU NIOCTR No.122011800086-1, No.122011800083-0) using instruments that belong to the Shared core facilities of the Federal Research Center, Yakutsk Scientific Center of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Grant No.13.ЦКП.21.0016.

For citation: Hosoev D.V., Kiselev V.V. Effects of surfactant treatment on the strength of frozen overburden soil samples from coal deposits in the cryolithic zone. Russian Mining Industry. 2023;(6):162–165. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.30686/1609-9192-2023-6-162-165

Article info

Received: 15.09.2023

Revised: 24.10.2023

Accepted: 03.11.2023

Information about the authors

Dorzho V. Hosoev – Leading Engineer, Institute of Mining of the North named after N.V. Chersky of the Siberian branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Yakutsk, Russian Federation; e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Valery V. Kiselev – Senior Researcher, Institute of Mining of the North named after N.V. Chersky of the Siberian branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Yakutsk, Russian Federation

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