This article deals with the reduction of dust content in the working areas of potash mines in the conditions of operating combines. This problem is topical, since the high dust concentrations in the atmosphere of dead-end drifts lead to the development of occupational diseases among miners, and traditional methods of dust control are often unsuitable for potash salts conditions. We describe the results of experimental studies carried out for the potash mine of the Verkhnekamskoye potassium-magnesium salt deposit. Next, a mathematical model of the dust–air mixture dynamics is formulated and parametrized. The Euler–Euler approach and the model of a homogeneous multicomponent medium are used. The results of a simulation for two ventilation systems (forced and exhaust) are presented. Several options for air flow rates are considered. A conclusion is reached about the most effective parameters of ventilation systems, which allows for minimizing the concentration of dust in the zone of the combine driver.

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When developing potash deposits, an important point is to preserve the continuity of the water-proof layer for ensuring prevention of the groundwater penetration into the mine space. For this purpose, the development of the Verkhnekamskoye field is carried out by a chamber development system with the abandonment of chain poles to preserve the waterproof layer. Ore crushing is carried out with the help of high-performance combine systems, at the same time, the ore extraction process is accompanied by emissions of a large amount of dust into the mine atmosphere. The existing mining system assumes the movement of the outgoing flow of polluted air through the entire mine roadway (chamber), from the face to the mouth. In addition, there is a self-propelled carriage in the cell, driven by a miner who is forced to work in a polluted atmosphere. The most efficient method of reducing the air dustiness involves the use of hygroscopic properties of dust, however, the use of moisture in the bottom to reduce the dustiness of the air in potash mines is highly undesirable, since when sylvinite is contacting with water, an aggressive environment is formed that can disable working equipment. With such a system, mining is about 30–45 %, and the ventilation scheme of a dead-end treatment face does not allow to ensure safe working conditions for the workers of the working face, in particular, the driver of a self-propelled wagon. The dust collection system available in the design of the combine system is very inefficient. In this paper, a system of mining is proposed, which includes regular cutting of the chain poles. A solution is considered that allows to reduce the concentration of dust in the atmosphere of the working face by changing movement of the outgoing air flow, as well as to increase the air volume.

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