The paper discusses the results of a study carried out to determine the thermal condition of a conveyor power unit using a thermal imaging camera. The tests covered conveyors in the main haulage system carrying coal from a longwall. The measurements were taken with a thermal imaging diagnostic method which measures infrared radiation emitted by an object. This technology provides a means of assessing the imminence and severity of a possible failure or damage. The method is a non-contact measuring technique and offers great advantages in an underground mine. The thermograms were analysed by comparing the temperature distribution. An analysis of the operating time of the conveyors was also carried out and the causes of the thermal condition were determined. The main purpose of the research was to detect changes in thermal state during the operation of a belt conveyor that could indicate failure and permit early maintenance and eliminate the chance of a fire. The article also discusses the construction and principle of operation of a thermal imaging camera. The findings obtained from the research analysis on determining the thermal condition of the conveyor drive unit are a valuable source of information for the mine’s maintenance service.

A powered longwall mining system comprises three basic machines: a shearer, a scraper (longwall) conveyor, and a powered roof support. The powered roof support as a component of a longwall complex has two functions. It protects the working from roof rocks that fall to the area where the machines and people work and transports the machines and devices in the longwall as the mining operation proceeds further into the seam by means of hydraulic actuators that are adequately connected to the powered support. The actuators are controlled by a hydraulic or electro-hydraulic system. The tests and analyses presented in the developed procedure are oriented towards the possibility of introducing automatic control, without the participation of an operator. This is important for the exploitation of seams that are deposited at great depths. The primary objective was to develop a comprehensive methodology for testing and evaluating the possibility of using the system under operating conditions. The conclusions based on the analysis presented are a valuable source of information for the designers in terms of increasing the efficiency of the operation of the system and improving occupational safety. The authors have proposed a procedure for testing and evaluation to introduce an automatic control system into the operating conditions. The procedure combines four areas. Tests and analyses were carried out in order to determine the extent to which the system could be potentially used in the future. The presented solution includes certification and executive documentation.

Sustainable development today covers not only certain aspects of the environmental and economic aspects of society. The very structure of the economy, in particular the production sphere, as well as the whole society, is changing radically. Moreover, the structure is not only a systemological, but also the category of sustainable development. It acts as the basis of any material phenomenon or process, that is, it serves as a relatively stable basis on which more mobile elements function. Therefore, the closest concept that allows revealing the essence of sustainable development, the problem of cognition of environmental and economic transformations, transformations and their regulation, is the structure. It is by using the disclosure of the structure as a fundamental element of the system of sustainable development that can reveal the factors of deep changes in the economy, under the influence of which the transformation of industry towards modern environmental guidelines, and with it employment, investment, innovation, systems of their state regulation.

The global situation related to the COVID-19 pandemic has forced employers to find an adequate way to conduct training in order to ensure work safety. The underground mining industry is one of the industries which, due to its nature, was not able to switch to remote work. Conducting traditional training risked spreading the virus among workers. For this purpose, it was necessary to start a search for a form of training that would be safe and would not cause additional stress for employees. Research on the development of an active employee training method and testing of the method itself was conducted online. In order to develop a method of active training, one of the most important workstations was selected, which is the operation of the conveyor belt. The training method comprises four training modules. The modules cover questions related to the operation of the conveyor belt, emergencies, its assembly and disassembly, repair and maintenance. The developed issues also take into account questions concerning natural hazards and work safety. The entire training course lasts 10 days. Every day, an employee receives a set of eight questions sent to their email address, which they must answer before starting work. The article describes the methodology and implementation of the training.

The article considers a cybernetic model for the price-dependent demand response (DR) consumed by an underground mining enterprise (UGME), in particular, the main fan unit (MFU). A scheme of the model for managing the energy consumption of a MFU in the DR mode and the implementation of the cybernetic approach to the DR based on the IoT platform are proposed. The main functional requirements and the algorithm of the platform operation are described, the interaction of the platform with the UGME digital model simulator, on which the processes associated with the implementation of the technological process of ventilation and electricity demand response will be simulated in advance, is shown. The results of modeling the reduction in the load on the MFU of a mining enterprise for the day ahead are given. The presented solution makes it possible to determine in advance the necessary power consumption for the operation of the main power supply unit, manage its operation in an energy-saving mode and take into account the predicted changes in the planned one (e.g., when men hoisting along an air shaft) and unscheduled (e.g., when changing outdoor air parameters) modes. The results of the study can be used to reduce the cost of UGME without compromising the safety of technological processes, both through the implementation of energy-saving technical, technological or other measures, and with the participation of enterprises in the DR market. The proposed model ensures a guaranteed receipt of financial compensation for the UGME due to a reasonable change in the power consumption profile of the MFU during the hours of high demand for electricity, set by the system operator of the Unified Energy System.