Experimental assessment of the explosion hazard of sulfide dust in underground mines

The paper examines the prerequisites and experience of using experimental assessment of the explosive hazard of sulfide dust in underground mines of copper‑zinc deposits. The setup complies with GOST 12.1.044‑89 and provides the determination of the maximum explosion pressure, the lower concentration limit of flame propagation, the minimum explosive oxygen content, and the minimum flammatizing concentration of the flammatizer for various dusts. Based on the results of studies conducted at three deposits, it was established that the rocks in the ore zone of two deposits belong to the category of explosive substances, with critical dust concentration values at which ignition and subsequent explosion of a rock sample occur ranging from 530 to 1800 g/m3. In addition, the natural moisture content of the dust from the walls of the mine workings of the deposits was determined. It was established that the natural moisture content of the dust from the walls of the mine workings of deposits 1 and 2 varies in the range from 16.7% to 34.8%. Under these conditions, the explosive hazard of sulfide dust is reduced to zero, since at a humidity level above 5%, the settled dust loses its ability to become suspended; also, the ores from deposit 3 are classified as non‑explosive. The laboratory studies carried out made it possible to develop a set of measures for the safe conduct of work under the «dust regime» conditions.

Abaturova I. V., Simisinov D. I., Savintsev I. A., Storozhenko L. A., Kozlov V. S. Experimental assessment of the explosion hazard of sulfide dust in underground mines. MIAB. Mining Inf. Anal. Bull. 2026;(11-1):137-151. [In Russ]. DOI: 10.25018/0236_1493_2026_111_0_137.

The research was funded by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education in accordance with the state assignment on science for Ural State Mining University № 075-03-2026-421 dated 16.01.2026 «Formation of an efficient and safe natural-technical system of mineral deposits based on information modeling technologies».

I.V. Abaturova^1,2, Dr. Sci. (Geol. Mineral.), Professor, Head of Chair, e-mail: gingeo@mail.ru, ORCID ID: 0000-0003-4829-3204,
D.I. Simisinov¹, Dr. Sci. (Eng.), Assistant Professor, Head of Chair, e-mail: 7sinov@mail.ru, ORCID ID: 0000-0001-6095-0073,
I.A. Savintsev^1,2, Cand. Sci. (Geol. Mineral.), Assistant Professor, e-mail: Ivan.Savincev@m.ursmu.ru, ORCID ID: 0000-0002-4760-9900,
L.A. Storozhenko^1,2, Cand. Sci. (Geol. Mineral.), Assistant Professor, Head of Chair, e-mail: stor_luba@mail.ru, ORCID ID: 0000-0003-4185-956X,
V.S. Kozlov^1,2, Cand. Sci. (Geol. Mineral.), Assistant Professor, e-mail: mr.vkla@mail.ru, ORCID ID: 0000-0002-9435-957X,
¹ Ural State Mining University, 620144, Yekaterinburg, Russia, 
² LLC «Gingeo», 620014, Yekaterinburg, Russia.

D.I. Simisinov, e-mail: 7sinov@mail.ru.

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