ON SUBJECT TO FORECAST CAUSAL FACTORS FOR SPONTANEOUS FIRES IN COAL MINES

Regulations for assessment of workable bed hazardous characteristics during the mining operations include the coal metamorphic grade classification indices borrowed from the industrial classifications without any proper scientific justification. For true forecasting the workable bed hazardous characteristics during the mining operations, the method to detect the metamorphic grades by changing the content of main components and moisture in the organic matter has been developed. Purpose. Development of the forecasting technique logical sequence for workable bed liability to spontaneous ignition in different stages of coal metamorphic conversion and their chemical activity during the mining operations. Methods. They are based on assumption of spontaneous fires with three blocks of factors independent of each other. The factors of block one describe the chemical activity of coals. They are defined by their elemental composition and properties at the different stages of bed metamorphic conversion. The second group of impacting factors characterizes the mining and geological conditions of bedding. It includes the coal beds position relative to each other, their occurrence depth, thickness and degree of inclination, presence of geological breaches and adjacent strata properties. The factors of block three is independently connected with the mining operation conditions. The forecasting technique for workable bed liability to spontaneous ignition avoids any stable correlation relationships between the factor parameters of three blocks under consideration. It allows separate consideration of each block and avoid their random correlations with factors of other blocks. Results. The statistical processing result analysis of more than 1000 coal samples with carbon content of 80÷94% has allowed establishing the relationship between the organic matter components and total moisture, as well as their share of participation in carbonization process that reflects the Donets Basin coal metamorphic conversions. Compliance of the initial data with analytical data of different coal deposits has been established. For the first time, the technique has been developed; and organic matter separate components and total moisture participation shares in coal carbonization process indices creation, which is one of evaluation criteria for workable bed metamorphic conversion degree for different deposits, have been established. The revealed regularities of change ambiguity for organic matter elemental composition components and their different participation shares together with the moisture in carbonization process have allowed establishing the distinctive features of the coal metamorphic conversion different stages for true forecasting the workable bed hazardous characteristics during the mining operations. In the course of this approach, the real chemical activity of coals is established by their elemental composition in different stages of bed metamorphic conversions; certain places of long-term contacts between the mine air and coal are differentially forecasted in the mine field. It enables the enhanced automated monitoring of mine air condition and revealing of spontaneous combustion places in early stages of their creation. Scientific novelty. The pattern of change for classification indices of coal industrial classification has been revealed to establish the workable bed hazardous characteristics during the mining operations. Practical relevance. Opportunity to improve the regulatory framework for safe processing of workable beds by establishing the interrelation between fossil coal metamorphic conversions and their elemental composition.