Author 1:
Name & Surname: Slastunov S. V.
Company: Mining Institute, National University of Science and Technology MISiS (Moscow, Russia)
Work Position: Professor of Mining Industry Ecology Department
Scientific Degree: Doctor of Engineering Sciences
Contacts: slastunov@mail.ru

Author 2:
Name & Surname: Kolikov K. S.
Company: Mining Institute, National University of Science and Technology MISiS (Moscow, Russia)
Work Position: Head of Mining Industry Ecology Department
Scientific Degree: Doctor of Engineering Sciences

Author 3:
Name & Surname: Ermak G. P.
Company: Federal Environmental, Industrial and Nuclear Supervision Service of Russia (Moscow, Russia)
Work Position: General Director
Scientific Degree: Candidate of Engineering Sciences

Author 4:
Name & Surname: Yutyaev E. P.
Company: SUEK-Kuzbass (Leninsk-Kuznetsky, Russia)
Work Position: Head of Department
Scientific Degree: Candidate of Engineering Sciences

Restructuring of the coal production industry has greatly enhanced the rate of mining. The long-run development program accepted in coal mining stipulates further increase in mineral extraction output and achievement of world’s best performance both in productivity and industrial and ecological safety. In order to achieve the targets indicated in the long-run development program, the coal mining industry is to resolve a few issues related with the technologies of control over properties and state of coal and enclosing rocks, improvement of gas emission control, utilization of coal mine methane. It feels advisable to focus on technologies that cover all these problems in totality. From this standpoint, coal preparation by early degassing by means of hydraulic separation of coal beds is of interest as it reduces gas content of coal by 50–60% and allows methane recovery over 95%. It is important to improve regulatory documents in the area of ventilation, degassing and allowable face output. Special emphasis should be laid on reaching the world level in the industrial and environmental safety and labor protection in the coal industry in Russia. It is necessary to notice that current results in mineral production in Russia correspond with the highest world standards. However, industrial, ecological and labor safety remains at a low level. Handling these issues relates first of all with training and refresher training of personnel, requirements to which grow with the advance in the technology and equipment used in the industry. In connection with this, it is necessary to promote university education that provides higher quality teaching and training of high knowledgeable specialists capable to meet up-to-date challenges. It is worth noting that scientific-technical background and assets available in the industry afford ground for reaching objectives identified in the long-run development program for coal mining in Russia over the period to 2030. Alongside with this, human factor is of no little significance, which means training of skilled researchers and engineers and elaboration of legislative and regulatory background for highly productive coal mining.
This work was supported by the RF Ministry of Education and Science, R&D governmental assignment no. 2014-97.

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