Assessment of the physical, mechanical and engineering properties of overburden rocks in the Elga coal deposit

The article presents general information about the Elga coal deposit, which north-western part is currently mined using drilling and blasting methods. Geological and mineralogical characteristics are presented for the Quaternary sediments and the coal-bearing host rocks. The need to study the physical, mechanical and engineering properties of the overburden rocks is noted. The values of the physical, mechanical and engineering properties of the host rocks at the deposit are presented as tables, as well as the results of tests performed by the authors to determine these properties. The rocks are reported to have a low tendency to slaking, sticking, or adfreezing. The main types of the host rocks at the deposit are identified and classified into separate groups. The mineralogical and lithological composition of the host rocks of the Undytkan and Neryungri suites at the deposit is presented. The article emphasizes the need for preliminary loosening of the soils during the overburden removal operations.