OREANDA-NEWS. September 9, 2011. The Donetsk National Technical University hosted an open public hearing on the research paper “Modern technologies for the comprehensive development of coal deposits in Ukraine in geological conditions of thin and super-thin seams,”which was nominated for a State Award of Ukraine in Science and Technology in 2011. The paper was authored by several DTEK employees and academics from the National Mining University (Dnepropetrovsk).

The paper proposed a solution to a key energy security problem for Ukraine: that 80% of domestic coal resources are located in thin and super-thin seams. In order to ensure efficiency in coal production under these difficult geological conditions and to increase the share of domestic fuel resources used in the country, it is necessary to introduce a comprehensive production and economic model based on state-of-the art scientific developments.
 
The operational and economic model proposed by the authors of the paper ensure a material economic effect and growth in the competitive ability of coal mines in line with goals and tasks of the program of coal sector reform in Ukraine.
 
What makes the paper unique is that it offers a scientifically justified solution not only for technical problems in the coal mining sector, but also for the social and economic issues of mining regions. DTEK Pavlogradugol and DTEK Komsomolets Donbassa Mine, which have already deployed this model, demonstrate efficiency indicators, pay levels, tax payments and social investments that are significantly higher than the average in Ukraine. As a result, the interests of all parties – the state, society and business – have been taken into consideration.
 
Consolidation of the creativity from both business (DTEK) and science (the National Mining University) in the development of the paper sets a precedent for the development of similar projects in other sectors of the Ukrainian industry as provided for by one of the tasks of the Economic Reform Programme for 2010-2014 regarding the introduction of public-private partnerships in science and technology.
 
About a hundred representatives of the academic community, coal mining companies, specialized institutions and experts participating in public hearings confirmed that the research paper was relevant for the coal mining sector in Ukraine and was worthy to receive the State Award in Science and Technology.
 
“The problem of developing thin and super-thin seams is getting worse each year. It can be effectively solved only by the consolidation of science and practice, which was fully demonstrated in the work that was discussed today. It is for this reason that it should receive the State Award in Science and Technology,” said Professor Vasiliy Okolelov D.Sc., first vice-rector of the Donbass Technical University
 
“The recent meeting of the academic council of the Geotechnical Mechanics Institute unanimously declared this work to be worthy of the state award. We highly appreciate it for its innovation, scientific approach and social relevance. Furthermore, the model described in the paper has already proved to be effective and efficient,” commented Aleksey Voloshin, Corresponding Fellow of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine and deputy director of the Geotechnical Mechanics Institute.
 
“The value of this paper lies in its complexity and completeness. The authors have created a model that can be used to revitalize the coal mining industry of Ukraine. While it was believed that thin seams are unfeasible to extract, this paper proves that they can and should be effectively developed and ensure high profit,” said Andrey Smirnov, DTEK’s coal production and processing director , at a public hearing.