Home – Home – Jornals – Professional Education in the Modern World 2020 number 1

Changing the processes of formation of social capital and its human component in conditions when IT and biotechnologies (in their synthesis) are becoming capable of changing not only the biological nature of a person, but also consciousness, qualitatively change the functionality of education. Continuity becomes its defining characteristic. And continuity as a process (from its subjective side, in any case) gets its quality from the permanence of constancy and variability, their “fight”, constantly demanding and generating new qualities of the acting subject. Totally bureaucratized societies (at the extreme - dictatorships), as well as civil neo-liberal state-formal structures (e.g. the family) are no longer able to “regulate” the algorithms of “struggle” of constancy and variability, in which the social capital is individualized and, accordingly, individual human capital is socialized. Individual values and meanings are obviously more dynamic than the traditional social ones, and the motivation and involvement of the individual in their formation depends on the quality of the diverse range of services which the society can provide to the individual, and the individual to the society. Education, acquiring the functionality of a service, is capitalized under new conditions in a different way than it was before. Its necessity as a self-sufficient resource of the individual’s success is “blurred” by the dynamism of social and scientific perversions and the individual, understanding (or not understanding) this, “hurries” to obtain independence (freedom), trying himself in a space which seems more reliable to him, compared to the educational or even family space. This is the space of workplace relations. However, here he faces another problem. His intellectual development (as the ability to solve work issues) appears to be directly determined by the level of professional and very often general culture. And here we again return to the necessity of systematic professional education which provides the real potential of the individual with the need to have a proper symbolic character (a certificate, a diploma, a certificate of advanced training, etc.). The individual’s right for owning symbolic regalia is preceded by a certain process called education. This process is simultaneously fixed as a right and a duty of the individual, and the process of exercising this right and duty forms a kind of “appearance” for the individual’s potential objectification. The implementation of educational services as consumption, the implementation of educational services as distribution, the implementation of educational services as production and even as exchange in the conditions of total commercialization of education have different dynamics. This is a basic ground for the disproportions in meanings (forming in relation to education) for the business market; the system of the educational science itself; the family and civil society; and the individual. While social expenses and massification of education are growing, the marginal return of the educational resource is decreasing. This economic maxim leads to forming a number of such needs (in the individual), which are not realized in a real way, but in a fictitious one, do not reproduce capital and value, but redistribute them. According to the methodology of the reproductive approach, individual human capital can be considered as integration of three components: biological (natural), stationary (permanent), dynamic (adaptive-innovative). The value of the reproduction of the biological component is in the reproduction and optimization of natural abilities as a foundation of lability and success; the meaning of the reproduction of the stationary component (education, professionalism, competence) and, accordingly, reproduction of the dynamic component (adaptability, innovation, ability to compete and competitiveness) is in creating an effective personal eco-system which optimally combine its fictitious and real elements. The place of education in this optimization will be the subject of consideration in this article. The main problems of such consideration become fixed by the following questions: what is fictitious educational capital? how is it formed by the system of modern education? how is it possible to reduce the negative effects of its reproduction? The methodological basis for answering these questions (the author by no means claims to be complete) will be presented by the functional and reproductive approaches which allow us to consider learning as a commodity and education as a specific eco-system for forming and applying the individual’s human potential. The results of the analysis should be considered as the author’s personal position and as an invitation to a discussion.

The author analyzes the history of the "Great Prussian reforms" by Stein-Heidenberg in 1807-1814 in general and the large-scale reform of secondary and higher education (the Humboldt reform) in particular, from the standpoint of modern practice of strategizing and project activity. As a research task, the author sees the identification of systemic features of Prussian reforms as social projects and the search for invariants that allow them to be compared with modern social projects. A brief overview of the history of the Stein-Heidenberg reforms and the Humboldt reforms allows the author to identify certain systemic features and define these reforms as social projects in the modern sense of the term. The author does a caveat that this approach is to a large extent comparativistic, since a lot of objects of different quality that existed at different times and under different historical circumstances are compared. That is why attention is primarily drawn to the comparison of the circumstances in which reforms are carried out and the degree of their implementation as circumstances change. The author considers the medium- and long-term results of Humboldt's reforms and concludes that, despite the changing circumstances and the fairly rapid solution of a number of tasks for which the reforms were initiated, changes in the education system and society as a whole continued for a long time. This indicates their inherent internal logic and, consequently, their internal integrity and consistency. The author briefly discusses the reasons for the unsuccessful experience of applying the Prussian education system in other countries and concludes that it is possible and even necessary to systematically apply a significant part of such experience, especially in its design part, due to the significant qualitative coincidence of circumstances and the problem field.

Information educational resources in the conditions of formation and development of digital educational space become an integral element of educational technologies and provide the increase of education availability and quality, overcoming the inequality of access to quality education, represent interests of various educational subjects, and also offer the opportunity to choose an educational trajectory. In this situation, the problems and practices of information resources, their thematic content, placement and design become a significant issue. The methodological basis of the research is the concept of digital society, developed by modern sociology, in which the changes occurring in society are explained by the influence of digital technologies on social space and the level of inclusion of people in digitalization, the qualitative characteristic of which is the connection of knowledge and people. The purpose of the study is to identify the problems and practices of the use of information educational resources, based on the identification of factors affecting the digitalization of the educational process in an educational institution. The main hypothesis was that the digital index of a student (namely, the possibility of access to the Internet, the practice of using the Internet, the level of human capital development) determines the use of information educational resources and readiness to use them and build educational trajectories of lifelong education on their basis. Students' positions on the choice of educational resources, ideas about the structure of resources, evaluation and satisfaction with the resources they use in educational practices were revealed on the basis of the questionnaire survey of students conducted by the authors. The methods of description, comparison, classification and data interpretation were used in the interpretation of the results. Results: the study reveals the range of problems caused by the educational environment and the digital index of the consumer of educational services/student, as well as practice of application of information educational resources. The practical significance of the results is that the study of factors that identify the digital index of the student, allows you to determine the directions and forms of influence on the readiness of the student to choose the strategy of education through life on the basis of digital technologies.

The problematic goal of the article is to identify the direction of the vector of development of modern educational systems in the digital age towards reontologization or deontologization of education. Purposeful digitalization and commodification of education, which contribute to the implementation of the provisions of transhumanist ethics, entail the transformation of ideas about the nature of education, comparable in scale to the introduction of mass education in the 20th century. New ways of constructing ontologies of education are emerging, aimed at finding the foundations of this phenomenon. For centuries, education has been understood as the process of transmitting knowledge, values, norms of behavior, and ways of doing from person to person, involvement in local and international sociocultural and professional practices adopted in a particular human community. Currently, we are talking about entrusting this mission to artificial intelligence and exclusively personalized, but, in fact, dehumanized computer programs, mobile applications and online courses. Thus, the policy of the next re-ontologization of education as a sociocultural phenomenon is being carried out, in which certain researchers see deontologization, i.e. undermining the foundations in the social structure of education as a sociocultural phenomenon and mode of being. The question arises as to whether the aforementioned trends are so destructive in their consequences, or whether it is a question of changing individual ontologemes (i.e., the provisions of the ontology of education). The author of the article identifies the directions of re-ontologization of education in the 21st century and conducts a socio-philosophical examination of the onto-axiology of online education. The conclusion is drawn that online education has both a positive re-ontologizing and destructively deontologizing potential together with other transforming ontologemes of modern education. Among the fundamental essential foundations of education, the loss of which will mean the end for the sociocultural phenomenon and the birth of a new practice, personal interaction of participants in the educational process and the balance of integration and differentiation in education are singled out.

The article is devoted to the actual problem which affects many areas of research as it reveals the main directions of the education system development in the conditions of domination of the latest information technologies. The author shows that the processes of digitalization create the basis for the formation of a single educational space. The main directions of development of the educational sphere, caused by the emergence of new forms of communication among students, are revealed. It is proved that the expansion of the educational environment through the emergence of new techniques is due to the possibility of digitalization of a significant part of the teaching material. In addition, the use of the latest information technologies leads to serious transformations in subject-object relations in education. The article shows not only positive, but also problematic consequences of digitalization of education. In particular, the pursuit of operational information leads to the sacrifice of its reliability. The article presents examples of distortion of the historical picture which casts doubt on the role of history as a worldview basis in educational knowledge. Global trends in education determined by the introduction of digital technologies are investigated. It is proved that they testify to the universalization of the educational space, which creates conditions for social transformations, the consequences of which the society will feel in decades.

Digitalization has embraced all aspects and institutions of modern society, including education. The widespread introduction of new information technologies in Russia; the change of formats for the presentation of educational information, as well as methods of broadcasting educational materials; the transformation of the role and priorities of academic disciplines; the emergence of online / offline access to methodological resources have already become a reality. There is an information-technological synthesis of tradition and innovations in the educational environment. The scientific and educational space "responds" to this digital challenge in education with diverse researchers’ reflections. These theoretical interpretations are aimed mainly at the consideration of certain aspects of digital education, for example, distance learning, open education, massive online courses, e-learning environment. In fact, we can state the fragmentary theoretical context regarding the phenomenon of education in the digital age. The author proposes methodological tools, on the one hand generalizing the array of theorizations of the phenomenon of education, including the digital context; on the other hand, allowing constructing a theoretical image of the education phenomenon, reflecting the main attributive characteristics of the latter in digital reality. Under the theoretical image of the education phenomenon, in the most general form, is meant a theoretical construct that serves as a synthesizing representative of real and / or potential theorizations of the education phenomenon, and acts, on the one hand, as a link between the researcher with his methodological preferences and heterogeneous theoretical ideas about the phenomenon of education; on the other hand, as a basis necessary and sufficient for the interpretation of the education phenomenon in the context of a certain type of scientific rationality. It is argued that this method of cognition of the education phenomenon in its theorizations (through the construction of theoretical images), allows you to fix the most significant attribute characteristics of the phenomenon under study, phasing out the concomitant ones.

The article considers the mutual influence of the archetypes of Self, corporativity, and hierarchy on the educational process in the online environment.The increase of hierarchical trends in the social institution of education as a result of the emergence of national states and the reforms launched by them, is noted on the example of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The influence of abstractive impersonality, inherent for a hierarchy, on the manifestations of corporativity is analyzed. Indications are given on the influence of the corporativity, hierarchy, and Self archetypes on the process of emergence of collective identity, in close connection with differentiation and specialization within the group. The role of archetypes in the implementation of the reproduction function imposed by society on educational institutions is noted. The article expresses the idea of the Self archetype’s role in removing contradictions between the archetypes of corporativity and hierarchy. It also lists the problems caused by strengthening the hierarchy archetype in education. The author analyzes the distinctive features of the online form of education in comparison with the usual offline format in the development of the hierarchical, corporate and individual phenomena. The multidirectional possibilities of the electronic format are shown, which can be used both to reinforce and to weaken the tendencies of the archetypes of Self, corporativity, and hierarchy. It is pointed out that there is a contradiction between the innovative form of e-education and the conservatism of the collective unconscious. It is also noted that unconscious schemes of archetypes can be supplemented at the conscious level of culture by filling them with variable symbols and images. Some examples of educational projects on the Internet are given. It is concluded that the rebalancing of the influence of archetypes in favor of Self and corporativity is revealed primarily in online projects that are not controlled by traditional hierarchical organizationsl.

The article is devoted to the study of the radical changes that occur in education under the influence of digital technologies. The solution to this problem is possible only on the basis of various research areas, because educational policy in the global world involves a special form of management. The authors show that the dominance of the latest information technologies in the modern information society violates the established management system in modern education. The article reveals the potential dangers that could threaten the educational system if the benefits of information technology are used uncontrollably. Their benefits, such as speed, mobility and distance, can play a negative role if the traditions and historical experience of the society are ignored. The universal digitalization of basic educational processes creates the basis for the formation of a single educational space. The authors reveal the basic principles of national education management in the global educational environment. In addition, the main areas of educational policy in the market economy, as well as the emergence of new forms of communication among students are shown. The authors emphasize the fact that the dominance of information technologies in the educational sphere implies not only a better management system, but also new leaders. The transformation of traditional management structures in the domestic education system involves the development of a concept that would include not only the advantages of global education, but also the traditional pedagogy of this society.

The philosophical and educational methodology of the educational process organization is discussed in the aspect of understanding the system, essential and practical-applied principles of the knowledge and competence approaches. Ontological, epistemological and instrumental methods of research of these approaches are considered as integrative qualities of the individual. Contradictions and interrelation of knowledge and competences in the aspect of their influence on the theoretical and practical component of the content of education are shown on the basis of the ratio of semantic and structural-content parameters.

The article reveals the peculiarities of the use of new information technologies in teaching humanitarian subjects. The author shows not only the positive, but also the negative consequences of global digitalization in the domestic education system. The dominance of information technology in humanitarian cognition creates new problematic situations. In particular, traditional communications, characteristic of the domestic educational system, are being transformed. The author draws attention to such an important feature of Russian education as the inseparability of the educational process and the upbringing. The implementation of such trends has traditionally been entrusted to the humanitarian training unit. History has always been the basis for the formation of the sociocultural worldview. Despite the fact that the introduction of digital technologies in the humanitarian sphere has allowed to expand the visual learning space, there are more and more cases of falsification of Russia's historical past. The author shows that the reliability of information is often sacrificed to efficiency. Military-historical computer games often distort the true picture of history, which is much more complex and requires deep reflection. Unfortunately, students get used to visual aids, but they unlearn to analyze educational material because they rely on Internet resources. Excessive use of modern information technologies in the educational process significantly transforms subject-object relations. This is due to a significant change in the functions of the teacher, who is no longer perceived as the bearer of truth. The article shows how to optimize the learning process with new information technologies in mind. The author argues that humanitarian education can benefit if the digitalization of the educational process has limits conditioned by the author's methods.

The article reveals the main areas of development of the education system under the domination of the latest information technologies. The author explores the main trends of the new gnoseological strategy through the example of the coverage of military subjects in textbooks. Digital technologies allow us to influence the worldview of the younger generation more quickly. Ultimately, modern information technologies create virtual space where the objective reality is lost. This is also the aim of electronic games, which quite often show the Russian army and its heroic representatives unsightly. The article shows that the heroic pages of the military past and present are under the strongest pressure of modern information technologies. Traditional values are leveled when the defender of the Fatherland has always occupied a particularly honorable place in the educational literature. Our compatriots’ heroic feats during the world wars, as well as the military commanders’ contribution to the liberation of our country, as well as many nations of the world, are being questioned. The role of designers in the creation of the best weapons is belittled. In the process of information warfare, where Russia's opponents often have technological advantages, foreign media are trying to equate nazi criminals with domestic military commanders. The author shows that the processes of digitalization create the basis for the formation of a single educational space, which is not tasked to form an objective picture of the historical past and present. The main areas of educational development, caused by the emergence of new forms of communication among students, are revealed. The author proves that the expansion of the educational environment through the emergence of new techniques is due to the possibility of digitalizing a large part of the teaching material. The article shows the problematic consequences of digitization of education, when authenticity is sacrificed to speed. The author examines specific examples of opposition to modern digital technologies, which are designed to preserve historical memory and intergenerational connections.

The article considers historical aspects of the experience in the development and formation of digital education in the USA and Western Europe. It has been determined that the introduction of the latest information technologies in education has made it possible to advance the solution of quality, accessibility and effectiveness issues, revealing such problems as occurrence of computer addiction, fragmentation and unsystematic knowledge, redundancy of information, insufficient motivation and others. Tendencies in the development of digitalization in the Russian Federation are highlighted. The generalized definition is given of the information and communication educational environment as a purposefully organized system of technical and information resources, electronic didactic materials, telecommunication facilities which ensure the effective mastering of professional educational programs. The educational information system should be harmonized with the curriculum and work programs of disciplines and integrated with electronic library resources. The trends and possibilities of digital education in Russia are identified and briefly characterized from the point of view of modernization and solving problems of higher education quality. The main directions of developing the electronic communication system in teaching technical and general technical disciplines as a means of managing students' research activities are considered. The article also presents a generalized classification of e-learning implementation models for the disciplines under consideration. It is noted that the choice of optimal models is determined by the tasks being solved by educational goals. It was highlighted that modern theoretical training, within the framework of modernization trends, involves active use of modern computer technologies, interactive multimedia tools (webinars, presentations, video lectures) and exchange of information via telecommunication channels (online consultations). It was emphasized that it is desirable to carry out a laboratory workshop in a real environment, rather than a virtual one (on modern equipment). The conclusion is made that the digitalization of education in Russia will contribute to increasing the efficiency, accessibility and quality of education with the high quality of the components and subjects of the information and communication system.

The aim of the article is to study the conceptual foundations of the competence approach, the results of its spreading in the Russian educational space and its correlation with the digital space. In the context of the goal, the author analyzes the content of the competence-based education system, the distinctive features of its formation in different countries, the specifics of its implementation in the Russian educational space. We consider the problems of the transition period and difficulties associated with the inability to implement some provisions of the Bologna process due to differences in the organizational and economic basis of universities. We have indicated the degree of readiness of universities to fulfill the requirements of the Federal state educational standard of higher education for the implementation of individual educational trajectory of students in full. We present a number of conditions for the successful implementation of individual educational trajectory in a university. The paper also discusses the main types of digital learning, its features; focuses on the existence of several approaches to the introduction of computer games and digital technologies in the educational process, their efficiency and effectiveness. We noted the possibility of using digital platforms in the educational process, defined the practice-oriented nature of digital technologies, reasoned their use for fundamental learning. The methodological basis of the study was the philosophical position on continuity. In this case, the expected continuity of education systems, forms, means, methods and learning outcomes. In the process of work, general scientific methods were used: analysis, synthesis, induction, deduction.

The article discusses the problems of content, formation and functioning conditions of the electronic informational-educational (digital) environment оf educational organizations. The main system-forming factor uniting and managing all the components of the educational process in the digital environment into a single complex is the software platform (electronic learning system, LMS), which allows for the implementation of electronic (distance, online) learning. The DiSpace 2.0 e-learning system is a popular and adapted educational system, not inferior in capabilities to the widespread learning management systems. As training objects (digital educational resources) in the Bank (depository) are designed by teachers electronic training courses, online courses, tests, interactive simulators, as well as animation, laboratory workshops (in digital format). The dynamics of growth of working digital educational resources (electronic courses and test control materials) at NSTU is shown. If you have your own electronic learning environment, there is a constant development of information and communication competencies of the NSTU academic staff, including skills to design their own educational resources. In keeping with the system-activity approach to teaching, the educational ecosystem of NSTU is supplemented by interactive simulator stands, for example, for fire and electrical safety, developed by teachers in collaboration with software developers. The types and forms of students' knowledge control are shown during the organization of independent work, both for the traditional and correspondence forms of training, involving the use of distance technologies. Considered from the point of view of the ecosystem approach, the e-learning environment is a decentralized, self-organized, emergent ecosystem, which increases its stability and quality. An algorithm has been developed for the comprehensive assessment of the quality of the e-learning environment, with the identification of rubrics and quality criteria that require additional research.

The article considers the issues of formation of teacher's readiness for implementing additional education by means of club activities with the use of e-learning technologies as part of enforcing the Concept of development of additional education for children. The organization and implementation of the program of additional education and extracurricular activities using e-learning technologies is aimed at solving the existing problem of special training for the teaching staff of educational organizations. One of the effective solutions in the context of this problem is the development and implementation of the practice-oriented e-learning advanced training course "Designing e-content for organization and implementation of club activities with the use of e-learning technologies" for teachers. The article deals with the arrangement procedure and the content of the professional educational program of advanced training course enabling formation of teacher's readiness to implement additional education by means of club activities with the use of e-learning technologies. The professional educational program of advanced training courses is designed on the modular basis and it is organized and implemented considering the principle of bimodal learning thus involving both remote and face-to-face instruction. The professional educational program of advanced training courses is practice- oriented and results in the developed educational e-content - an e-learning long-distance course for organization of club activities- formed and placed on the web- site. The article presents the interim results of the experiment on forming teacher's readiness to implement additional education with the use of e-learning technologies within the framework of the project of the Ministry of education of the Republic of Bashkortostan on development of e-learning in general education institutions “Designing and implementing model of club activities enforcing practical training of learners with the use of e-learning technologies (various simulators) and creation of material basis”.

The article discusses the online course "Project Management System in Public Authorities" aimed at enhancing the professional project management competencies of the government officials and municipal servants in implementing national goals and strategic objectives until 2024, indicated in the Presidential Decree No. 204 dated 7.0.5.18. The Decree contains 12 national priorities for the strategic development of the Russian Federation. To implement the 9 strategic goals indicated in the Decree, a new Government Decree No. 1288 dated 10/31/2018 “On the organization of project activities in the Government of the Russian Federation” and methodological recommendations that significantly change the project management technology for the strategic development of the country were issued. The targets indicated in the Presidential Decree will be achieved at the expense of the approved national projects. The implementation of the global tasks of the country’s strategic development should be ensured by government officials and municipal servants who can develop and manage national projects. The practice-oriented training of project activities in the Online Course "Project Management System in Public Authorities" will improve the professional competencies of employees and specialists responsible for the implementation of national projects, and ensure the achievement of strategic national goals formed in the Presidential Decree. The Siberian Institute of Management, RANEPA, has developed an online PC course for state and municipal civil employees and methodological support for forming professional competencies in the field of project management in the government.

The article deals with the concept, essence, structure and functions of the digital educational environment (DEE), which can contribute to forming in young professionals not only professional and cultural competencies, but also the competencies for the use of digital educational technologies. It is shown that the DEE of vocational education institutions (VEI) is an open set of information systems designed to provide the main tasks of the educational process. We propose to create in VEI and in the system of in-house personnel training the digital electronic educational environment, material and technical equipment, a digital library, training laboratories, and for technical professions and specialties - production laboratories and workshops. The necessity of application of digital educational technologies in VEI is substantiated. The article argues that the essence of digital technologies in education is a set of techniques, methods and means to ensure the processing, transmission and display of information aimed at improving the efficiency of the educational process. The use of modern digital educational technologies in VEI will lead to the achievement of qualitatively new educational results, accelerate the process of managerial activity and increase its efficiency. The conditions of educational programs implementation in DEE are stated. Digital electronic educational environment should be equipped with electronic textbooks, manuals, presentations on various disciplines. The article gives examples of digital technologies implementation and recommendations for the use of digital educational technologies in the VEI.

The article summarizes the results of the natural pedagogical experiment on implementing and evaluating the “flipped classroom” technology in teaching a professional foreign language to Master of Laws degree candidates. Such concepts as electronic and active learning, synchronous and asynchronous technologies, self-study activity of students, productive speech activity are presented in the article as important components of the “flipped classroom”. Аn example of a set of exercises and didactic tools for independent work of postgraduates-lawyers in a foreign language in the context of “flipped learning” is given. The final results are used as performance indicators. The questionnaires and tests conducted during the experiment showed the effectiveness of the “flipped classroom” approach (the quality and variety of active and interactive assignments, speech activity of students in the classroom, their mastery of competencies, internal motivation of students and the teacher, their satisfaction with the educational process). The author points out the advantages of the “flipped classroom” technology revealed in the course of the experiment ( significant proportion of students’ self-study work supervised by a lecturer; independent completion of tasks of the levels “knowledge” and “understanding” by students at home and collective working out of tasks of the levels “application”, “analysis”, “synthesis” and “assessment” in the classroom; effective self-control and self-assessment of learning outcomes; learning variability; use of the potential of personalized, collaborative and web-based learning; formation of the sense of success and progress in students; efficiency and ergonomics of the educational process in the classroom). The recommended set of assignments for organizing the “flipped classroom” for postgraduates-lawyers can form the basis for further methodical research and be used in teaching a foreign language to students of other master’s degree programmes.

We have analyzed the contradictions that exist between traditional educational institutions (educational offline platforms) and modern educational online platforms in order to identify the possibility of their integration for training applicants motivated for agricultural activities. We showed that the transformation of the integrated offline and online platforms of an agricultural university into a hub (central communication hub) contributes to the unlimited expansion of the career guidance network according to the ecosystem principle. We examined the issue of creating a mini-ecosystem of vocational guidance «TIA - comprehensive schools - institutions of secondary vocational education», which ensures the effective functioning of the model of continuous professional self-determination of students, and is focused on the agricultural sector. The definition of the term «Career-Orienting Mini-Ecosystem» has been well-founded.

It was shown that heating of the volcanic material taken on the Etna volcano (Italy) by apokampic discharge reduces the voltage at which a positive streamer, the apokamp, starts from the discharge channel and increases its propagation speed. The luminescence spectra show that these processes are accompanied by the emission of easily ionizable K and Na, which is consistent with data on the elemental composition of Etna samples. Based on the data obtained, a hypothesis is proposed that in places of increased volcanic activity at altitudes of 10-18 km (at the level of the troposphere), the appearance probability of blue jets and starters increases.

The chemical properties of pentalene and its isomers, as well as their cations, are considered. Pentalene is a chemically active compound that plays an important role in the formation and destruction of polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which are the main components of soot microparticles. They arise during the combustion of fossil fuels and are considered as the most dangerous for human health anthropogenic aerosol atmospheric pollutants. The phenomenon of shift of aromatic/anti-aromatic properties of pentalene and its derivatives upon ionization (changes in the number of p-electrons) is also discussed.

A new method is proposed for predicting rock pressure, including static, kinematic and dynamic approaches. The static approach calculates strain state using the known classical method based on the mining guidelines. The kinematic approach takes into account the own weight of overlying strata and makes the kinematic approach more specific. Dynamics is traced as nonlinear deformation in the course of mining, and the dynamic approach needs additional in-situ information on the rock mass behavior. The three approaches provide the total displacement of roof rocks in a stope. The authors discuss a quasi-static approach determining dynamics in terms of the pliability of rocks ahead of an advancing face and feasibility of obtaining experimental data for the new method implementation.

The article considers the problem on compression of an isotropic medium with a variable width slot with cohesive zones at the ends. Under the action of tectonic and gravitational forces in rock mass, contact zones appear between the slot surfaces. The author analyzes the case of a number of the contact zones between the slot surfaces. In a part of the contact zone, cohesion of the slot edges takes place, while sliding is possible in the other part. The unknown parameters of the partial closure of the slot are found by solving a system of singular integro-differential equations. The contact stresses, the cohesion forces, as well as the sizes of the contact areas, cohesion zones and pre-fracture end zones are determined.

Based on the analysis, generalization and statistical processing of experimental data, the guideline values are determined for the physical and mechanical properties of loamy soil for construction of earthfill dams at liquid mining waste storages. A close parabolic relationship is found between the cohesion, internal friction angle and natural moisture content of soil. The authors present the method of real-time prediction of earthfill dam parameters with regard to spatial variability of soil strength.

The theoretical model is proposed, which allows tracing continuation of seismic vibrations after cessation of blast effect by the analysis of velocigrams recording on ground surface during underground explosions. The comparison of the model and experimental velocigrams of massive blasts shows validity of elliptical filters for second-order low frequencies in modeling waveforms of the velocigrams. The model efficiency in the detection of time-delay errors is proved. The conditions of predicting peak particle velocities based on explosive weight per blast are determined. The pre-conditions for the resonance excitation in the rock mass-guarded object system are discussed, and the blast-induced load is predicted.

A physical model is created to describe stage-by-stage fracture of rock mass by deep-hole blasting. The analytical dependences are presented for main parameters of massive blasting. The zones of intensive and passive fragmentation are identified in a blasted bench. The formulas are obtained to calculate volumes of different size particles in these zones. The automated determination procedure of particle size distribution is proposed. The program in Microsoft Visual Studio 2017 environment allows the automated analysis of blasthole pattern in a bench and particle size distribution in broken rock mass depending on initial data.

Uniformity index n represents the range of fragment size distribution and it is applied to evaluate fragment size by Rosin and Rammler cumulative distribution function for a muck pile. The uniformity index n of fragment size distributionhas been assessed by digital image analysis technique for several blasthole parameters and different zones of in-situ rock mass conditions in five mines having a wide range of blastabilty index. The uniformity index n of the Rosin and Rammler equation has been determined by a new procedure using curve fitting program with the best correlation for all groups of results. The obtained real values of n had significant differences with estimated n by the former equations. Relations between n and several blasthole parameters, blastabilty index and mean fragment size (X₅₀) of the results and their various combinations have been analyzed. Finally, a new empirical model having a good correlation has been developed to predict n value.

Some of the coal mines use dragline for the overburden removal of coal top as its geometric, since the initial cost is high with low running cost. Most of the draglines operating in Indian mines have conventional analog control under Ward-Leonard method. To improve the efficiency of those, to reduce the power consumption and to provide maintenance-less operation in the electrical system, the microprocessor-based digital control system is proposed to replace the analog method of control. This paper analyzes and presents a case study of real time performance of one upgraded digitally controlled Ward-Leonard dragline, operating in an Indian mine-field. It shows the improvement in specific energy consumption and suggests maintenance issues based on the comparative study of breakdown status before and after the upgradation.

The aim of this study is to investigate the applicability of artificial neural networks (ANN) and game theory in the development of an underground mining method selection model. To realize this, six different ANN models which can evaluate geometric and rock mass properties of underground mine, environmental factors and ventilation conditions to determine mining methods that satisfy the safety conditions for an underground mine were developed. Among the mining methods determined by ANNs, the optimal mining method was determined by the ultimatum game, in which a compromise between safety and economy conditions was simulated. By using a combination of developed ANN models and ultimatum game, a new model based on artificial neural networks and game theory for the selection of underground mining method was developed. This model can make predictions in the presence of lack of information by following technological developments and new findings obtained in scientific/sectoral studies if learning is continuous. Moreover, the model can evaluate all selection criteria and provide literature-based solutions. In the light of findings obtained within this study, it is revealed that artificial neural networks and game theory can be used in the selection of underground mining methods.

In mid-May 2014, flooding caused by unprecedented rainfall wreaked havoc on Serbia. In the night between May 14 and 15, the swollen Kolubara River with its tributaries flooded the Tamnava West Field and Veliki Crljeni coal open-pit mines. The paper describes the course of flood events, the consequences of the outflow of about 214.4 million m³ of water into the depressions of the open-pit mines, and the damage resulting from this devastating accident that hit the Kolubara Mining Basin.

Realization of good returns in the mining venture needs careful planning, scheduling, design and optimisation of all mining activities which are dependent upon reliable resource estimates. The mineral resource estimation method employed in a deposit thus plays a major role in reduction of risks associated in mining. Indicator kriging, ordinary kriging and inverse distance weighting methods are compared for Monywa K and L deposits. Correlation coefficients in the regression analysis of downhole composites compared with the ordinary kriging estimates for K and L deposits were 0.982 and 0.985 respectively, thus selecting it as the best estimator for the two deposits.

The authors present an efficient modification method of X-ray fluorescence separation with mineral and organic luminophores used to adjust spectral and kinetic characteristics of anomalously luminescent diamonds. The mechanism of attachment of luminophores at diamonds and hydrophobic minerals is proved, including interaction between the organic component of emulsions and the hydrophobic surface of a treated object and the concentration of insoluble luminophore grains at the organic and water interface. Selective attachment of the luminophore-bearing organic phase of emulsion at the diamond surface is achieved owing to phosphatic dispersing agents. Tri-sodium phosphate and sodium hexametaphosphate added to emulsion reduce attachment of the luminosphore-bearing organic phase at the surface of kimberlite minerals. It is shown that phosphate concentration of 1.0-1.5 g/l modifies and stabilizes spectral and kinematic parameters of kimberlite mineral on the level of initial values. This mode maintains the spectral and kinematic characteristics of anomalously luminescent diamonds at the wanted level to ensure extraction of diamonds to concentrate.

The authors prove connection between the surface activity relative to gas-liquid interface and collecting ability in flotation for derivatives of xanthogenates (xanthogenates of heavy metals). It is shown that at nonstoichiometric ration of xanthogenate and metallic salt concentrations, colloid particles are formed in solution. The influence of deviation from the nonstoichiometric ratio of xanthogenate and metallic salt concentration on the spreading velocity of the colloid system over water surface and on the collecting activity of the system is studied. It is found that the spreading velocity of derivatives of xanthigenates over water surface and their collecting activity depends on the duration of aging of the colloid system.

The experimental results on operation of electrodynamic separator with pulsed traveling magnetic field in treatment of sand mixtures with metal particles - 0.25 mm.

Part of large-scale industrial test results of milling fineness influence on lead, copper and zinc minerals flotation results in the Rudnik flotation plant are shown in this paper. Based on industrial research it has been concluded that one-stage milling and two-stage classification of complex Pb-Zn-Cu ore leads to so-called “differential milling”. Namely, galena has much faster comminution than other minerals present in ore due to galena softness. This occurrence leads to galena converting into a small particles size fractions which have low flotation rate and, at the same time, copper and zinc minerals stay “unliberated” in coarse particle size fractions (minerals are not free of mutual bonds). In this paper, recorded copper minerals flotation products results are shown, including lead underflow (copper flotation input), copper concentrate and copper underflow, in function of particle size; particle size distribution, minerals and metals distribution in function of particle size were determined; obtained research results confirmed “differential milling” assumption, as well as severe floatability difference between chalcopyrite of a different particle size.

The particle size distribution and the material constitution of samples taken from old milltailings of sulfide and oxidized ore are studied. It is shown that more than 50% of gold occurs in fine size grade of - 0.044 mm. The method of gas adsorption reveals large specific area in the samples, which is important for re-entrainment and migration of gold and associate components. It is found that gold correlates with iron-bearing species, which is useful for the magnetic separation of gold. The differential scanning calorimetry shows that the samples of the milltailings lack significant quantity of carbon black capable to adsorb gold. It is found that it is possible to generate insoluble residuum of iron cyanoferrates in the tailings, and microne size particles of mobile gold will self-settle on them.

The article presents studies into the microwave treatment effect on higher recovery of noble metals from rebellious carbonic ore. The rate of refractoriness of carbonic concentrates was determined using a package of thermal testing techniques. Bitumen is an additional criterion of the refractoriness rate of mineral dressing products. The influence of treatment time on heating of a sample is studied at different microwave capacities. The process of heating of dry concentrates in electrolytic solution is analyzed. The applicability of microwave treatment of flotation concentrates toward higher recovery of gold from rebellious carbonic ore is proved.

The author studied the process of copper removal from underspoil water at Blyavinskoe and Safyanovskoe copper ore deposits by cementation by iron. The influence of pH, consumption of cementation agent impurity ions Fe³⁺, Al³⁺ and Ca²⁺, as well as timing on the cementation performance was analyzed. The mechanism of the process was determined, and by-reactions resulting in over-consumption of cementation agent were revealed. The studies of the material constitution of cemented copper showed that the concentrate quality worsened because of the joint settling of basic aluminum and calcium sulfates. The obtained results make it possible to draw the conclusion on applicability of cementation for removal of copper from underspoil water.

The authors have analyzed relative earth heat infiltration in artificial ground freezing in the context of formation of frozen wall in mine shafts. The artificial ground freezing modeling reveals considerable dependence of the earth heat infiltration on the thermal properties of ground, process variables of freezing plant and time. The earth heat infiltration comes to a steady-state value 5-8 months after beginning of freezing. The formula is obtained for estimation of the steady-state value for the relative earth heat infiltration at different temperatures of ground and freezing brine.