A significant portion of coal mined in Kazakhstan is mainly used for fuel energy and metallurgy. Approximately 60% of electricity is generated by coal-fired power engineering. About 19 million tons of ash and slag waste (ASW) are annually sent to dumps. After coal combustion, in ASW not only are natural radioactive nuclides NRN (U²³⁸, Th²³², K⁴⁰) concentrated, but also rare and rare earth elements (REE). In this regard, ASW that essentially turns into quasi-technogenic deposits of NRN and REE, requires systemic measures for their utilization. The possibilities of extracting REE from coal power-industry waste are estimated based on the analysis of the concentration of REE (Ce, La, Nd, Sm, etc.), NRN (U²³⁸, Th²³² and their decay products, K⁴⁰) and the established significant correlations between rare earth and radioactive elements. The purpose of this paper is to study the natural radioactivity of coals and ash and slag waste as potential raw materials for assessing the quality and extracting rare earth metals. The stated purpose involves solving the following problems: studying the features of the NRN and REE distribution in coals and ash and slag waste; assessing the possibility of using ash and slag waste as a promising source of REE extraction based on nuclear radiometric studies; and studying the spectrometry of natural gamma radiation for assessing the quality of coals.

Air pollution issues are relevant all over the world, especially in industrial areas. The main pollution of the atmosphere is caused by dust emissions from industry. This article discusses the issue of dust emission from the coal industry. The purpose of this research is a comprehensive analysis and environmental assessment of the impact of coal storage processes on the environment. The study was conducted on the example of a coal deposit in the Karaganda region of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The Karaganda region is the industrial base of Kazakhstan, and is characterized more by coal industry facilities. In addition to the impact during the mining period, coal storage is also a serious problem. The problem of storing energy coals on a large scale of their extraction and consumption has a huge impact on the environment, but it is of great economic importance for the region. In this paper, practical methods of combating weathering are considered using the example of coal: small fraction—0–50 mm; large fraction—50–300 mm; oversized—more than 300 mm. Calculations of the formation of emissions, the maximum surface concentrations of pollutants from coal depots were carried out, and plots of their dispersion were constructed. When plotting the dispersion of pollutants, it was revealed that the largest concentration of substances falls on the territory of the coal deposit. According to the data obtained, a directly proportional dependence of the amount of emissions on the volume of incoming coal and the area of the base of the coal stacks is obvious; the temperature fluctuation in the stacks during the research is in the range from 21.9 to 26.1 °C. Scientifically researched anti-emission cover (AEC) on coal stacks. AEC has advantages for a specific climate (frequent winds, dryness): preservation of properties up to 90% over their service life; resistant to environmental aggressiveness and mechanical influences. This method solves two tasks: the first task is to prevent spontaneous combustion of coal stacks, and the second task is to reduce dust emissions from coal stacks. Measures have been developed to minimize the negative impact of coal stacks on the environment.

This article is devoted to the crucial actual problem of the restoration of lands disturbed by the mining industry. It has been determined that before the reclamation of disturbed lands, it is essential to conduct an environmental impact assessment. The main objective of the research is to find and study the most optimal methods for reducing the technogenic impact of the mining industry on the environment by restoring disturbed areas. The object of the study was a mining enterprise in the Karaganda region. The Karaganda region was chosen for the study due to being the one with the most mining industry. After the extraction of mineral resources, the territories of the region became the most vulnerable and required the clearest solution for land restoration, taking into account the physical and geographical conditions. The work includes a statistical analysis of historical data on the state of disturbed territories of the Karaganda region, and laboratory and field studies. The comprehensive study revealed a clear need to restore disturbed lands. This will prevent further degradation of land resources and will make it possible to use them for new agricultural purposes. For the first time, studies were conducted for various soils, including technogenic soils, typical for areas where mining enterprises are located. For the first time, a reclamation algorithm has been developed for a mining enterprise in the Karaganda region, taking into account engineering and geological surveys.

The article discusses the issues of dust suppression on industrial waste storage. The dust-suppressing properties of two chemical polymer reagents in the conditions of an industrial waste storage facility in the Ulytau region are considered. Full-scale studies of the dust-suppressing properties of the claimed reagents have been carried out. Throughout the entire period of the study, atmospheric air was monitored at the border of the sanitary protection zone (SPZ) and at the experimental sites. Fine dust, as a main air pollutan has been identified. The advantages of using these reagents as fixatives for dusty waste storages are described.

The article is devoted to assessing soil pollution with petroleum products in the cities of the Karaganda region and developing recommendations for its improvement. The environmental survey consisted of determining the content of petroleum products in the soil. The article presents the results of the analysis of 40 soil samples at 20 points in the city of Karaganda and 12 soil samples at 6 points in the city of Temirtau (at a depth of 0-5 and 5-20 cm) for the content of petroleum products. In addition, studies of the influence of roads on soil cover were carried out by analyzing soil samples taken near the Karaganda-Temirtau highway. Analysis of the results obtained showed that there is an almost universal excess of the maximum permissible concentration for petroleum products in the cities of the Karaganda region. The data obtained served as the basis for the recommendations proposed in the article for improving soil quality in the region under study.