The main means of dust control besides ventilation is irrigation. Production studies at coal mines have shown that irrigation reduces the dustiness of the air at workplaces by 5-15 times. Application of this effective method of dust suppression at the mining enterprises of the Far North is complicated by severe climatic conditions in underground workings and low temperature of rocks. The air temperature in the majority of coal mine workings in the permafrost zone remains negative throughout the year, which excludes the use of water for dust suppression.

Determination of air dustiness during borehole drilling on apatite and felin rocks at the mine named after S. M. Kirov. S. M. Kirov mine was conducted for a number of years by the dust laboratory of the mine. It was found that some amount of dust remains in the air of the face even when drilling with water.