Construction and extraction
Loading and moving machine operators, underground mining
Operate underground loading or moving machine to load or move coal, ore, or rock using shuttle or mine car or conveyors. Equipment may include power shovels, hoisting engines equipped with cable-drawn scraper or scoop, or machines equipped with gathering arms and conveyor.
Median pay
$74,500
Growth to 2035
−16%
declining
Openings a year
400
Time to qualify*
1 month
* From a bachelor's degree in an unrelated field.
Pay
Loading and moving machine operators, underground mining
Getting in
- Typical entry education
- No formal educational credential
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
- Prior experience
- None
Calculate your switch to loading and moving machine operators, underground mining
What the work is like
Dealing with the public
Unpleasant or angry people
Time pressure
Cost of a mistake
Freedom to make decisions
Repeating the same tasks
Time sitting
Time standing
Outdoors in all weather
Hazardous conditions
Loading and moving machine operators, underground mining: 79% usually work over 40 hours a week
Core tasks
- Handle high voltage sources and hang electrical cables.
- Drive loaded shuttle cars to ramps and move controls to discharge loads into mine cars or onto conveyors.
- Pry off loose material from roofs and move it into the paths of machines, using crowbars.
- Move trailing electrical cables clear of obstructions, using rubber safety gloves.
- Control conveyors that run the entire length of shuttle cars to distribute loads as loading progresses.
- Observe hand signals, grade stakes, or other markings when operating machines.
- Examine roadway and clear obstructions from the path of travel.
- Drive machines into piles of material blasted from working faces.
Also called: Coal Hauler Operator · Equipment Operator · Load Haul Dump Operator (LHD Operator) · Loader Operator · Loading Machine Operator · Miner Operator · Production Miner · Ram Car Operator
Outlook and AI
Loading and moving machine operators, underground mining held 5,900 jobs in 2025. BLS projects 5,000 by 2035 (−16%, declining; all jobs: +3.5%).
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