What You'll Do

  • Operate mining machines to gather coal and convey it to floors or shuttle cars.
  • Determine locations, boundaries, and depths of holes or channels to be cut.
  • Reposition machines to make additional holes or cuts.
  • Drive machines into position at working faces.
  • Move controls to start and regulate movement of conveyors and to start and position drill cutters or torches.
  • Observe and listen to equipment operation to detect binding or stoppage of tools or other equipment malfunctions.
  • Repair, oil, and adjust machines, and change cutting teeth, using wrenches.
  • Move levers to raise and lower hydraulic safety bars supporting roofs above machines until other workers complete framing.
  • Install casings to prevent cave-ins.
  • Guide and assist crews laying track and resetting supports and blocking.

Essential Skills

Operations Monitoring 3.88/5
Operation and Control 3.88/5
Equipment Maintenance 3.38/5
Critical Thinking 3.25/5
Troubleshooting 3.25/5
Repairing 3.12/5
Judgment and Decision Making 3.12/5
Active Listening 3.0/5
Speaking 3.0/5
Monitoring 3.0/5
Complex Problem Solving 3.0/5
Time Management 3.0/5

Career Fit Overview

Use this summary to understand the kind of profile this role rewards. It helps you judge whether this career looks like a stronger match than your current role, a nearby move worth exploring, or a broader path to compare more seriously.

Top passions

  • Maker: Building and fixing energizes you. You like tangible results and practical tools.
  • Organizer: Bringing order to data and processes satisfies you.
  • Analyst: Investigating problems and finding patterns keeps you engaged.

Common styles

Dependability, Cautiousness, Attention to Detail, Stress Tolerance, Perseverance

Want a personal read on fit? Take the free assessment and compare this career to your current role, nearby alternatives, and broader stronger-fit options.

Key Abilities

This career demands strong capabilities in the following areas:

Control Precision 4.0/5
Arm-Hand Steadiness 3.88/5
Problem Sensitivity 3.75/5
Multilimb Coordination 3.75/5
Reaction Time 3.75/5
Rate Control 3.62/5
Near Vision 3.62/5
Selective Attention 3.5/5

Technologies & Tools

Fleet monitoring system software Hitachi ZXLink Leica Geosystems FMS Microsoft Excel Microsoft Office software Microsoft PowerPoint Microsoft Word Minitab Word processing software

Work Environment & Strengths

Common Strengths for This Career

  • Dependability (High importance: 4.77/5)
  • Cautiousness (High importance: 4.67/5)
  • Attention to Detail (High importance: 4.41/5)
  • Stress Tolerance (High importance: 4.37/5)
  • Perseverance (High importance: 4.27/5)

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How to Become One

Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience may be helpful but is usually not required. Training is often provided on the job.

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Also Known As

This career is known by many different job titles across industries. Here are all the variations:

Bore Miner Operator Bulldozer Operator Concrete Crusher Loader Operator Continuous Miner Continuous Miner Operator (CMO) Continuous Mining Machine Coal Miner Continuous Mining Machine Company Miner Continuous Mining Machine Contract Miner Continuous Mining Machine Lode Miner Continuous Mining Machine Miner Continuous Mining Machine Operator Continuous Mining Operator (CMO) Crusher Loader Equipment Operator Crusher Loader Operator Crusher Operator Crusher Plant Operator Dozer Operator Equipment Operator Excavator Operator Forklift Operator Forklift Wheel Loader Front End Wheel Loader Operator Heavy Equipment Operator Loader Operator Logging Shovel Operator Material Equipment Operator Mine Technician Mine Utility Operator Miner Miner Operator Quarry Plant Crusher Operator Self-Propelled Mining Machine Operator Shovel Log Loader Operator Shovel Operator Wheel Loader Operator

Career Fit FAQs

Is this career a good fit for me

This page shows the role itself. To see personal fit, use the assessment to compare your interests, motivations, and strengths against this career and against the role you are in now.

Can this help if I want to stay in my field

Yes. Many people use career pages like this to compare nearby roles in the same field and see whether they need a full switch or a better-fit version of the work they already know.

What should I compare first

Start with the daily tasks, the preparation level, and the work-style signals on this page. Then use the assessment to see whether this role looks like a stronger fit than your current role or just a different title.