Continuous Mining Machine Operators
Operate self-propelled mining machines that rip coal, metal and nonmetal ores, rock, stone, or sand from the mine face and load it onto conveyors, shuttle cars, or trucks in a continuous operation.
What it pays
Continuous Mining Machine Operators earn a median of $29.72/hr — about $62,000 a year. The lowest-paid 10% earn $22.49/hr; the top 10% earn $41.45/hr. (Annual figures are approximate: hourly × 2,080.)
Continuous Mining Machine Operators earn a median of $29.72/hr — about $62,000 a year. The lowest-paid 10% earn $22.49/hr; the top 10% earn $41.45/hr. (Annual figures are approximate: hourly × 2,080.)
What you'd actually do
- Hang ventilation tubing and ventilation curtains to ensure that the mining face area is kept properly ventilated.
- Conduct methane gas checks to ensure breathing quality of air.
- Check the stability of roof and rib support systems before mining face areas.
- Operate mining machines to gather coal and convey it to floors or shuttle cars.
- 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.
How you get there
Typical entry-level education: Less than high school. Overall preparation: some preparation (Job Zone 2 of 5).
Working for yourself
About 2.8% of continuous mining machine operators are self-employed.
Who it tends to fit
This work tends to fit people who are hands-on and organized and detail-focused.
Work a simulated shift in this job — freeMake the real decisions this job involves, then see what your choices say about you.Related careers
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Quick questions
- How much does a continuous mining machine operator make?
- The median pay is $29.72 per hour — roughly $62,000 a year, with the real range running from about $22.49/hr (10th percentile) to $41.45/hr (90th percentile). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- Do you need a degree to be a continuous mining machine operator?
- The typical entry-level education is: Less than high school. Overall preparation level: some preparation (Job Zone 2 of 5).
- What does a continuous mining machine operator actually do all day?
- Hang ventilation tubing and ventilation curtains to ensure that the mining face area is kept properly ventilated. Conduct methane gas checks to ensure breathing quality of air. Check the stability of roof and rib support systems before mining face areas.
Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS. Tasks & interests: O*NET. Career pathways shown in the app are draft archetypes — verify before relying on them. Trailhead is a free career guide for students — honest numbers, no hype.
Trailhead is operated by FLEXVermont LLC. It is intended for high-school students age 13 and older, and the educators and families who support them, and is not directed to children under 13. Trailhead is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It does not offer professional, financial, or career advice, and its wage figures and pathways are estimates that may not fit your situation — they should not be relied on as the sole basis for any decision.
Trailhead is operated by FLEXVermont LLC. It is intended for high-school students age 13 and older, and the educators and families who support them, and is not directed to children under 13. Trailhead is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It does not offer professional, financial, or career advice, and its wage figures and pathways are estimates that may not fit your situation — they should not be relied on as the sole basis for any decision.