Extraction Workers

How to become an Underground Mining Loading and Moving Machine Operator

Official title: Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground Mining

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, Shuttle Car Operator, Underground Miner

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.

Main 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.

How to become one

Typical education to start: No formal educational credential

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

Median pay: $74,500 a year The middle half earn $61,410 to $79,150.
About 5,900 people work in this job now, and about 5,000 are projected by 2035. (-15.8%)
People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.

Questions people ask

How much does an Underground Mining Loading and Moving Machine Operator earn in the US?

Median full-time pay is $74,500 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $61,410 to $79,150.

Is an Underground Mining Loading and Moving Machine Operator a growing career in the US?

Employment is projected to fall 16% by 2035, from about 5,900 to about 5,000 people (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Do you need a degree to become an Underground Mining Loading and Moving Machine Operator?

Usually not. Only 5% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Will AI change the work of an Underground Mining Loading and Moving Machine Operator?

People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.

Sources

Microsoft Research: Working with AI: AI applicability by occupation (2025-12-22 (built on O*NET 29.0)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Projections (2025-35 (released 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.