Construction and Extraction · Holland code RC
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.
Also called: Load Haul Dump Operator (LHD Operator), Loader Operator, Loading Machine Operator, Shuttle Car Operator, Coal Hauler Operator, Equipment Operator, Miner Operator, Production Miner.
O*NET 47-5044.00
At a glance
- US median annual pay
- $74,500
- Middle half earn $61,410 to $79,150. BLS OEWS, May 2025.
- Most common education
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
- 53% of workers surveyed by O*NET report this level.
- Preparation needed
- Job Zone 2 of 5
- Some preparation. Zone 1 is little or none; zone 5 is graduate-level.
What the work involves
The tasks workers in this occupation rate as most important, from the O*NET survey.
- 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.
- Stop gathering arms when cars are full.
- 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.
Skills and knowledge it leans on
Skills
- Active Listening3.0 / 5
- Speaking3.0 / 5
- Critical Thinking3.0 / 5
- Reading Comprehension2.9 / 5
- Monitoring2.9 / 5
- Active Learning2.1 / 5
Knowledge areas
- Mechanical3.3 / 5
- Education and Training3.0 / 5
- Law and Government2.8 / 5
- English Language2.8 / 5
- Production and Processing2.8 / 5
- Public Safety and Security2.6 / 5
Importance ratings on O*NET’s 1 to 5 scale. Higher means the occupation depends on it more.
Who tends to enjoy it
How strongly this occupation draws on each of the six Holland interest types, which is the same profile the career interests test compares you against.
- Realistic100
- Investigative19
- Artistic0
- Social0
- Enterprising0
- Conventional45
The same work abroad
Other countries classify jobs differently, so these are the closest matches through the international ISCO-08 standard, not exact equivalents.
European occupation titles (ESCO)
- mine supervisor · DE Aufsichtskraft in Bergwerken · FR superviseur de mine/superviseuse de mine
- surface miner · DE Tagebauarbeiter/Tagebauarbeiterin · FR mineur de surface/mineuse de surface
- underground heavy equipment operator · DE Berg- und Maschinenmann/Berg- und Maschinenfrau · FR opérateur d’équipement lourd souterrain/opératrice d’équipement lourd souterrain
- underground miner · DE Untertagearbeiter/Untertagearbeiterin · FR mineur de fond/mineuse de fond
- mine control room operator · DE Aufseher im Bergbau/Aufseherin im Bergbau · FR opérateur de salle de contrôle d’exploitation minière/opératrice de salle de contrôle d’exploitation minière
- bulldozer operator · DE Erdbaumaschinenführer/Erdbaumaschinenführerin · FR conducteur de bulldozer/conductrice de bulldozer
Closest UK occupation groups (SOC 2020)
- Mining and quarry workers and related operatives (8132)9,200 employed
- Mobile machine drivers and operatives n.e.c. (8229)53,000 employed
- Chemical and related process operatives (8113)34,100 employed
Employment is the UK Annual Population Survey for April 2025 to March 2026, all workers in the group, which can be broader than this one occupation.
Pay across Europe, for the whole group
Median annual earnings of all employees in “Plant and machine operators and assemblers”. This is the broad ISCO group this occupation falls in, not the occupation itself, so treat it as context for the wage level, not as a salary for this job.
| Country | Median pay |
|---|---|
| Belgium | €39,630 |
| Netherlands | €37,567 |
| Austria | €37,304 |
| Sweden | €36,005 |
| Germany | €34,433 |
| Ireland | €32,617 |
| France | €28,550 |
| Italy | €28,330 |
| Spain | €24,409 |
| Portugal | €11,309 |
| Poland | €10,259 |
Eurostat Structure of Earnings Survey, businesses with ten or more employees outside public administration, in euro and not adjusted for the cost of living. Reference years differ between sources: the US, Japan and Europe figures on this page come from different survey years, so compare them as rough levels, not to the euro or yen.
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