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Continuous Mining Machine Operators: Job Description
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 Do Continuous Mining Machine Operators Do?
The core tasks performed by continuous mining machine operators cover:
- 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.
- Reposition machines to make additional holes or cuts.
- Determine locations, boundaries, and depths of holes or channels to be cut.
Key Skills and Knowledge
Top continuous mining machine operators draw on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Most Important Skills
These are the skills most central to this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Top Knowledge Areas
Other Continuous Mining Machine Operators Job Titles
This career also goes by job titles like:
- 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
Employment and Demand
There are about 284,236 continuous mining machine operators working in the United States today. Demand is forecast to grow by +9.5% over the projection horizon.
Continuous Mining Machine Operators Pay
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $55,998 |
| Hourly median | $26.92 |
| 10th percentile | $39,642 |
| 25th percentile | $47,820 |
| 75th percentile | $64,176 |
| 90th percentile | $72,354 |
Pay can vary substantially based on experience, location, and industry.
Continuous Mining Machine Operators Salary by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Wisconsin | $93,200 |
| Wyoming | $92,620 |
| Nevada | $84,420 |
| Colorado | $80,140 |
| West Virginia | $75,700 |
| Illinois | $74,030 |
| California | $73,220 |
| Virginia | $68,670 |
| Minnesota | $68,400 |
| Utah | $67,870 |
| Indiana | $67,830 |
| Idaho | $67,280 |
| Georgia | $60,050 |
| Alabama | $60,030 |
| North Carolina | $59,170 |
| Arizona | $58,790 |
| Pennsylvania | $56,770 |
| Ohio | $56,580 |
| Kentucky | $56,100 |
| Michigan | $55,600 |
| Nebraska | $54,790 |
| Tennessee | $51,540 |
| New York | $49,370 |
| Florida | $47,750 |
| New Mexico | $46,500 |
| Missouri | $44,890 |
| Oklahoma | $44,880 |
| Arkansas | $43,640 |
| Mississippi | $41,510 |
| Louisiana | $36,470 |
| Texas | $36,260 |
Where Continuous Mining Machine Operators Earn the Most
Earnings for continuous mining machine operators vary by region. These regions lead on median pay:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $79,843 | 16.1% | 5.32 |
| Rocky Mountains | $73,052 | 16.7% | 7.76 |
| Great Lakes | $66,279 | 7.2% | 0.84 |
| Southeast | $61,638 | 20.7% | 5.01 |
| Middle Atlantic | $54,815 | 4.1% | 0.56 |
| Southwest | $52,394 | 26.1% | 5.38 |
| Plains States | $45,482 | 9.1% | 3.85 |
Where the Jobs Cluster
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wheeling, WV-OH | WV | $65,620 | 150 |
| Charleston, WV | WV | $63,860 | 90 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | CA | $63,850 | 190 |
| Beckley, WV | WV | $62,900 | 140 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | MO | $38,010 | 230 |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | MO | $37,850 | 130 |
Top Industries Employing Continuous Mining Machine Operators
The largest employers of continuous mining machine operators work in these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction | 13,530 | $64,690 |
| Transportation and Warehousing | 400 | $37,150 |
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Tools and Technology
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
What the Workplace Is Like
The on-the-job environment of continuous mining machine operators is shaped by the following characteristics:
- Exposed to Contaminants
- Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
- Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Exposed to Sounds, Noise Levels that are Distracting or Uncomfortable
Education and Training
Typical continuous mining machine operators positions require a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education. This career aligns with Some Preparation Needed (Job Zone 2), signaling the level of preparation typically expected.
Related Careers
Similar Occupations
- Agricultural Equipment Operators (Supplemental)
- Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators (Supplemental)
- Pile Driver Operators (Supplemental)
- Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators (Primary-Short)
- Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators (Supplemental)
- Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas (Primary-Long)
- Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining (Primary-Short)
- Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas (Primary-Short)
Degree Programs
Future continuous mining machine operators commonly pursue programs in:
Transportation and Materials Moving
1 programs across 1 majors
Sources
Statistics shown above are sourced from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 47-5041.00 (Continuous Mining Machine Operators).
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