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Continuous Mining Machine Operators in New Mexico

Thinking about a career as a Continuous Mining Machine Operators in New Mexico? Here’s what you need to know. 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 Make in New Mexico?

The continuous mining machine operators working in New Mexico, the median annual wage is $46,500 per year (or roughly $22.36/hour).Annual wages span from $37,540 at the 10th percentile to $60,700 at the 90th percentile.

Wage Statistic	Annual	Hourly
10th percentile	$37,540	$18.05
25th percentile	$37,690	$18.12
Median (50th)	$46,500	$22.36
75th percentile	$59,290	$28.51
90th percentile	$60,700	$29.18

The job concentration index in New Mexico relative to the national average — is 4.24, suggesting that continuous mining machine operators are more concentrated here than the national average.

National Wage Comparison

Nationally, continuous mining machine operators earn a median of $55,998 per year ($26.92/hour), below the New Mexico median.

Employment Outlook

There are roughly 284,236 continuous mining machine operators nationwide. In New Mexico alone, about 340 people work in this role. That puts the state above the typical state, which employs around 290 continuous mining machine operators.

Top States for Continuous Mining Machine Operators Employment

View the states that employ the most continuous mining machine operators work.

State	Number Employed
Arizona	2,190
Utah	1,400
Nevada	1,230
Missouri	1,100
California	850
West Virginia	850
Texas	660
Kentucky	550
Pennsylvania	390
Indiana	360
New Mexico	340
Wyoming	310
Illinois	300
Colorado	290
Michigan	270
Tennessee	260
Virginia	220
Florida	180
North Carolina	180
Oklahoma	180

Highest-Paying States for Continuous Mining Machine Operators

Where continuous mining machine operators earn the most: continuous mining machine operators.

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

Skills

Top continuous mining machine operators skills, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Knowledge Areas

Important knowledge areas for this occupation, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Abilities

Top abilities for continuous mining machine operators, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Daily Tasks

Day-to-day, continuous mining machine operators typically:

• 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.
• 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.
• Install casings to prevent cave-ins.
• Scrape or wash conveyors, using belt scrapers or belt washers, to minimize dust production.

Work Activities

• Controlling Machines and Processes
• Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment
• Making Decisions and Solving Problems
• Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
• Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment
• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
• Getting Information
• Training and Teaching Others
• Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
• Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
• Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
• Handling and Moving Objects

Tools & Technology

Technologies frequently used: Hot technologies: Microsoft Excel

What Major Will Prepare You For This Career?

Several college majors map to this occupation:

• Ground Transportation

Related Careers

Careers similar to continuous mining machine operators include:

• Agricultural Equipment Operators
• Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators
• Pile Driver Operators
• Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators
• Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators
• Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas

Also Known As

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.

References

• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — https://www.bls.gov/oes/
• O*NET Online — https://www.onetonline.org/
• BLS Employment Projections — https://www.bls.gov/emp/
• O*NET-SOC code: 47-5041.00