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 or into shuttle cars in a continuous operation.
U.S. Workers
14,340
Median Salary
$63,380
10-Year Growth
+0.6%
Annual Openings
1,600
Typical entry: No formal educational credential
15 of 15 tasks have some AI capability
Exposure Trend
This score reflects estimated AI technical capability for tasks in this occupation. It does not predict employment changes, and it does not account for company-specific constraints, regulation, or adoption barriers.
Conduct methane gas checks to ensure breathing quality of air.
AI: Fully automatable - Fixed and portable methane sensors with automated monitoring and AI-based alerting systems can perform continuous gas checks and raise alarms without human presence.
Move controls to start and regulate movement of conveyors and to start and position drill cutters or torches.
AI: Fully automatable - Start/stop and regulation of conveyors and activation/positioning of drills/torches are routinely automated by control systems and can be handled by AI/controllers.
Install casings to prevent cave-ins.
AI: Fully automatable - Mechanized roof bolters and automated support-installation systems are widely used and can install casings/bolts to prevent cave‑ins with remote or automated operation.
Observe and listen to equipment operation to detect binding or stoppage of tools or other equipment malfunctions.
AI: Fully automatable - Automated condition monitoring using acoustic/vibration sensors and anomaly‑detecting AI can effectively detect binding, stoppages, and many malfunctions.
Scrape or wash conveyors, using belt scrapers or belt washers, to minimize dust production.
AI: Fully automatable - Automated belt-scraper and washer systems and robotics already perform conveyor cleaning and dust suppression reliably, so AI/automation can fully handle this task.
Hang ventilation tubing and ventilation curtains to ensure that the mining face area is kept properly ventilated.
AI: Partial - Hanging ventilation tubing and curtains involves complex physical manipulation in confined, variable mine environments where partial robotic assistance exists but full automation is limited in 2025.
Check the stability of roof and rib support systems before mining face areas.
AI: Partial - Sensor networks, LiDAR/imaging and predictive models can assess roof/rib stability but cannot yet fully replace human judgment in complex, variable underground conditions.
Operate mining machines to gather coal and convey it to floors or shuttle cars.
AI: Partial - Remote-control and semi‑autonomous continuous miners and conveyors exist, but fully autonomous, reliable end‑to‑end coal gathering and transfer in underground environments remains limited.
Drive machines into position at working faces.
AI: Partial - Remote driving and positioning aids are available, yet fully autonomous navigation into working faces is still constrained by unstructured, dynamic underground conditions.
Reposition machines to make additional holes or cuts.
AI: Partial - Automated repositioning and remote control can accomplish many moves, but flexible, reliable autonomous repositioning for all cutting patterns in varied underground settings is not yet complete.
Determine locations, boundaries, and depths of holes or channels to be cut.
AI: Partial - Geospatial data, sensors, and models can propose locations and depths, but final determinations still require human geological interpretation and safety judgment in many cases.
Move levers to raise and lower hydraulic safety bars supporting roofs above machines until other workers complete framing.
AI: Partial - Hydraulic actuation and remote control can automate lever movement, but the safety-critical, context-dependent coordination with nearby workers still requires human oversight and judgment.
Repair, oil, and adjust machines, and change cutting teeth, using wrenches.
AI: Partial - Diagnostics and assistance are highly automatable, but physical repairs, manual adjustments and dexterous tasks like changing cutting teeth in confined, variable sites remain largely human.
Apply new technologies developed to minimize the environmental impact of coal mining.
AI: Partial - AI can recommend, monitor, and control environmental technologies, but applying and adapting new technologies in complex site-specific mining contexts still needs human decision-making and implementation.
Guide and assist crews laying track and resetting supports and blocking.
AI: Partial - Sensors, guidance systems, and semi-autonomous equipment can assist crews laying track and resetting supports, but close human teamwork and on-the-spot decisions prevent full automation.