Mining Machine Operators, All Other

Career Description: All mining machine operators not listed separately.

Industry: Construction and Extraction

Other Job Titles for Mining Machine Operators, All Other:

• Realistic: Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
• Investigative: Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
• Artistic: Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.
• Social: Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
• Enterprising: Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
• Conventional: Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
• First Interest High-Point: Primary-Rank Descriptiveness
• Second Interest High-Point: Secondary-Cutoff/Rank Descriptiveness
• Third Interest High-Point: Tertiary-Cutoff/Rank Descriptiveness

• Position jacks, timbers, or roof supports, and install casings, in order to prevent cave-ins.
• Reposition machines and move controls in order to make additional holes or cuts.
• Cut entries between rooms and haulage-ways.
• Observe indicator lights and gauges, and listen to machine operation in order to detect binding or stoppage of tools or other equipment problems.
• Replace worn or broken tools and machine bits and parts, using wrenches, pry bars, and other hand tools, and lubricate machines, using grease guns.
• Press buttons to activate conveyor belts, and push or pull chain handles to regulate conveyor movement so that material can be moved or loaded into dinkey cars or dump trucks.
• Move planer levers to control and adjust the movement of equipment, the speed, height, and depth of cuts, and to rotate swivel cutting booms.
• Cut slots along working faces of coal, salt, or other non-metal deposits in order to facilitate blasting, by moving levers to start the machine and to control the vertical reciprocating drills.
• Signal that machine plow blades are properly positioned, using electronic buzzers or two-way radios.
• Cut and move shale from open pits.
• Drive mobile, truck-mounted, or track-mounted drilling or cutting machine in mines and quarries or on construction sites.
• Move controls to start and position drill cutters or torches, and to advance tools into mines or quarry faces in order to complete horizontal or vertical cuts.
• Advance plow blades through coal strata by remote control, according to electronic or radio signals from the tailer.
• Determine locations, boundaries, and depths of holes or channels to be cut.
• Signal crewmembers to adjust the speed of equipment to the rate of installation of roof supports, and to adjust the speed of conveyors to the volume of coal.
• Remove debris such as loose shale from channels and planer travel areas.
• Charge and set off explosives in blasting holes.
• Signal truck drivers to position their vehicles for receiving shale from planer hoppers.
• Monitor movement of shale along conveyors from hoppers to trucks or railcars.
• Guide and assist crews in laying track for machines and resetting planer rails, supports, and blocking, using jacks, shovels, sledges, picks, and pinch bars.
• Free jams in planer hoppers, using metal pinch bars.
• Break up concrete, using airhammer, to facilitate installation, construction, or repair of equipment.
• Solder electrical connections, using soldering iron.
• Trim trees and clear undergrowth along right-of-way.
• Assemble and cement sections of stained glass together.
• Measure, cut, fit, and press anti-glare adhesive film to glass, or spray glass with tinting solution to prevent light glare.
• Create patterns on glass by etching, sandblasting, or painting designs.
• Observe odometers, weight indicators, and instrument panels in trucks in order to position guns at predetermined points in wells.
• Repair electrical instruments, using electricians' hand tools.
• Operate hoists to lift power line poles into position.

Emerging Tasks

• Monitor methane gas levels in mines to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning.
• Drive heavy equipment and vehicles with adjustable attachments to sweep debris from paved surfaces, mow grass and weeds, remove snow and ice, and spread salt and sand.
• Hang ventilation tubing and ventilation curtains to ensure that the mining face area is kept properly ventilated.

• Analyzing Data or Information: Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
• Assisting and Caring for Others: Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
• Coaching and Developing Others: Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.
• Communicating with Persons Outside Organization: Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates: Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
• Controlling Machines and Processes: Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).
• Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others: Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.
• Developing and Building Teams: Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
• Developing Objectives and Strategies: Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.
• Documenting/Recording Information: Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
• Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment: Providing documentation, detailed instructions, drawings, or specifications to tell others about how devices, parts, equipment, or structures are to be fabricated, constructed, assembled, modified, maintained, or used.
• Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships: Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
• Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information: Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity.
• Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards: Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
• Getting Information: Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
• Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates: Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.
• Handling and Moving Objects: Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
• Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events: Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
• Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material: Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
• Interacting With Computers: Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
• Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others: Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
• Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People: Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
• Making Decisions and Solving Problems: Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
• Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings: Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
• Monitoring and Controlling Resources: Monitoring and controlling resources and overseeing the spending of money.
• Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment: Running, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanized equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or water craft.
• Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work: Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
• Performing Administrative Activities: Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.
• Performing for or Working Directly with the Public: Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
• Performing General Physical Activities: Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling of materials.
• Processing Information: Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
• Provide Consultation and Advice to Others: Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics.
• Repairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment: Servicing, repairing, calibrating, regulating, fine-tuning, or testing machines, devices, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of electrical or electronic (not mechanical) principles.
• Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment: Servicing, repairing, adjusting, and testing machines, devices, moving parts, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of mechanical (not electronic) principles.
• Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others: Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.
• Scheduling Work and Activities: Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
• Selling or Influencing Others: Convincing others to buy merchandise/goods or to otherwise change their minds or actions.
• Staffing Organizational Units: Recruiting, interviewing, selecting, hiring, and promoting employees in an organization.
• Thinking Creatively: Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
• Training and Teaching Others: Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
• Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge: Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.

Detailed Work Activities

• assemble detonation units for construction or extraction work
• build or repair structures in construction, repair, or manufacturing setting
• charge blasting holes with explosives
• determine amount or kind of explosive needed to complete job
• determine locations, angles, and depths of blast holes
• detonate blasting charges for construction or extraction work
• drill blasting holes
• maintain or repair mining machinery/equipment
• monitor production machinery/equipment operation to detect problems
• move or fit heavy objects
• operate material moving, loading, or unloading equipment
• operate mining equipment or machinery
• read technical drawings
• use hand or power tools
• use measuring devices in construction or extraction work
• understand construction specifications
• use hand or power tools
• use hazardous materials information
• use measuring devices in construction or extraction work
• use measuring devices in construction or extraction work
• use hand or power tools
• use hand or power woodworking tools
• use measuring devices in construction or extraction work
• use measuring devices in construction or extraction work
• use spray paint equipment
• work as a team member
• use two-way radio or mobile phone
• work as a team member
• solder electrical or electronic connections or components
• test electrical/electronic wiring, equipment, systems or fixtures
• test electronic or electrical circuit connections
• use acetylene welding/cutting torch
• use basic carpentry techniques
• use chain saws
• use electrical or electronic test devices or equipment
• use hand or power tools
• use measuring devices in construction or extraction work
• use soldering equipment
• use voltmeter, ammeter, or ohmmeter
• resolve or assist workers to resolve work problems
• resolve personnel problems or grievances
• schedule employee work hours
• set priorities for construction workers
• understand construction specifications
• use hand or power tools
• write employee orientation or training materials
• use interpersonal communication techniques
• use measuring devices in construction or extraction work
• use oscilloscopes in electronics repair
• use soldering equipment
• use voltmeter, ammeter, or ohmmeter
• use hazardous materials information
• use measuring devices in construction or extraction work
• use spray paint equipment
• use surfacing machine to polish terrazzo or concrete
• verify levelness or verticality, using level or plumb bob
• work as a team member
• understand construction specifications
• use basic carpentry techniques
• use basic plumbing techniques
• use building materials for routine building maintenance
• use building or land use regulations
• use concrete fabrication techniques
• use hand or power tools
• use hand or power woodworking tools
• use hazardous materials information
• use measuring devices in construction or extraction work
• use oral or written communication techniques
• verify trueness of structure using plumb bob or level
• weld together metal parts, components, or structures

• n/a

• Average hourly wage (2007) -$19.40
• Average annual wage (2007) - $40,350.00

• Projected growth (2006-2016): 4.86%
• Projected need (2006-2016): 145
• Employment (2006): 2,989

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