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Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground Mining in Colorado

Thinking about a career as a Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground Mining in Colorado? Here’s what the data says. 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.

What do Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground Mining Make in Colorado?

For a loading and moving machine operators, underground mining working in Colorado, the typical annual salary is $74,420 per year (or roughly $35.78/hour).Pay can range from $66,820 at the 10th percentile to $79,040 at the 90th percentile.

Wage Statistic	Annual	Hourly
10th percentile	$66,820	$32.13
25th percentile	$66,820	$32.13
Median (50th)	$74,420	$35.78
75th percentile	$78,680	$37.83
90th percentile	$79,040	$38.00

The job concentration index in Colorado relative to the national average — is 0.93.

National Wage Comparison

Nationally, loading and moving machine operators, underground mining earn a median of $79,224 per year ($38.09/hour), lower than the Colorado median.

Employment Outlook

National employment for 651,977 loading and moving machine operators, underground mining nationwide. In Colorado alone, around 110 people work in this role. That’s below the typical state, which employs around 170 loading and moving machine operators, underground mining.

Top States for Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground Mining Employment

The table below shows the states where the most loading and moving machine operators, underground mining work.

State	Number Employed
West Virginia	1,610
Nevada	810
Pennsylvania	310
Kentucky	280
Ohio	270
Indiana	230
Alaska	210
Illinois	210
Virginia	170
Georgia	150
New York	130
Missouri	130
Colorado	110
Iowa	110
Oklahoma	80
Florida	60
Wyoming	50
Louisiana	50

Highest-Paying States for Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground Mining

Where loading and moving machine operators, underground mining earn the most: loading and moving machine operators, underground mining.

State	Annual Median Salary
Wyoming	$104,010
Alaska	$89,830
Nevada	$80,840
Virginia	$77,440
Illinois	$75,820
Colorado	$74,420
West Virginia	$73,260
Pennsylvania	$68,780
Kentucky	$67,510
Ohio	$65,920

Skills

Top loading and moving machine operators, underground mining 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

The abilities that matter most for loading and moving machine operators, underground mining, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Daily Tasks

Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground Mining typically:

• 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.
• 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.
• Drive machines into piles of material blasted from working faces.
• Operate levers to move conveyor booms or shovels so that mine contents such as coal, rock, and ore can be placed into cars or onto conveyors.
• Clean, fuel, service, and perform safety checks on all equipment, and repair and replace parts as necessary.
• Clean hoppers, and clean spillage from tracks, walks, driveways, and conveyor decking.
• Oil, lubricate, and adjust conveyors, crushers, and other equipment, using hand tools and lubricating equipment.

Work Activities

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

Tools & Technology

Common tools and software used in this occupation include: Hot technologies: Microsoft Excel

Related Careers

Related occupations to loading and moving machine operators, underground mining include:

• Logging Equipment Operators
• Pile Driver Operators
• Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators
• Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators
• Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining
• Continuous Mining Machine Operators

Also Known As

Buggy Driver, Buggy Man, Buggy Operator, Buggy Runner, Car Dropper, Car Dumper, Car Pincher, Cart Driver, Coal Hauler Operator, Coke Loader, Continuous Miner Operator, Equipment Loader Operator, Equipment Operator, Front End Loader Operator, Joy Loader.

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: 47-5044.00