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Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground Mining

Construction and Extraction · SOC 47-5044

0.0% AI Exposure — Low
$74,500
Median Annual Salary
Average
O*NET Outlook
Proj. Annual Openings
5,930
Employment (OEWS 2025)
+5.9%/yr
Empl. growth (2019–2025)
100/100
AI Resiliency Score

AI exposure from the Anthropic Economic Index (2025); salary from BLS; skills from O*NET. See /sources.

Decision card

Career Evidence Passport

SOC 47-5044 evidence across exposure, wages, projections, postings, certified LCAs, skills, and transitions.

Proxy / seed data labeledDescriptive-only
SOC exposure
0.0%
Low · Anthropic AEI
Automation friction
55/100
Moderate friction; broad SOC seed ORS job-requirements coverage.
Wages
$74,500
No H-1B offered-wage row for this SOC.
Projected openings
BLS EP 2024–2034; employment change -22.3%.
Observed/proxy demand
FY— certified LCAs; 118 postings in 2025.

Skill evidence

Operation and ControlOperations MonitoringTroubleshootingActive ListeningSpeaking

Transition context

  • H-1B values are certified Labor Condition Applications, not visa approvals.
  • Job postings are seed-static / seed-derived; treat as provider-ready proxy coverage until observed provider data is wired in.
  • Transition matches are directional skill-overlap context, not placement guarantees.
  • This release is a FutureGrid broad-SOC seed derived from public BLS ORS requirement concepts and categories, not direct occupation-level ORS survey estimates. It describes job requirements, not worker ability, AI capability, or displacement probability. Automation friction is a FutureGrid derived score and should be read alongside exposure, demand, wage, and projection signals.

AI Exposure Analysis

AI Exposure0.0%
AI Resiliency100/100
Exposure BandLow
Sector Avg. Exposure1.2%

Across AI measures

Multiple exposure lenses for this occupation.

11.6%
Consensus
Actual adoption · Anthropic0%
AI capability · OpenAI2.3%
AI ability · AIOE32.5%
Automation baseline (2013) · Frey & Osborne43.5%

Top Skills

1.Operation and Control
2.Operations Monitoring
3.Troubleshooting
4.Active Listening
5.Speaking

H-1B Visa Sponsorship Demand

View full H-1B trends →

No H-1B certified LCA filings recorded for this occupation in FY2016–FY2025.

O*NET occupation profile

What this work involves

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.

Common titles: Coal Hauler Operator, Equipment Operator, Load Haul Dump Operator (LHD Operator), Loader Operator, Loading Machine Operator, Miner Operator

Representative Tasks

  • 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.

Detailed Work Activities

  • Connect cables or electrical lines.
  • Install electrical components, equipment, or systems.
  • Operate vehicles or material-moving equipment.
  • Position material handling equipment.
  • Operate excavation equipment.

Tools & Technologies

Microsoft Excel · hotMicrosoft Outlook · hotMicrosoft PowerPoint · hotMicrosoft Windows · hotMaintenance management softwareMine maintenance software

Employment Projections & AI Exposure

15
Occupations Shown
1.2%
Avg AI Exposure
12
Bright Outlook
Horizontal bar chart showing occupations with the highest projected annual openings. Each bar length represents annual projected openings. Color uses a gradient from violet (lower) to cyan (higher). Summary statistics are shown above the chart.

Employment & Wage Trend

BLS OEWS, 2019–2025


Occupation Employment & Wage TrendMulti-year BLS OEWS history for SOC 47-5044: 2019 — employment: 4,200, median wage: $54,210; 2020 — employment: 3,520, median wage: $56,640; 2021 — employment: 4,450, median wage: $57,900; 2022 — employment: 5,210, median wage: $63,920; 2023 — employment: 5,160, median wage: $64,070; 2025 — employment: 5,930, median wage: $74,500.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). See /sources.

Sector Comparison

MetricThis CareerSector Average
AI Exposure0.0%1.2%
OutlookAverage70% Bright
Median Salary$74,500N/A
AI Resiliency100/100N/A