There’s hardly any product we use in our daily life that doesn’t contain mined minerals. The mining industry is extremely large and only seems to keep on growing.
So, it goes without saying that the types of machinery used in this industry are numerous.
In this short guide, we’ll describe the most common examples of mining equipment to help you get a clearer picture of the topic in question.
Without any further ado, let’s get right to the bottom of it.
1. Mining trucks
Mining trucks are heavy-duty machinery used for various tasks at almost every mining site in the world. They’re most commonly used for the transportation of heavy materials in all kinds of extreme conditions, so they need to be extremely sturdy.
You can find many different models today, all having their unique purposes and designs. There are even electric drive models available for companies trying to remain eco-friendly.
If you’re interested in learning more about these trucks, there’s a plethora of information online regarding them. Either way, you’ll never be able to find a mining site without one of these machines driven around.
2. Hydraulic shovels
Hydraulic shovels are mainly used for digging, scooping, transporting mined materials, and removing obstacles such as rocks from the site. As such, these represent a crucial part of every mining operation out there. They’re a modern alternative to steam shovels – they’re more powerful, which makes them suitable for handling tougher materials. You can take a look at some examples on fuchenglhd.com, if you’re interested.
There are many different models available today, but they all work on the same principle. They utilize hydraulics to help you move heavy loads of mined materials and maneuver your way through the dirt. Either way, they’re one of the most popular types of machinery used in this industry.
3. Underground loaders
Underground mining loaders are designed specifically for underground operations. They don’t emit any pollutants, but they’re still quite powerful. After all, they’re mainly used to transport the mined materials to the surface, as well as for certain digging tasks.
Either way, this machinery is not suitable for surface work, as it’s designed specifically for underground mining. You can learn more details about these machines online if you’re interested. They’re certainly an important part of many mining operations around the globe.
4. Explosives
Blast mining is a method used for extracting hard rock from surface mines using explosives. While we wouldn’t exactly classify these as equipment, they’re an important tool that’s often necessary for large mining projects.
These are among many reasons mining is considered to be a dangerous line of work. Most of the equipment (and tools) mentioned in this article should be handled by trained professionals exclusively.
5. Protective gear
The key part of all mining processes is the safety equipment used by mine workers. Helmets, gloves, and protective suits are just examples that first come to mind. Without this type of equipment, nobody would be able to work in a mine – it would be too dangerous. As you probably already know, all kinds of accidents can happen when there’s digging and moving of large objects involved. It’s why miners need to be properly trained and equipped before they start working on the site.
As we’ve already mentioned before, there are many types of protective equipment used for mining. They’re as important as the heavy machinery used on the site, which is why we’ve decided to mention them in this article as well.
6. Rock drills
Rock drills are used to create holes in the ground, allowing for blasting and other means of opening the mine. They’re essential to the entire process, and there are many different types of them used in mining.
As you can probably guess, besides creating holes, drills are used to expand the mines. Without these pieces of equipment, mining would be incredibly difficult, if not impossible.
7. Motor graders
Mines are usually not built near roads. This makes hauling mined goods incredibly difficult. The only way around it is to create roads around the site using motor graders. These powerful pieces of machinery are present at almost every mine in the world. They don’t just pave the way for trucks and other pieces of machinery, they maintain the roads around the mine, keeping all operations in order.
Of course, if you’d like to know more about motor graders and their industrial uses, we advise you to look them up online. There’s an abundance of interesting information you can find about them.
8. Draglines
Draglines are heavily used in surface mining for various tasks. They’re essentially bucket excavators controlled by chains and ropes that lift the bucket itself. As we’ve mentioned already, they have many different roles in mining: removing overburden, preparing surface mines, and dealing with tar sand on strip mines.
Either way, draglines play an essential role in preparing the mine for further excavation. They’re commonly seen on mining sites due to their versatility and usefulness.
9. Buldozers
Last but not least, bulldozers are used to maintain the mining site by collecting and removing debris from working areas. They can also help with removing plant remnants from the ground, as well as raking the soil around the site for better accessibility. It’s certainly an important piece of machinery that allows for unobstructed mining work at many sites worldwide.
If you’re interested in learning more about these machines, we suggest you look them up online. You’ll find more detailed descriptions of their capabilities and roles in mining on there if that’s what you’re interested in.
The bottom line
All in all, there are many types of equipment used in mining.
In this article, we have briefly described some of the most common pieces of machinery used at mining sites to help you understand the process of mining a bit better. We hope you have found our short guide to be useful and we wish you the best of luck in all of your future endeavors.
