Not Very Resilient
Last Update: 6/19/2026
AI Resilience Score for Underground Mining Ops:
34.9%
Median Score
Meaningful human contribution
Measures the parts of the occupation that still require a human touch. This score averages data from up to four AI exposure datasets, focusing on the role’s resilience against automation.
Med
Long-term employer demand
Predicts the health of the job market for this role through 2034. Using Bureau of Labor Statistics data, it balances projected annual job openings (60%) with overall employment growth (40%).
Low
Sustained economic opportunity
Measures future earning potential and career flexibility. This score is a blend of total projected labor income (67%) and the role’s inherent ability to adapt to economic and technological shifts (33%).
Med
This reflects the reliability of your score based on the number of data sources available for this career and how closely those sources agree on the outlook. A higher confidence means more consistent evidence from labor experts and AI models.
Limited data sources are available, or existing sources show notable disagreement on the outlook for this occupation.
Contributing sources
AI Resilience Report forLoading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground Mining
$68,860 median salary•500 annual openings•SOC Code: 47-5044.00
Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground Mining are less resilient to AI impacts than most occupations, according to our analysis of 5 sources.
This career is labeled "Not Very Resilient" because the core task, physically operating loading and moving machines underground, is exactly what mining companies are working hard to automate. Large mines are already rolling out semi-autonomous and fully autonomous loaders and haul trucks, meaning the traditional "person in the cab" role is shrinking as operators move to control rooms and supervise machines remotely instead.
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View analysisChat with CoachLatest newsMore career infoAnalysisChatNewsMoreThis role is not very resilient
This career is labeled "Not Very Resilient" because the core task, physically operating loading and moving machines underground, is exactly what mining companies are working hard to automate. Large mines are already rolling out semi-autonomous and fully autonomous loaders and haul trucks, meaning the traditional "person in the cab" role is shrinking as operators move to control rooms and supervise machines remotely instead.
Read full analysisAnalysis of Current AI Resilience
Underground Mining Ops
Updated Quarterly
How is AI changing Underground Mining Ops jobs?
If you're worried about robots taking over the role of underground loading and moving machine operators, here's the honest picture: automation is real and growing, but it's happening gradually and creating new kinds of jobs in the process. Mining equipment makers have been steadily rolling out semi-autonomous and fully autonomous loaders, shuttle cars, and haul trucks. In early 2026, Epiroc upgraded its "Deep Automation" platform, which is "automation-ready" for underground Scooptram loaders and gives operators real-time 3D visibility of their machines underground from a control room [1].
On the surface-mining side, Komatsu commissioned its 1,000th autonomous ultra-class haul truck using its FrontRunner system in April 2026, after first launching commercial autonomous haulage back in 2008 [2]. The shift is significant enough that SME launched a new Automation and Robotics Committee at MINEXCHANGE 2026 to address "practical opportunities and implementation challenges" of autonomous mobile equipment [3]. Today, most underground operators still drive shuttle cars and LHDs themselves, but tele-remote and AI-assisted guidance are augmenting that work — the human is increasingly a supervisor at a screen rather than a driver in the cab.
Sources
How fast is AI adoption growing for Underground Mining Ops?
Adoption is moving fast in large, well-capitalized mines and slower in smaller or older operations. Safety, productivity, and a thinning workforce are the biggest accelerators: Skillings Mining Review reports a 42% jump in automation-linked roles in 2025, with analysts expecting over half of Tier-1 mines to run hybrid remote-oversight models by mid-2026 [4]. At the same time, SAIMM notes that high capital costs, regulatory hurdles, interoperability problems, and a severe shortage of digital skills are slowing implementation, with up to two-thirds of mining CEOs expecting skills gaps to hurt profitability [5].
Union concerns about job displacement and strict MSHA-style safety rules also push companies toward augmentation (helping operators work safer from the surface) rather than full replacement. The good news for young people considering this career: the skills that remain valuable — judgment in unpredictable underground conditions, mechanical troubleshooting, hydraulic and electrical repair, and now operating machines remotely — are exactly the human skills that AI struggles to replicate. Learning to maintain, supervise, and troubleshoot autonomous equipment is likely to be a stronger long-term bet than betting against the technology.
Sources
Will AI replace Underground Mining Ops?
In part. We think AI will eventually automate a real share of this work, but the transition is gradual and the skills you build here have real value beyond this one role.
Our 34.9% AI Resilience Score reflects genuine exposure. Mining equipment makers are moving fast: Epiroc has rolled out "Deep Automation" for underground loaders, and Komatsu commissioned its 1,000th autonomous haul truck in 2026 [2]. The SME even launched a new Automation and Robotics Committee to tackle implementation challenges across the industry [3]. The honest read is that the human in the cab is increasingly becoming a supervisor at a screen, and that shift will continue.
What stays human is the judgment that comes with working in unpredictable underground conditions, plus the mechanical, hydraulic, and electrical troubleshooting that AI cannot yet handle on its own. High capital costs, regulatory hurdles, and a severe shortage of digital skills are slowing full automation at many operations [5].
The smarter long-term move is to treat this role as a foundation. Operators who learn to maintain, supervise, and troubleshoot autonomous equipment are positioning themselves for the hybrid remote-oversight roles that analysts expect to grow across Tier-1 mines [4]. The job is changing. The career path still exists.
Sources
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Latest AI news for Underground Mining Ops
These articles highlight how AI is transforming the role of Loading and Moving Machine Operators in underground mining. For instance, advancements in AI safety systems enhance visibility and collision avoidance, reducing risks during operations. Additionally, the deployment of autonomous equipment optimizes fleet management and improves extraction efficiency. Embracing these technologies can lead to safer work environments and more sustainable practices, showcasing the resilience and adaptability needed in this evolving career path. Understanding these trends will empower future operators to thrive in a tech-driven mining landscape.
From camera clarity to collision avoidance: What ‘AI in mining’ actually looks like in 2026
www.mining-technology.com • 6/16/2026
Learn how AI mining safety systems support visibility, detection, collision avoidance and operational readiness in demanding underground...
Mining Automation Market Driven by AI-Based Fleet Optimization and Autonomous Equipment Deployment, Says Strategic Market Research
www.prnewswire.com • 5/20/2026
PRNewswire/ -- The Mining Automation Market is entering a high-velocity expansion cycle as mining companies increasingly prioritize...
Komatsu Underground Mining Equipment: Revolutionising Performance and Sustainability
discoveryalert.com.au • 8/28/2025
Discover how Komatsu's underground mining equipment delivers unmatched performance, safety, and sustainability for modern operations.
Automation and Technology Reshaping Mining: A 50-Year Evolution
discoveryalert.com.au • 4/9/2025
Discover how automation and technology revolutionize mining operations through autonomous fleets and AI solutions for safer extraction.
Promoting safety of underground machinery operators through participatory ergonomics and fuzzy model analysis to foster sustainable mining practices
www.nature.com • 7/15/2024
This research appraises ergonomic hazards and develops Fuzzy Musculoskeletal-disorders Index (FMI) model to evaluate ergonomic-related MSDs.
More Career Info
Career: Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground Mining
They operate machines to load and move materials like coal or ore in underground mines, ensuring everything is safely transported to the surface.
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Employment & Wage Data
Median Wage
$68,860
Jobs (2024)
6,400
Growth (2024-34)
-22.3%
Annual Openings
500
Education
No formal educational credential
Experience
None
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2024-2034
Task-Level AI Resilience Scores
AI-generated estimates of task resilience over the next 3 years
1
Move trailing electrical cables clear of obstructions, using rubber safety gloves.
2
Pry off loose material from roofs and move it into the paths of machines, using crowbars.
3
Move mine cars into position for loading and unloading, using pinchbars inserted under car wheels to position cars under loading spouts.
4
Replace hydraulic hoses, headlight bulbs, and gathering-arm teeth.
5
Clean, fuel, and service equipment, and repair and replace parts as necessary.
6
Push or ride cars down slopes, or hook cars to cables and control cable drum brakes, to ease cars down inclines.
7
Guide and stop cars by switching, applying brakes, or placing scotches, or wooden wedges, between wheels and rails.
Tasks are ranked by their AI resilience, with the most resilient tasks shown first. Core tasks are essential functions of this occupation, while supplemental tasks provide additional context.
