8231 – Underground production and development miners

Underground production and development miners drill, blast, operate mining machinery, and perform related duties to extract coal and ore in underground mines and to construct tunnels, passageways and shafts to facilitate mining operations. They are employed by coal, metal and non-metallic mineral underground mines and by specialized contractors in mine construction, shaft sinking and tunnelling.

Profile

Index of titles

Example titles

Apprentice miner

Blast hole driller – underground mining

Blaster – underground mining

Blockholer – underground mining

Bolter operator – underground mining

Brine well tender

Chute blaster

Chute blaster – underground mining

Coal miner

Continuous mining machine operator

Core driller

Core driller – underground mining

Core-drill operator

Core-drill operator – underground mining

Cutting machine operator – underground mining

Development miner

Diamond driller – underground mining

Diamond-drill operator

Diamond-drill runner – underground mining

Diamond-point drill operator

Diesel loaderman/woman – underground mining

Downhole loader – underground mining

Drift driller – underground mining

Drift miner

Driller – underground mining

Drilling machine operator – underground mining

Faceman/woman – coal mine

Hang-up blaster – underground mining

Hardrock miner

Hardrock miner apprentice

High-raise blaster

Hoist operator – underground mining

Hoistman/woman underground mining

Hydraulic coal monitor operator

In-hole drill operator – underground mining

In-the-hole (ITH) driller

Jack leg drill operator – underground mining

Jumbo drill operator

Jumbo drill operator – underground mining

Load-haul-dump (LHD) operator – underground mining

Loading machine operator – underground mining

Long-hole blaster – underground mining

Long-hole driller – underground mining

Longwall coal shearer operator

Miner

Mining machine operator

Mucker – underground mining

Mucking machine operator

Mucking machine operator – underground mining

Potash miner

Powderman/woman – underground mining

Production driller

Production loader operator

Production miner

Raise boring machine operator – underground mining

Raise driller – underground mining

Raise miner

Raiseman/woman

Ring drill operator

Roadheader operator

Rockbolter

Roof bolter

Rotary raise driller – underground mining

Scoop operator – underground mining

Scooptram operator

Scooptram operator – underground mining

Shaft driller

Shaft inspector

Shaft miner

Shearer operator – underground mining

Shearing machine operator – underground mining

Shot firer

Shot firer – underground mining

Shotman/woman – underground mining

Slusher operator – underground mining

Soft rock miner

Stope driller – underground mining

Stope miner

Undercutter operator – underground mining

Wagon drill operator – underground mining

Main duties

This group performs some or all of the following duties:

Set up and operate drills and drilling machines to produce a designated pattern of blasting holes

Operate diamond drills or other specialized drills such as raise boring machinery to test geological formations or to produce underground passageways

Set up and operate mining machinery to shear coal, rock or ore from the working face

Load explosives, set fuses, and detonate explosives to produce desired blasting patterns and rock fragmentation in underground mines

Operate scooptram, load-haul-dump (LHD) machine or mucking machine to load and haul ore from stopes, drifts and drawpoints to ore passes

Perform duties required to ensure safety and to support the mining advance, such as scaling loose rock from walls and roof, drilling and installing rock bolts, extending and installing air and water pipes, operating ore loading machinery, inspecting mine shafts, operating hoists that transport people, equipment and materials through mine shafts, and constructing timber supports and cribbing if required

Perform routine maintenance of mining machinery.

Employment requirements

Completion of secondary school is usually required.

Formal training of up to six weeks followed by extended periods of specialized training as a helper or in support occupations is usually provided.

Previous experience as a mine labourer or in other mine occupations is usually required.

Provincial blasting licence may be required.

May be certified in the basic common core program or as an underground hard rock miner in Ontario.

Trade certification for miners is available, but voluntary, in Quebec and Manitoba.

Company licensing or certification is often required for occupations in this unit group.

Certificate in first aid may be required.

Additional information

Mobility is possible to other occupational groups in underground mining such as underground service and support occupations.

There is mobility between employers within each of the three following sectors: underground coal mining, underground hard rock mining and underground potash, salt or soft rock mining.

Mobility between these sectors is somewhat limited by differences in production technologies.

Progression to mining supervisor is possible with experience.

Exclusions

Drillers and blasters – surface mining, quarrying and construction (7372)

Mine labourers (8614)

Supervisors, mining and quarrying (8221)

Underground mine service and support workers (8411)