The Miners

Once the mine is in production, all of the many mining functions demand specialized equipment operators. All operators fit the charge as miners, but individual roles include drillers, muckers (operators mucking machines), blasters (those who use explosives to break rock), rock-bolters (those who insert rock bolts to support a mine's ceiling and walls), pipefitters (those who string the pipes that supply water and compressed air to the drills), electricians, carpenters, maintenance crews and so forth.

Underground mining skills are not different from those demanded of in the more familiar industrial trades or technical professions.

Only the equipment changes (and it's generally much, much bigger) when the operation is on surface. The teamwork is the same. Open-pit miners operate immense bulldozers, loaders and haulage trucks carrying quite a few hundred tonnes in each load, giant shovels which scoop up tens of tonnes in just one bite and massive rotary drills for drilling the blast holes needed for open pit mining.

Work Wear
Previous to the beginning of his or her shift, this usually lasts 10 hours, the miner reports to the dry or change house. Street clothes are exchanged for work clothes and then there is time to chat with friends while they wait for the cage to go underground.

Warm underclothes, a pair of overalls that are lightweight but strong, steel-toed rubber boots and gloves are the standard work clothes. The miner straps a heavy safety belt around his or her waist to support a battery pack for a head lamp. A hard hat is worn; the lamp is attached to the hard hat.

The miner also wears safety glasses, and ear plugs or ear muffs to protect him or her from excessive noise. If the mine is wet, the miner will wear a set of waterproof external clothing which is often referred to as oilers.