Will “Coal Mine Bore Hole Drill Operator” be Replaced By Robots? 🤔

Job Description

Operate a variety of drills such as rotary, churn, and pneumatic to tap sub-surface water and salt deposits, to remove core samples during mineral exploration or soil testing, and to facilitate the use of explosives in mining or construction. May use explosives. Includes horizontal and earth boring machine operators.

Job Details

• The SOC (Standard Occupational Classification) code is 47-5021.00
• The Mean Annual Wage in the U.S. is $ 51,240.00
• The Mean Hourly Wage is $ 24.00
• Currently, there are 18,500 people on this job

☝️ Information based on the reference occupation “Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas”.

Also Known As…

• Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas
• Well Driller
• Rock Drill Operator
• Overburden Drill Operator
• Highwall Drill Operator
• Hard Rock Drill Operator
• Driller
• Drill Operator
• Blasting Production Technician
• Blaster
• Blast Hole Driller
• Well Testing Operator
• Well Driller Helper
• Well Drill Operator
• Well Digger
• Water Well Driller
• Wash Driller
• Wagoner
• Wagon Driller
• Wagon Drill Operator
• Tunneling Machine Operator
• Test Driller
• Test Borer
• Stoper
• Soil Sampler
• Shot Core Drill Operator
• Raise Driller
• Post Hole Digging Machine Operator
• Post Hole Digger
• Operating Engineer
• Mine Equipment Operator
• Machine Driller
• Jumper
• Hydraulic Rock Drill Operator
• Horizontal Earth Boring Machine Operator
• Horizontal Drill Operator
• Hole Digger Operator
• Heavy Equipment Operator
• Ground Water Contractor
• Geothermal Operating Engineer
• Geotechnical Operating Engineer
• Foundation Drill Operator
• Explosive Bore Hole Driller
• Environmental Sampler
• Electric Drill Operator
• Earth Boring Machine Operator
• Earth Auger Operator
• Drilling Machine Runner
• Drilling Machine Operator
• Drill Runner
• Drill Hand
• Directional Driller
• Diamond Driller
• Deep Well Contractor
• Core Sampler
• Core Driller
• Core Drill Operator
• Construction Driller
• Churn Driller
• Churn Drill Operator
• Boring Machine Operator
• Auger Operator

Tasks for “Coal Mine Bore Hole Drill Operator”

• Operate machines to flush earth cuttings or to blow dust from holes.
• Drive or guide truck-mounted equipment into position, level and stabilize rigs, and extend telescoping derricks.
• Drive trucks, tractors, or truck-mounted drills to and from work sites.
• Pour water into wells, or pump water or slush into wells to cool drill bits and to remove drillings.
• Drill or bore holes in rock for blasting, grouting, anchoring, or building foundations.
• Retract augers to force discharge dirt from holes.
• Place and install screens, casings, pumps, and other well fixtures to develop wells.
• Signal crane operators to move equipment.
• Disinfect, reconstruct, and redevelop contaminated wells and water pumping systems, and clean and disinfect new wells in preparation for use.
• Select and attach drill bits and drill rods, adding more rods as hole depths increase, and changing drill bits as needed.
• Operate controls to stabilize machines and to position and align drills.
• Start, stop, and control drilling speed of machines and insertion of casings into holes.
• Design well pumping systems.
• Operate hoists to lift power line poles into position.
• Inspect core samples to determine nature of strata, or take samples to laboratories for analysis.
• Review client requirements and proposed locations for drilling operations to determine feasibility, and to determine cost estimates.
• Select the appropriate drill for the job, using knowledge of rock or soil conditions.
• Perform pumping tests to assess well performance.
• Fabricate well casings.
• Perform routine maintenance and upgrade work on machines and equipment, such as replacing parts, building up drill bits, and lubricating machinery.
• Record drilling progress and geological data.
• Observe electronic graph recorders and flow meters that monitor the water used to flush debris from holes.
• Withdraw drill rods from holes, and extract core samples.
• Assemble and position machines, augers, casing pipes, and other equipment, using hand and power tools.
• Retrieve lost equipment from bore holes, using retrieval tools and equipment.
• Monitor drilling operations, checking gauges and listening to equipment to assess drilling conditions and to determine the need to adjust drilling or alter equipment.
• Regulate air pressure, rotary speed, and downward pressure, according to the type of rock or concrete being drilled.
• Document geological formations encountered during work.
• Verify depths and alignments of boring positions.
• Operate water-well drilling rigs and other equipment to drill, bore, and dig for water wells or for environmental assessment purposes.

Related Technology & Tools

• Tablet computers
• Downhole hammers
• Mud balances
• Cable tool drills
• Portable air compressors
• Rotary drilling tools
• Downhole well testing equipment
• Water test kits
• Water monitoring samplers
• Truck mounted cranes
• Backhoe-equipped tractors
• Mud mixers
• Mud rotary drills
• Desanders
• Earth drilling machines
• Personal computers
• Chain slings
• Submerged arc welding tools
• Laptop computers
• Digital video cameras
• Field forklifts
• Alternating current AC generators
• Handheld remote thermometers
• Truck-mounted water pumps
• Shale shakers
• Marsh funnels
• Mud pumping equipment
• Mud guns
• Drill pipe tongs
• Global positioning system GPS receivers
• Trenchers
• Water sampling bailers
• Lube guns
• Adjustable combination wrenches
• Drilling collars
• Work trucks
• Core drill rigs
• Water level meters
• Air rotary drills
• Precision levels
• Pipe retrieval fishing tools
• Grout pumps
• Water logging tools
• Bobcats
• Power augers

• Data entry software
• Microsoft Excel
• Microsoft Word
• Microsoft Office
• Global positioning system GPS software