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48% Chance of Automation

“Blasting Gang Miner” will probably not be replaced by robots.

This job is ranked #292 out of #702. A higher ranking (i.e., a lower number) means the job is less likely to be replaced.

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Job Description

Place and detonate explosives to demolish structures or to loosen, remove, or displace earth, rock, or other materials. May perform specialized handling, storage, and accounting procedures. Includes seismograph shooters.

Job Details

The SOC (Standard Occupational Classification) code is 47-5031.00
The Mean Annual Wage in the U.S. is $ 54,580.00
The Mean Hourly Wage is $ 26.00
Currently, there are 6,310 people on this job

☝️ Information based on the reference occupation “Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters”.

Also Known As…

Tasks for “Blasting Gang Miner”

Cut specified lengths of primacord and attach primers to cord ends.
Measure depths of drilled blast holes, using weighted tape measures.
Insert, pack, and pour explosives, such as dynamite, ammonium nitrate, black powder, or slurries into blast holes; then shovel drill cuttings, admit water into boreholes, and tamp material to compact charges.
Examine blast areas to determine amounts and kinds of explosive charges needed and to ensure that safety laws are observed.
Verify detonation of charges by observing control panels, or by listening for the sounds of blasts.
Mark patterns, locations, and depths of charge holes for drilling, and issue drilling instructions.
Lay primacord between rows of charged blast holes, and tie cord into main lines to form blast patterns.
Clean, gauge, and lubricate gun ports.
Insert powder charges into chambers of sidewall sample-taking cylinders, and assemble cylinders, using special wrenches.
Signal hoist operators to lower torpedoes or sample-taking guns into wells and to raise equipment for sampling from blast holes after detonation.
Tie specified lengths of delaying fuses into patterns in order to time sequences of explosions.
Connect electrical wire to primers, and cover charges or fill blast holes with clay, drill chips, sand, or other material.
Light fuses, drop detonating devices into wells or boreholes, or activate firing devices with plungers, dials, or buttons, in order to set off single or multiple blasts.
Observe odometers, weight indicators, and instrument panels in trucks in order to position guns at predetermined points in wells.
Repair electrical instruments, using electricians' hand tools.
Obtain samples of earth from sidewalls of well boreholes, using electrically exploding devices.
Connect gun chambers to electric detonating devices, and operate controls at panelboards, in order to detonate charges in guns or to ignite chemical charges.
Set up and operate equipment such as hoists, jackhammers, or drills, in order to bore charge holes.
Assemble and position equipment, explosives, and blasting caps in holes at specified depths, or load perforating guns or torpedoes with explosives.
Maintain inventory levels, ordering new supplies as necessary.
Repair and service blasting, shooting, and automotive equipment, and electrical wiring and instruments, using hand tools.
Set up and operate short-wave radio or field telephone equipment to transmit and receive blast information.
Lower perforating guns into wells, using hoists; then use measuring devices and instrument panels to position guns in correct positions for taking samples.
Compile and keep gun and explosives records in compliance with local and federal laws.
Place explosive charges in holes or other spots; then detonate explosives to demolish structures or to loosen, remove, or displace earth, rock, or other materials.
Move and store inventories of explosives, loaded perforating guns, and other materials, according to established safety procedures.
Drive trucks to transport explosives and blasting equipment to blasting sites.
Insert waterproof sealers, bullets, and/or powder charges into guns, and screw gun ports back into place.
Place safety cones around blast areas to alert other workers of danger zones, and signal workers as necessary to ensure that they clear blast sites prior to explosions.

Related Technology & Tools

Stakebed trucks
Pneumatic drilling equipment
Safety cones
Jackhammers
Ammonium nitrate fuel oil ANFO loaders
Hard hats
Portable signal generators
Meggers
Fuse cutters
Remote blasting systems
Bore hole thermometers
Short period delay detonators
Right angle prisms
Hole savers
Phillips head screwdrivers
Blast hole tubing
Portable cranes
Torpedo levels
Instantaneous electrical detonators
Overhead cranes
Grappling hooks
Remote firing devices
Perforating casing guns
Blasting machines
Safety fuses
Loading poles
Spring scales
Explosives time delay fuses
Safety harnesses
Digital ohmmeters
Weighted tape measures
Digital calculators
Rubber mallets
Wire cleaning brushes
Depth measurement gauges
Longnose pliers
Safety goggles
Protective safety glasses
Coated gloves
Galvanometers
Crescent wrenches
Plumb bobs
Portable air compressors
Folding knives
Digital micrometers
Lowering hooks
End cutting pliers
Protective ear plugs
Tongue and groove pliers
Tamping rods
Electrical circuit testers
Padded gloves
Avalaunchers
Transport trucks
Digital voltmeters
Electronic shock tube initiators
Stake flags
Hoisting equipment
Short-wave radios
Laptop computers
Vernier calipers
Extension ladders
Wire loop pullers
Balance scales
Hand shears
Hydraulic pressure gauges
Pallet jacks
Electricians' knives
Tie-down equipment
Long period delay detonators
Non-contact voltage testers
Fuse testers
Plastic plugs
Blasting cap crimpers
Explosives handling robots
Discharge hoses
Test lamps
Clinometers
Harpoon retrievers
Wire strippers
Conduit bending tools
Surface connector blocks
Fixed blade knives
Warning sirens
Non-electric delay detonators
Precision tweezers
Shock tube detonators
Dewatering pumps
Wood wedges
Laser rangefinders
Temperature data loggers
Forklifts
Day boxes
Wheeled wire dispensers
Flashing warning lights
Seismic activity recorders
Millivoltmeters
Insulated pliers
Ring gauges
Digital wattmeters
Surveyors leveling rods
Hacksaws
Perforating capsule guns
Personal computers
Mobile radios
Digital ammeters
Blasthole drills
Protective respirators
Explosive blasting caps
Explosives funnels
Detonating cords
Tractor-trailer trucks
Resistance testers
Equipment dollies
Digital multimeters
Wire cutting tools
Phase rotation meters
Hand chisels

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