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Coal Miners

Overview

Coal miners extract coal from surface mines and underground mines. To do this, they operate complex and expensive machinery that drills, cuts, scrapes, or shovels earth and coal so that the fuel can be collected. Since coal is hard to reach, large portions of earth must be removed from the surface or dug out of mines so the coal miners can get to it. Some coal miners are explosives experts who use dynamite and other substances to remove earth and make the coal accessible. As of 2018, approximately 82,830 workers were employed as coal miners, according to the National Mining Association.

Salary Range

$25,000 to $100,000

Minimum Education Level

High School Diploma

Certification/License

Required

Outlook

Decline
Personality Traits

Athletic

Realistic

Technical

Career Ladder
Supervisor or Sales Representative

Coal Miner

Coal Mining Technician or Helper

Laborer

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