Glossary
Underground Mining Loader Operator Terms & Vocabulary
15 essential underground mining loader operator terms with plain-English definitions: the vocabulary you’ll hear in training and on day one.
Key underground mining loader operator vocabulary
These 15 terms come up constantly in underground mining loader operator training, on the job and in interviews. Knowing them helps you follow instructions, document accurately and sound prepared.
- Drift
- Horizontal tunnel.
- Ground control
- Keeping rock stable.
- Haulage
- Moving material.
- Heading
- Tunnel face.
- LHD
- Load-haul-dump machine.
- MSHA
- Mine Safety and Health Administration.
- Muck
- Broken rock.
- Ore pass
- Chute for ore.
- Part 46/48 training
- Required mine safety training.
- Pre-shift exam
- Safety check before work.
- Remote mucking
- Operating loaders remotely.
- Rib
- Tunnel wall.
- Self-rescuer
- Emergency breathing device.
- Shuttle car
- Hauls coal to conveyor.
- Ventilation curtain
- Directs airflow.
Practice these terms
Test yourself with the free Underground Mining Loader Operator practice test: it includes vocabulary questions built from this list. For a complete course, see Underground Mining Loader Operator training.
Browse terms from every career in our career glossary.