Here are all the types of mining tools used in underground mining:

• Crane lifts
  • Crane lifts are versatile in underground mining. These mining machines can be used to load explosives and carry other heavy loads and mining equipment.
• Continuous miners
  • Continuous miners are a type of mining tool used in room and pillar mining, and have a large rotating drum with carbide teeth to scrape coal from seams. These mining tools can mine up to five tons of coal a minute and account for approximately 45% of underground coal production. They also have conveyor belts that transport coal, making this an automated process that is controlled remotely.
• Drones
  • Underground mining drones, like Flyability’s Elios 3, are used for visual inspections in stopes, ore passes, ventilation shafts, conveyor belts, and other areas of an underground mine.
  • Drone technology has allowed inspections to be conducted in areas that are unsafe for humans to enter, presenting an invaluable tool in such hazardous conditions. However not all drones can be used in mines. For a drone to be functional in an underground mine, it must be able to operate without GPS.
• Jumbo drills
  • Jumbo drills or mining drills are used to drill holes for explosives or to create mine shafts for miners to enter. 
• Loaders and haulers
  • Loaders and haulers are an extremely compact and maneuverable type of mining tool used in underground mining, which is designed specifically for underground work. Just like their names suggest, these mining tools load and haul away minerals.
• Longwall mining machines
  • Longwall mining machines are the most common machines used in underground coal mining. These mining tools are used to build underground galleries and tunnels by leveraging the machine’s shearing capabilities.
• Refuge chambers
  • Refuge chambers are stand-alone safety chambers for miners that are equipped with oxygen, food, water, and sanitary necessities in case of an emergency. These chambers can safely hold miners for 96 hours to eight days.
• Rock dusters
  • Rock dusters are essential to preventing mining shafts from combusting. Dusters apply inert dust, or dust with a small amount of combustible materials, to counter the coal dust. This process is especially important when planned explosions are taking place.
• Roof bolters
  • Roof bolters secure the ceiling of the mine with safety jacks to help prevent cave-ins.
• Scoops
  • Scoops are used in room and pillar mining to load minerals onto trucks in an underground mine.
• Shotcrete machines
  • Shotcrete machines spray concrete along mine tunnel walls and ceilings to reinforce the structural integrity of a mine shaft or tunnel. 
• Underground rails
  • Underground rails haul miners and materials in and out of a mine. It can sometimes take an hour or more for miners to arrive in the work zone.
• Ventilation systems
  • Ventilation systems are crucial for workers to be present in the mines due to the noxious nature of coal and, specifically, coal dust. These systems are used to provide clean air for workers and regulate temperatures underground.

It’s important to note that underground mining tools that operate in an enclosed environment are no-emission machines. They are specially built to still have the power to move tons of rocks at a time in these harsh conditions.