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Roof Bolters, Mining

Occupation · SOC 47-5043.00

Operate machinery to install roof support bolts in underground mine.

Also called: Bolter · Roof Bolter · Roof Bolter Operator · Underground Roof Bolter · Bolt Machine Operator · Bolt Man · Miner · Place Change Roof Bolter · Underground Miner · Bolting Inspector · Bolting Machine Operator · Roof Bolting Coal Miner

Job family: Construction and Extraction Occupations

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Download .md

A source-stamped Markdown brief of this occupation — paste it into an agent, or fetch /roles/role-47-5043-00/context.md directly.

AI work map

A fast read on where AI already shows up in this occupation, where it stays a copilot, where humans remain in the loop, and what the labor market is doing. Built from observed Claude.ai conversations mapped to O*NET tasks and from published research — measures of usage and exposure, not advice or predictions that the job is going away.

3rd-percentile task overlap — yet about 100 openings a year (-34.2% projected, BLS) . What exposure means →

AI & job outlook

What today's research says about this occupation's exposure to AI, how AI is actually being used in it, and where employment is headed. These are positions within published studies — measures of exposure and usage, not predictions that this job will disappear.

Exposure to current AI

Each study uses its own scale, so the raw scores are not comparable across rows — the percentile (this job's rank among all U.S. occupations with data) is the comparable figure, and sizes the bars.

Measure Rank vs all occupations Percentile Score
LLM task exposure, γ (OpenAI / Eloundou) Low 3rd 0.0
AI assistant applicability (Microsoft) Low 10th 0.0

OpenAI's exposure study scores tasks three ways: with a language model alone (α 0.0), with simple added tooling (β 0.0), and including AI-powered software (γ 0.0). Higher means more of the job's tasks could be done at least twice as fast — not that they will be automated away.

Job outlook

Independent U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics employment projection for 2024–2034 — a labor-market forecast, not an AI-impact forecast.

Outlook Declining · -34.2% by 2034
Projected annual openings 100
Employment 2024 → 2034 2,300 → 1,500

“Annual openings” counts new jobs plus replacements for workers who leave the occupation, so it can be large even when growth is modest.

Tasks

All 14 tasks O*NET lists for this occupation, ordered by importance. Each links to its own page with AI-exposure and observed-use detail.

Emerging tasks

Newer responsibilities O*NET has flagged as growing for this occupation.

  • Check roof or ribs for hazardous conditions.
  • Clean equipment, such as dust collectors.

Work activities

Knowledge, skills & abilities

O*NET importance rating, from 1 (not important) to 5 (extremely important).

Abilities

Control Precision 4.1
Arm-Hand Steadiness 4.0
Manual Dexterity 3.9
Extent Flexibility 3.9
Problem Sensitivity 3.8
Multilimb Coordination 3.8
Reaction Time 3.8
Near Vision 3.8
Depth Perception 3.8
Information Ordering 3.6
Static Strength 3.6
Selective Attention 3.5
Response Orientation 3.4
Rate Control 3.3
Trunk Strength 3.3
Stamina 3.1
Gross Body Equilibrium 3.1
Far Vision 3.1
Speech Recognition 3.1
Oral Comprehension 3.0
Oral Expression 3.0
Deductive Reasoning 3.0

Knowledge

Production and Processing 3.7
Education and Training 3.5
Mechanical 3.5
Public Safety and Security 3.5

Transferable skills

Operation and Control 3.6
Operations Monitoring 3.3
Troubleshooting 3.3
Equipment Maintenance 3.1
Coordination 3.0
Complex Problem Solving 3.0
Repairing 3.0
Quality Control Analysis 3.0
Judgment and Decision Making 3.0
Time Management 3.0

Essential skills

Critical Thinking 3.4
Monitoring 3.3
Active Listening 3.1
Speaking 3.0

Skills in demand

Skills employers ask for in job postings for this occupation (Lightcast), with whether each is a common or specialized skill.

Tools & technology

Example Category
Caterpillar Cat MineStar System Enterprise resource planning ERP software
Caterpillar Command Industrial control software

Work context

How characteristic each condition is of the job, on O*NET's 1–5 context scale (higher = more present in day-to-day work). Each condition links to how it varies across all occupations.

Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets 5.0
Exposed to Hazardous Equipment 5.0
Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls 5.0
Exposed to Contaminants 5.0
Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions 5.0
Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams 5.0
Spend Time Standing 4.9
Health and Safety of Other Workers 4.9
Exposed to Sounds, Noise Levels that are Distracting or Uncomfortable 4.8
Time Pressure 4.8
Exposed to Hazardous Conditions 4.7
Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team 4.6
Pace Determined by Speed of Equipment 4.6
Spend Time Bending or Twisting Your Body 4.6
Exposed to Cramped Work Space, Awkward Positions 4.5
Contact With Others 4.5
Indoors, Not Environmentally Controlled 4.5
Spend Time Walking or Running 4.3
Exposed to Whole Body Vibration 4.2
Physical Proximity 4.1
Importance of Being Exact or Accurate 3.9
Consequence of Error 3.9
Work Outcomes and Results of Other Workers 3.8
Importance of Repeating Same Tasks 3.8
Exposed to Minor Burns, Cuts, Bites, or Stings 3.7
Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results 3.6
Wear Specialized Protective or Safety Equipment such as Breathing Apparatus, Safety Harness, Full Protection Suits, or Radiation Protection 3.6
Frequency of Decision Making 3.6
Coordinate or Lead Others in Accomplishing Work Activities 3.5
Dealing With Unpleasant, Angry, or Discourteous People 3.5
Conflict Situations 3.4
Spend Time Keeping or Regaining Balance 3.4
Exposed to Very Hot or Cold Temperatures 3.4
Level of Competition 3.3
Exposed to Extremely Bright or Inadequate Lighting Conditions 3.2
Freedom to Make Decisions 2.9
In an Open Vehicle or Operating Equipment 2.9
Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals 2.8
Spend Time Kneeling, Crouching, Stooping, or Crawling 2.6
Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions 2.3

How to get in

Job zone
Zone 2 — Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
Education
Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Typical entry-level education
High school diploma or equivalent · BLS, the typical path — not a requirement
Related experience
Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.
Preparation level
SVP (Below 6.0) — total schooling plus on-the-job experience.

Education of current workers

Share of people in this occupation at each level of education.

High School Diploma 86.7%
Less than a High School Diploma 13.3%

Interests & work styles

The interests and personal qualities O*NET associates with people who do this work.

Career interests (Holland / RIASEC)

Realistic 7.0
Conventional 3.3
Investigative 2.5

Interest areas

Physical/Manual Labor 6.5
Mechanics/Electronics 4.1
Transportation/Machine Operation 3.2
Engineering 2.6
Construction/Woodwork 1.9
Protective Service 1.3

Work styles

Dependability 4.0
Attention to Detail 3.0
Cautiousness 2.4
Stress Tolerance 2.1
Perseverance 1.8
Self-Control 1.6
Integrity 1.3

Wages & employment

U.S. · annual wages (BLS OEWS)

$51k10th$67k25th$77kMedian$80k75th$87k90th
Annual wages by percentile — U.S. (BLS OEWS). The light band spans the 10th–90th percentile; the darker band is the middle half (25th–75th); the line is the median.
2k20242k2034 (proj.)-34.2% · Declining
Projected U.S. employment, 2024–2034 (BLS Employment Projections). A labor-market forecast for the occupation, not an AI-impact forecast.
10th percentile $50,880
25th percentile $67,110
Median (50th) $76,640
75th percentile $80,230
90th percentile $87,420
People employed 2,230

Industries that employ this occupation

Where these workers are employed, by number of jobs (national, BLS OEWS). Pay shown is the occupation's national median, not industry-specific.

Industry Workers National median pay
Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction · Sector 2,170 $77,570

Where this work is most concentrated

Industries where this occupation is far more common than in the economy as a whole. The location quotient is how many times more concentrated it is here (a value of 5 means five times its economy-wide share).

Industry Concentration Workers
Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction · Sector 261.63× 2,170

Part of the Energy & Natural Resources career cluster.

Exposure quadrant: AI task-overlap percentile vs Median pay Roof Bolters, Mining sits at the 3rd percentile of AI task-overlap and the 65th percentile of median pay, placed here against 12 adjacent occupations on the same two axes. Lower overlap · higher pay Higher overlap · higher pay Higher overlap · lower pay Lower overlap · lower pay Roof Bolters, Mining Helpers--Extraction Workers Structural Iron and Steel Workers Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas AI task-overlap percentile → ↑ Median pay
AI task-overlap percentile (horizontal) vs. median-pay percentile (vertical), across all scored occupations. This occupation is highlighted; related occupations are plotted alongside it. Overlap measures shared tasks with AI, not automation.

Side-by-side comparisons place two occupations’ pay, preparation, skills, and AI exposure on the same page — same data, same scale, no forecast.

What you can do with this

Options the data surfaces for Roof Bolters, Mining — not advice or a forecast. Each is a real cross-link you can follow into the evidence.

Skills that travel

Capabilities this work builds that are used across many other occupations.

Adjacent roles

Occupations O*NET rates as related — the nearby moves on the map.

Paths in

How people typically prepare for this work.

Zoom out

See where this work sits in the bigger picture.

Write a report on thisheadline · factoids · citation

Roof Bolters, Mining show 3rd-percentile AI task overlap — and about 100 annual U.S. openings

  • Roof Bolters, Mining rank in the 3rd percentile (Low band) for AI task overlap across U.S. occupations — a measure of how much of the work today's AI can attempt, not how much is automated.Eloundou et al. (GPTs are GPTs) + Felten AIOE
  • The occupation is projected to see about 100 U.S. job openings per year (2024–34), counting growth and replacement — a labor-demand projection made independently of AI.BLS Employment Projections 2024–34
  • BLS projects employment to be declining (-34.2%) from 2024 to 2034.BLS Employment Projections 2024–34
  • Median annual pay is $76,640, across about 2,230 U.S. workers.BLS OEWS (May 2024)
Copy the whole kit
Roof Bolters, Mining show 3rd-percentile AI task overlap — and about 100 annual U.S. openings

• Roof Bolters, Mining rank in the 3rd percentile (Low band) for AI task overlap across U.S. occupations — a measure of how much of the work today's AI can attempt, not how much is automated. (Eloundou et al. (GPTs are GPTs) + Felten AIOE)
• The occupation is projected to see about 100 U.S. job openings per year (2024–34), counting growth and replacement — a labor-demand projection made independently of AI. (BLS Employment Projections 2024–34)
• BLS projects employment to be declining (-34.2%) from 2024 to 2034. (BLS Employment Projections 2024–34)
• Median annual pay is $76,640, across about 2,230 U.S. workers. (BLS OEWS (May 2024))

Source: Singulariki — "Roof Bolters, Mining". https://singulariki.com/roles/role-47-5043-00
Note: AI task overlap measures what today's AI can attempt, not automation, job loss, or a forecast.

AssetsShare imageMethodology & sourcesPress & newsroomThe newsroom

Every line is built only from figures this page already shows and cites. AI task overlap means what today's AI can attempt — not automation, job loss, or a forecast.

Sources for this page

Every figure above traces to a named public dataset and the exact release below — not hand-written opinion. See the full methodology for what each measure does and does not mean.

Data compiled June 2, 2026. Figures are estimates, not advice.

Cite this page
Plain

Singulariki. "Roof Bolters, Mining." Singulariki: a source-backed encyclopedia of work. Built from O*NET 30.3; BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024; BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034; Microsoft “Working with AI” working-with-ai; “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130. Accessed June 7, 2026. https://singulariki.com/roles/role-47-5043-00

APA

Singulariki. (2026). Roof Bolters, Mining. Singulariki: a source-backed encyclopedia of work. Retrieved June 7, 2026, from https://singulariki.com/roles/role-47-5043-00

BibTeX 
@misc{singulariki-role-47-5043-00,
  title  = {Roof Bolters, Mining},
  author = {{Singulariki}},
  year   = {2026},
  note   = {O*NET 30.3; BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024; BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034; Microsoft “Working with AI” working-with-ai; “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130. Accessed June 7, 2026},
  url    = {https://singulariki.com/roles/role-47-5043-00}
}

Citations name the underlying public dataset releases — they reflect what this page is built from, not just the URL.

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