It includes study of various aspects of equipment used in earthworks, mineral processing, bulk material handling, drilling and construction.
In the first twenty years of the 1900s, steam power was largely replaced by internal combustion engines and electric motors.
Drilling and blasting replaced manual cutting of ores.
Lately, the use of continuous mining machines has become the order of the day to comply with environmental regulations, protect surface features, and also achieve an increased production rate.
As the concern for safety in mines increased and highly stringent regulations were put in place, it required mining machinery engineers to be highly conversant with such regulations.