A mining excavator is a large crawler excavator built to dig and load rock, ore and overburden all day. In quarries and open-pit mines it digs at the face, loads haul trucks and handles blasted rock, so it needs a big bucket, high digging force and a strong undercarriage. This guide explains what to look for in a mining excavator and compares the three largest LICH crawler models, from a 1.6 m³ to a 3 m³ bucket, with figures from our catalogue. LICH also supplies the road roller fleets that build and maintain mine haul roads.
Three LICH mining excavator models
| LC8330 | LC8380 | LC8600 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bucket capacity | 1.6 m³ | 1.7 m³ | 3 m³ |
| Rated power | 194 kW / 2,200 rpm | 219 kW / 1,900 rpm | 298 kW / 2,000 rpm |
| Maximum bucket digging force | 244 kN | 244 kN | 325 kN |
| Maximum arm digging force | 200 kN | 200 kN | 253 kN |
| Maximum digging depth | 6,437 mm | 7,327 mm | 5,756 mm |
| Maximum dumping height | 7,625 mm | 7,572 mm | 7,779 mm |
| Maximum digging reach | 10,709 mm | 11,178 mm | 10,726 mm |
| System pressure | 35 MPa | 35 MPa | 35 MPa |
| Track gauge | 2,590 mm | 2,590 mm | 2,760 mm |
| Overall width | 3,200 mm | 3,190 mm | 3,360 mm |
Figures from the LICH product catalogue, read on 20 October 2026. Each model page lists the full specification.
What makes a mining excavator different
- Bucket size matched to the trucks. Loading speed depends on how many passes fill a truck. The LC8600’s 3 m³ bucket nearly doubles the LC8330’s 1.6 m³ per pass.
- Digging force for hard material. Blasted rock and compacted overburden need breakout force. The LC8600 reaches 325 kN at the bucket, a third more than the 244 kN of the LC8330 and LC8380.
- A wide, stable undercarriage. The LC8600 runs a 2,760 mm track gauge and 602 mm ground clearance, which keeps it stable on a loading bench and clear of rock on uneven floors.
- Reach and depth for the bench. The LC8380 digs 7,327 mm deep with an 11,178 mm reach, useful when the excavator sits on top of the material and digs below track level.
Which mining excavator for which job
- Loading haul trucks from a blasted face: the LC8600. The 3 m³ bucket and 325 kN of digging force suit high-volume loading.
- Overburden removal and deep benches: the LC8380, with the deepest dig and longest reach of the three.
- Quarries, aggregate pits and large earthmoving: the LC8330, with a 1.6 m³ bucket on a 194 kW machine.
- Smaller quarries and mixed construction: the 129 kW LC8230 with a 1.1 m³ bucket and a 6,480 mm dig depth.
Working with breakers and other mining equipment
A mining excavator rarely works alone. Hydraulic breakers reduce oversize rock, a bulldozer keeps the floor and haul roads clear, and a motor grader maintains the haul roads. For breakers matched to 30–80 t carriers, see our sister site’s guide to the hydraulic breaker for quarry work. For pushing and road upkeep, see our bulldozers and motor graders.
Checks before you buy a mining excavator
- Match the bucket to the trucks so a truck fills in a few passes.
- Check the material. Hard rock needs a rock bucket and the highest digging force; overburden and soil need reach and depth.
- Plan transport. At 3,190–3,360 mm wide, these machines need an oversize permit or partial disassembly for road transport in many countries.
- Plan wear parts. Order spare bucket teeth and side cutters with the machine, because a mining excavator wears them quickly.
Questions buyers ask
What size is a mining excavator?
It ranges widely. Small quarries use 20–30 t class excavators; large mines use machines of several hundred tonnes. The LICH range covers the quarry and mid-size mining class, with buckets from 1.6 m³ to 3 m³.
Is a mining excavator the same as a hydraulic shovel?
A hydraulic shovel is a mining excavator with a front-facing bucket that digs upward into the face. The LICH models use a backhoe bucket, which digs toward the machine and can work below track level.
Can a standard crawler excavator work in a mine?
Yes, for light duty. For continuous rock loading, choose a mining excavator with higher digging force and a heavier undercarriage.
See every crawler and wheeled model on our excavator page, or compare layouts in wheeled excavator vs tracked. Send us your material, bench height and truck size, and we will recommend the mining excavator that fits.