| Underground LHD Loader | Underground metal and hard-rock mines with restricted height and width | Approximately 0.75–14 m³ | Approximately 1.5–25 tonnes | Diesel-hydraulic; battery-electric and cable-electric versions are also used | Loading blasted ore, hauling it short distances, and dumping into ore passes, trucks, or crushers | Machine width, turning radius, tramming distance, ventilation capacity, ground conditions, and service access |
| Underground Narrow-Vein Loader | Narrow-vein mines and low-clearance headings | Approximately 0.4–2.5 m³ | Approximately 0.8–6 tonnes | Compact diesel or battery-electric systems | Selective ore loading and mucking where conventional LHDs cannot maneuver | Overall width, lift height, articulation angle, visibility, ground clearance, and dilution control |
| Surface Wheel Loader | Open-pit mines, stockpiles, quarries, ports, and processing plants | Approximately 2–20 m³ or more, depending on machine class | Approximately 3–40 tonnes or more | Diesel-hydraulic, with electric and hybrid options available for selected applications | Stockpile reclaiming, truck loading, material blending, hopper feeding, and cleanup | Bucket size, material density, truck matching, cycle time, tire life, fuel use, and operating surface |
| Front-End Loader for ROM Ore | Run-of-mine pads, primary crusher areas, and ore receiving stations | Commonly 3–15 m³ | Commonly 5–30 tonnes | Diesel-hydraulic | Feeding crushers, clearing oversize material, managing ore piles, and recovering spilled material | Required breakout force, hydraulic lift capacity, bucket wear protection, tire specification, and site traffic pattern |
| Remote-Controlled LHD | Underground drawpoints and areas exposed to rockfall, seismicity, or unstable ground | Usually within the range of the matching conventional LHD class | Usually approximately 3–21 tonnes | Diesel-hydraulic or battery-electric with remote-control systems | Mucking from hazardous zones while the operator remains in a safer location | Camera and sensor coverage, communication reliability, line-of-sight limits, operator training, and automation compatibility |
| Battery-Electric Mining Loader | Underground mines seeking lower diesel emissions and reduced ventilation demand | Approximately 1.5–10 m³, depending on design | Approximately 3–18 tonnes | Rechargeable battery-electric drive with electric traction and hydraulic implements | Loading and hauling ore in headings where ventilation, heat, noise, or emissions are major concerns | Battery capacity, charging or swapping method, duty cycle, ramp performance, thermal management, and infrastructure |
| High-Lift Loader | Surface stockpiles, high-sided trucks, rail loading, and material transfer points | Approximately 3–15 m³ | Approximately 5–30 tonnes | Diesel-hydraulic | Loading vehicles with high sideboards and placing material into elevated hoppers | Dump clearance, hinge-pin height, lift-arm geometry, stability at full reach, and visibility |
| Compact Utility Loader | Underground construction, mine maintenance, service areas, and small-scale aggregate operations | Approximately 0.3–2 m³ | Approximately 0.5–5 tonnes | Diesel, battery-electric, or cable-electric systems | Cleanup, backfilling, material handling, road maintenance, and light excavation | Compact dimensions, attachment compatibility, ease of transport, maintenance access, and operator visibility |