Mining excavators are undoubtedly the mechanised monsters of the mining world. Mining excavators are larger than dozers, wheel loaders, trucks and many other draglines and mine site vehicles. But in the class of mining excavators, there are a few machines in particular that reign supreme.

When it comes to mining, it takes many machines and other minesite vehicles to get the job done. Mining excavators, draglines, dozers and other earthmoving equipment all have a part to play. Many of them are quite large, but there are a few that simply dwarf the competition. Today, we'll have a look at a few of the largest mining machines in the world and what makes them so impressive.

THE BUCYRUS RH400

This mechanical behemoth is currently the world's largest excavator. While it was originally released by Terex in Germany in 1997, Bucyrus acquired Terex's mining equipment division in 2010, which was finally acquired by Caterpillar in 2011. This front-shovel excavator weighs a hefty 889 tonnes and its excavating shovel has the capacity to hold 45 m³ of rock. The unit is powered by two 16-cylinder diesel engines, which contribute to a maximum power output of 4,400 horse power.

THE HITACHI EX8000-6

This massive machine was released by the Hitachi Construction Machinery in 2012 and is currently ranked as the second largest hydraulic excavator in existence. The Hitachi EX8000-6 weighs an impressive 811 tonnes and can be equipped with either shovel or backhoe attachments. This excavator has a bucket capacity of 45 m³ and a shovel capacity of 40 m³ and is capable of lifting 75 tonnes in a single load. The unit is equipped with two 16-cylinder diesel engines producing 3,880 horse power.

THE LIEBHERR R 9800

The Liebherr R 9800 is considered the largest mining excavator in the world. This monstrosity of a machine is designed for large-scale mining operations and is able to excavate any surface or terrain. The Liebherr R 9800 is powered by two 16-cylinder V-engines and is capable of handling even the most challenging mining tasks. The combined output of this machine is a whopping 2,984 kilowatts and has a maximum operating weight of 810,000 kilograms. In order to effectively run and operate the Liebherr R 9800, it must be supplied with 20,000 litres of diesel fuel.

THE DEMAG H740 OS

This front-shovel excavator has a collective operating weight of 744 tonnes, making it the fourth largest hydraulic excavator in existence. The machine has been in operation since 1999 and was specially designed with a wider car body and track pad than its forerunners. The loading capacity of the front-shovel is 40 m³ and the whole unit is powered by two 16-cylinder diesel engines producing up to 4,000 horse power.

THE BAGGER 293

Mining excavators are some of the biggest machines around, and the top dog among them is the Bagger 293. This monster of a machine is a bucket excavator and is the largest land vehicle ever constructed, coming in at some 96 metres in height, 225 metres in length, and an overall mass of 14,200 tonnes. This beast requires five people to handle its operation, and it can handle a massive amount of dirt, chewing through a whopping 240,000 cubic metres in just one day.

THE BELAZ 75710 DUMP TRUCK

Another staple of the mining site is, of course, the dump truck. The worlds largest belongs to BelAZ. Their model 75710, also known appropriately as the '450', has 25% greater capacity than the model below it. It can carry as much as 450 tonnes of payload, thus the name, and it runs on two big diesel engines, each being 16 cylinders with a four-cycle MTU. It also has eight wheels situated on two axles which enable it to transport its massive cargo around the mining site. Its speed tops out at about 64 kph.

THE LETOURNEAU L-2350 WHEEL LOADER

The LeTourneau L-2350 holds the record as the world's largest wheel loader, coming in at 234 tonnes (operation weight) and with a max payload of 65 tonnes. Its bucket is a massive 40.52 cubic metres, but it might not be the biggest for long. LeTourneau has been working on a prototype of the L-2350 which will have a larger bucket measuring some 53.52 cubic metres. LeTourneau definitely remains the king of wheel loaders, and it doesn't look like it will be giving up that title any time soon.