Kentucky Coal Heritage - Mining Equipment

Stripping Shovels

Stripping Shovels, probably the most popular of the big shovels ever produced for overburden removal in coal mining.


	"The Silver Spade" Consolidation Coal Company's (CONSOL) first Bucyrus-Erie 1950-B stripping shovel was "The Silver Spade", which started working in November 1965. The name commemorates the 25th anniversary of the Hanna Coal Company, a division of the CONSOL group.

	"Big Paul" The King of Spades One of Marion's 5760 stripping shovels was operated by Peabody Coal Company at the River King Mine near Freeburg, Illinois around 1958. It was equipped with a 70 cu-yd bucket.