Having in view the achievements of the mining operations with the aid of power shovels in the mountains Magnitnaya and Vysokaya and in the Elenovsky quarries, the present paper analyzes the following principal conditions for organizing power shovels operations: conditions concerning the design of machines; conditions with respect to the distribution of the serving personnel; conditions for the corresponding organization of drilling and blasting operations; conditions with regard to the corresponding organization of the transport. In the analysis of the conditions concerning the design of machines attention is drawn to the best manner of utilizing the available digging radius on the plane of the standing level of the power shovel, as well as increasing the maximum value of this radius by reducing the angle of inclination of the boom. In the analysis of the conditions concerning the methods of mastering the running of the machine attention is paid to the manner of filling the bucket and to the duration of the cycle of digging. In the analysis of the conditions with respect to the distribution of the serving personnel are given essential directions as to the duties of every worker serving the power shovel. In the analysis of the conditions of organizing drilling and blasting operations attention is drawn to the advantage of obtaining a concentrated well heaped stope of the blown up mass as uniformly crushed as possible. In the analysis of the conditions of organizing the transport attention is drawn to the means of securing an uninterrupted service of empty cars to be loaded.

In the present paper an attempt is made at ascertaining an entirely attainable technical efficiency of excavators, taking into account the best achievements of practice and analyzing all the possibilities of excavators. Investigation is directed along the lines of constructive possibilities of excavators, methods of utilizing them, and working conditions. As a result, the possibility of raising the existing indices and established norms is proved. Though the conclusions arrived at take into account the indices of real practice, nevertheless they have to be verified under the working conditions of several undertakings.