dragline crane
LowTechnical
Definition
Meaning
A large, mobile crane used for excavating and material handling, primarily in mining and heavy construction, which operates by dragging a bucket towards itself via cables.
A type of heavy-duty excavation machinery consisting of a large boom, hoist and drag ropes, and a bucket. It is used for surface mining (e.g., removing overburden), dredging, and major civil engineering projects. The crane is typically crawler-mounted for mobility on rough terrain.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The term is a compound noun, specifically referring to a crane that uses a dragline operation. 'Dragline' refers to the main rope that drags the bucket horizontally. Not to be confused with a standard 'crane' used for lifting.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term is identical in both dialects. The machinery and its operational name are standardised internationally within the engineering and mining industries.
Connotations
Neutral technical term in both regions.
Frequency
Equally rare in general language but standard in relevant technical contexts (mining, civil engineering) in both the UK and US.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[The/Our] dragline crane [verb: excavated, removed, dug, swung] [object: the overburden, a channel, material].Vocabulary
Synonyms
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Usage
Context Usage
Business
In project reports or tenders for mining or large-scale earthworks: 'Capital expenditure includes the lease of a new dragline crane.'
Academic
In engineering or geology papers discussing surface mining techniques: 'The overburden was removed using a Bucyrus-Erie 2570-W dragline crane.'
Everyday
Virtually never used. Might be seen in documentaries about mining or large construction.
Technical
Standard term in civil engineering, mining engineering, and heavy equipment operation manuals.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- They use a very big machine in the mine.
- A large machine called a dragline crane is used in open-pit mining.
- The contract specified that a dragline crane would be required to remove the topsoil before mining could commence.
- The efficiency of the stripping operation was vastly improved by deploying a Bucyrus 1260-W dragline crane with a 60-cubic-yard bucket capacity.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a giant crane DRAGGing a bucket along a LINE to dig a massive hole.
Conceptual Metaphor
A MECHANICAL GIANT ARM: It extends (boom), lowers (bucket), pulls (drags), and lifts, mimicking an arm's digging motion but on a colossal scale.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct translation of 'dragline' as 'волочащийся линия'. It is a fixed technical term: 'драглайн' or 'кран-драглайн'.
- Do not confuse with 'подъёмный кран' (lifting crane). The primary function is excavation, not lifting prefabricated items.
Common Mistakes
- Calling it simply a 'crane' (ambiguous).
- Misspelling as 'drag line crane' (should be solid or hyphenated: dragline crane or drag-line crane).
- Using it as a verb (e.g., 'They will dragline the area' is non-standard; 'They will use a dragline' is correct).
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary function of a dragline crane?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. A standard construction crane (tower or mobile) is designed primarily for vertical lifting. A dragline crane is designed for excavation, using a bucket that is dragged along the ground.
Primarily in large-scale surface mining operations (like coal or tar sands mines) and occasionally in major dredging or port construction projects.
It refers to the key 'drag' rope or cable that pulls (drags) the bucket horizontally through the material towards the machine before it is lifted.
Yes, most are 'crawler-mounted' on tracks like a tank, allowing them to move slowly around a mining site. However, they are not road-mobile and are assembled on site.