Buyers ask us the same question every week. How much does a mining excavator cost? The honest answer is that the number swings wildly. A new 45-ton class machine from a top-tier factory can pass $450,000 before you add a rock bucket. A well-kept used unit of the same size and power often lands between $60,000 and $100,000. That gap is why so many quarry and mine operators now buy second-hand.
Below is a plain breakdown of what drives the price, what the market pays today, and how to judge whether a quoted figure is fair.
How much does a mining excavator cost
For used machines in the mining weight range, here is what the market looks like right now.
| Weight class | Typical used price | Typical new price |
| 30 – 35 tons | 95,000 | 360,000 |
| 36 – 42 tons | 85,000 | 420,000 |
| 43 – 49 tons | 105,000 | 520,000 |
| 50 – 65 tons | 130,000 | $600,000 and up |
| 70 tons and above | 400,000+ | $900,000 and up |
A used 40-ton excavator with 2,000 working hours sells for roughly one fifth of a new equivalent. The machine still has most of its service life ahead of it. Heavy excavators built by Caterpillar, Komatsu and Hitachi are engineered for 20,000 hours or more before a major rebuild. A unit with 2,000 hours on the clock has used about 10 percent of that.
Price by weight class
Weight sets the price more than any other single spec. It decides digging force, bucket volume and how much dirt you move per shift.
30 to 35 tons. The entry point for hard-rock work. A CAT 330D or Komatsu PC350-8 fits quarry loading, overburden removal and pipeline trenching. Used prices run 95,000 depending on year. Bucket capacity sits near 1.5 m³.
36 to 45 tons. The volume sweet spot for most quarries. A Komatsu PC400-7 or CAT 340D handles 2 m³ buckets and loads 30-ton haul trucks in four passes. Expect 85,000 used.
45 to 65 tons. Serious production iron. A Hitachi ZX650 carries a 2.93 m³ bucket and 488 horsepower. These machines cost 130,000 used and need a lowboy trailer with permits for every move.
Anything above 70 tons enters the face-shovel category. Those units usually stay on one site for years because moving them means removing the counterweight, boom and sometimes the tracks.
Why used machines cost far less
New equipment loses 20 to 30 percent of value in the first year. Depreciation slows sharply after that. Buy at year four or five and someone else has absorbed the steepest part of the curve.
Second, mining excavators are built heavy on purpose. Thick boom plates, reinforced booms, oversized main pumps, heavy-duty undercarriages. That structure does not wear out in three years. Wear parts do. Buckets, teeth, track chains, bushings and hoses are consumable and replaceable at known cost.
Third, Japanese and Korean fleets come off lease in good condition with full service records. Many machines we handle came from Japanese contractors who run strict maintenance schedules. Those units make up the bulk of quality supply feeding the export market.
What pushes the price up or down
Six factors decide the final quote on any used machine.
Working hours. This matters most after weight. A 2020 machine with 1,700 hours prices well above the same model with 6,000 hours. Below 3,000 hours is considered low. Above 10,000 hours you should budget for hydraulic pump work.
Production year. Newer emission tiers command a premium. A 2022 unit may cost 40 percent more than a 2018 unit of identical size.
Brand. Caterpillar and Komatsu hold the strongest resale value. Hitachi sits close behind. Sany, Doosan and Hyundai sell for less at the same weight and hour count, which makes them good value if parts supply in your country is solid.
Undercarriage condition. Track chains, rollers, idlers and sprockets can cost 25,000 on a 40-ton machine. A worn undercarriage should knock a real amount off the asking price.
Hydraulic health. Slow swing, weak breakout force or cylinder drift signals pump or valve wear. Repairs on large machines run 30,000.
Attachments included. A rock bucket, hydraulic breaker or quick coupler adds genuine value. High-flow auxiliary hydraulics for breakers and shears also lift the price.
Brand differences in price
Take a 45-ton class machine as the reference point. Caterpillar and Komatsu sit at the top. A Used Komatsu PC450-7 Excavator at 45 tons, 1,900 hours and 2020 build sells around 85,000. That $17,000 spread reflects brand demand and parts availability rather than any big gap in capability.
Hitachi offers strong value. A ZX470 at 47 tons with 2,700 hours from 2019 goes for about $70,000. The Isuzu 6WG1 engine has a solid reputation in African and South American mines.
Chinese and Korean brands price lower. A Sany SY485H at 49 tons with only 700 hours from 2021 sits near 68,000. A Doosan DH420LC-7 at 42 tons comes in at $52,000.
If you want to compare exact figures side by side, our Caterpillar excavator specs tables list operating weight, engine power, dig depth, bucket capacity and price for each unit in stock.
Real price examples from current stock
These are actual machines, not estimates.
| Model | Weight | Hours | Year | Price |
| CAT 420 Yong Gong | 42 T | 300 H | 2023 | $26,000 |
| Doosan DH420LC-7 | 42 T | 2,800 H | 2018 | $52,000 |
| Doosan DH370LC-9 | 37 T | 2,100 H | 2020 | $53,000 |
| Catepillar 320GC | 43.9 T | 439 H | 2022 | $61,000 |
| Komatsu PC400-7 | 40 T | 2,818 H | 2019 | $65,000 |
| Hyundai 485LVS | 48.5 T | 2,200 H | 2019 | $68,000 |
| Hitachi ZX470 | 47 T | 2,700 H | 2019 | $70,000 |
| CAT 340D | 40 T | 2,300 H | 2019 | $80,000 |
| Sany SY485H | 49 T | 700 H | 2021 | $80,000 |
| CAT 345D | 45 T | 1,900 H | 2020 | $85,000 |
| CAT 349E | 49 T | 1,100 H | 2021 | $100,000 |
| Hitachi ZX650 | 65 T | 2,800 H | 2019 | $100,000 |
Most mining-capable units fall in the 70,000 band, which is the busiest price range we ship.
Costs that come after the purchase price
The quoted figure is not the delivered figure. Budget for these.
Ocean freight. A 40-ton excavator ships on a flat rack or breakbulk vessel. Shanghai to West Africa runs 8,000. Shanghai to South America runs 12,000. Rates move with the season.
Import duty and VAT. This varies by country. Peru, Chile and Colombia apply different rates than Nigeria or Tanzania. Check your local tariff code before you commit.
Inland haulage. Port to mine site on a lowboy can cost 6,000 depending on distance and permits.
Bucket and ground engaging tools. A rock bucket with new teeth for a 45-ton machine costs 9,000.
First service. Fresh oils, filters and a hydraulic flush run 3,000. Do it before the machine starts work.
Add it up and a 85,000 in your yard.
Checks before you pay
Ask for cold-start video with the hour meter visible. Watch for white smoke and listen for knocking. Request boom and stick pin play measurements. Ask the seller to photograph the track chain link with a caliper. Check swing bearing play by parking on level ground and rotating slowly. Look at the boom weld seams for repair marks, which point to past overload or a rollover.
Also confirm engine and chassis numbers match the documents. This protects you at customs.
Shanghai Yonggong has exported used excavators for more than 20 years. We hold ISO 9001-2000 and 3C certification. Every machine we list for mining and quarry work comes with inspection photos, hour meter proof and a written condition report before payment.
