E21C MINING OR QUARRYING
Description
E21C covers extraction methods and equipment for removing minerals, coal, ore, stone, and other solid materials from the earth through mining and quarrying operations. This subclass encompasses surface and underground extraction techniques, including opencast mining, underground mining systems, and quarrying methods for construction materials. Related specialized equipment such as mineral beneficiation, ore dressing, and sorting of extracted materials at the extraction site fall within this classification, while processing of minerals after extraction and beneficiation plant design are generally covered by other sections.
Filing statistics
CPC subclass E21C recorded 16,559 patent applications worldwide between 2013 and 2023. Annual filings grew from 828 in 2013 to 1,605 in 2023 (+94%), peaking at 1,908 applications in 2021. The most active applicants in class E21 are HALLIBURTON ENERGY SERVICES GROUP (27,652 applications), SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY (7,755 applications) and PETROCHINA COMPANY (7,025 applications).
Source: EPO PATSTAT, worldwide filings
16 direct subcodes
Child Classifications
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- E21C 2100/00 Modeling, simulating or designing mining operations
- E21C 2200/00 Mining robots
- E21C 25/00 Cutting machines, i.e. for making slits approximately parallel or perpendicular to the seam (dislodging machines with slitting means E21C27/02, E21C27/10, E21C27/18)
- E21C 27/00 Machines which completely free the mineral from the seam
- E21C 29/00 Propulsion of machines for slitting or completely freeing the mineral from the seam
- E21C 31/00 Driving means incorporated in machines for slitting or completely freeing the mineral from the seam
- E21C 33/00 Trucks or other devices for transporting machines for slitting or completely freeing the mineral from the seam
- E21C 35/00 Details of, or accessories for, machines for slitting or completely freeing the mineral from the seam, not provided for in groups E21C25/00 - E21C33/00, E21C37/00 or E21C39/00
- E21C 37/00 Other methods or devices for dislodging with or without loading (breaking-down by means inserted in slits E21C27/14)
- E21C 39/00 Devices for testing in situ the hardness or other properties of minerals, e.g. for giving information as to the selection of suitable mining tools
- E21C 41/00 Methods of underground or surface mining (E21C45/00 takes precedence); Layouts therefor (for peat E21C49/00)
- E21C 45/00 Methods of hydraulic mining; Hydraulic monitors (E21C25/60 takes precedence)
- E21C 47/00 Machines for obtaining or the removal of materials in open-pit mines (obtaining peat E21C49/00)
- E21C 49/00 Obtaining peat; Machines therefor (treating peat C10F)
- E21C 50/00 Obtaining minerals from underwater, not otherwise provided for (suction dredgers or component parts thereof E02F3/88; equipment for conveying or separating excavated material E02F7/00; dippers G01N1/12)
- E21C 51/00 Apparatus for, or methods of, winning materials from extraterrestrial sources (cosmonautics B64G)
Top Applicants
Top 10 applicants by patent filingsfor class E21, 2013–2023, worldwide · Source: EPO PATSTAT
- HALLIBURTON ENERGY SERVICES GROUP US 27,652
- SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY SA 7,755
- PETROCHINA COMPANY 7,025
- BAKER HUGHES US 6,589
- SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY US 6,151
- SINOPEC (CHINA PETROCHEMICAL CORPORATION) 4,443
- SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY NL 4,255
- CNPC (CHINA NATIONAL PETROLEUM CORPORATION) 3,991
- SERVICES PETROLIERS SCHLUMBERGER FR 3,300
- SCHLUMBERGER CANADA CA 3,086