Abstract: A contour miner has walker means carrying an external deck outside the formation being mined having power supply and control means for movement along the periphery of a coal seam with a reciprocating carriage having a rotary cutter for removing the coal from a work face extending inwardly below the overburden perpendicular to the seam periphery; a conveyor extends adjacent the work face and conveys the removed coal out beyond the external deck; an internal roof support-walker assembly is positioned inwardly of the formation and has hydraulic cylinder actuated movable roof supports and ground pads and hydraulic cylinders for walking forward toward the work face with dragline means moving prefabricated roof supports behind the support-walker assembly as it is moved toward the work face.