Abstract: Coal and other mineral seams are uncovered to a desired width by blast casting a portion of the overburden above the seam into an adjacent spoil pit, followed by excavation of a keycut between unblasted overburden and a plug portion of the overburden remaining above the seam and adjacent to the spoil pit. The excavated material forms a temporary spoil pile adjacent to the plug portion and covering the blast cast overburden. The plug portion and the temporary spoil pile are reshaped to form a support pad for the excavating apparatus which is moved onto the pad and then excavates the plug portion and reshaped temporary spoil pile to form a spoil pile laterally spaced from the pad so as to uncover the remaining uncovered portions of the seam.