A variety of mining equipment is used in the surface mining of oil sand. This includes bucketwheel excavators, belt conveyors, feeder-breakers, hydraulic and electric shovels, and off-highway trucks. This paper examines the existing mining schemes and equipment used. Peculiarities of oil sand surface mining and their influence on equipment selection, utilization, and other mining schemes are described. Recent developments undertaken to improve mine productivity are also dealt with together with some notes on proposed measures to obtain further gains in productivity. These gains, the authors demonstrate, can only be achieved by introduction and acceptance of the available and upcoming technology of equipment remote control and automation.