In the U.S., Sany has signed up 12 dealers for excavators, mostly in the Northeast, and sold a negligible number of earth-moving machines.

WSJ: China's Sany Tries to Gain Traction in the U.S.

Meanwhile, even the mines in Hpakant in Myanmar have seen more mechanization in recent years, with earth-moving machines replacing many human workers, though the site overall remains unruly.

WSJ: Secret Rocks and Gem Hunters | WSJ.Money Summer 2013