Jobs in the Mining Industry

Mining has long been a cornerstone of the Australian economy. The gold rushes in 1850s were pivotal in the early development of the country. Today, it remains one of the country’s most well-established sectors. It is a major contributor to national GDP, accounting for around 10% of total GDP in 2020. The industry is strongly export-oriented, with minimal processing onshore.

If you are interested in this industry, these are some job opportunities you can look into as you figure out what you want to study.

Mining Engineer

A Mining Engineer evaluates, plans and oversees the construction of mines and specifies the processes, labour usage, and equipment that will be required to extract minerals and ores from the earth. They will be involved in all phases of a mining project – from exploration and discovery of the mineral, through to feasibility studies, mine design, operational planning, and processing. They are also involved at the mine closure stage, including final land restoration.

A career as a Mining Engineer is very hands-on and you can expect to spend a lot of time in the field, often in remote places.

Courses you can take

Bachelor of Engineering (Mining)

Salary

The average mining engineer salary in Australia is $150,000 per year or $76.92 per hour. Entry-level positions start at $123,292 per year, while most experienced workers make up to $191,250 per year.

Tasks and duties

• Conducting sub-surface surveys to identify the characteristics of potential mining development sites.
• Investigating mineral deposits and working with geologists and economists to evaluate whether they can be mined profitably.
• Looking at the depth and characteristics of the mineral deposit to work out the most suitable mining method.
• Designing the layout of a mine.
• Designing mining and mineral treatment equipment and machinery.
• Planning and coordinating the employment of mining staff.
• Designing, implementing and coordinating mine safety programs.
• Collaborating with geologists and other engineers about infrastructure such as access roads, water and power supplies.
• Returning mine sites to their natural states when mining operations have concluded.

Cable Jointer

Cable Jointers are responsible for making, laying, joining, repairing and terminating underground control cables and insulated power supply cables. In addition, they often organise cable terminations for electrical equipment and overhead lines.

Cable Jointers are usually safety conscious individuals with excellent problem solving and communication skills.

The role of a Cable Jointer often involves working outdoors or in cramped or confined spaces and relies on being able to establish good relationships with property owners and authorities.

Courses you can take

Diploma of Electrical Engineering

Salary

The average cable jointer salary in Australia is $70,000 per year or $35.90 per hour. Entry-level positions start at $70,000 per year, while most experienced workers make up to $85,000 per year.

Tasks and duties

• Installing and maintaining underground electrical cables by pulling cables through underground conduits, trenches or pipes and joining them in transmission and distribution systems.
• Conducting tests to check cable integrity and locate faults. If problems are found, undertake maintenance work and repair the cables.
• Updating and maintaining location guides for and diagrams for the layout of cable systems.

Diesel Fitter

A Diesel Fitter is a mechanic who specialises in the repair and maintenance of diesel engines, often in heavy vehicles or industrial machinery. They inspect engines, diagnose and repair faults, perform routine maintenance and dismantle and reassemble engines and other components.

Diesel Fitters are skilled in welding and operating machinery. They work in workshops, factories, and on work sites tending to trucks, tractors, heavy machinery, generators, drill rigs, marine engines and pumps. They are employed in a broad range of industries including mining and resources; transport and logistics; manufacturing; postal and warehousing and wholesale trade.

Courses you can take

Cert 3 Engineering- Mechanical Trade.

Salary

The average diesel fitter salary in Australia is $97,500 per year or $50 per hour. Entry-level positions start at $75,480 per year, while most experienced workers make up to $132,600 per year.

Tasks and duties

• Diagnosing, repairing, tuning, maintaining and overhauling diesel, petrol and gas–powered vehicles and machinery including trucks, tractors, buses, drill rigs, generators, marine engines and pumps.
• Maintaining, diagnosing and repairing hydraulic components of diesel–powered attachments such as hoists, lifts, booms, pumps, buckets and augers.
• Dismantling, repairing and reassembling engines, transmissions, steering columns and other components.
• Using oxy, electric, TIG and MIG welding techniques and machining processes to replace and repair parts.
• Testing repaired parts for proper performance.
• Using computers, instruments and specialised tools to diagnose and repair faults.
• Inspecting vehicles and machinery for faults.

Driller

Drillers oversee the drilling of holes in the earth to extract oil, water, natural gas and minerals. An important part of a Driller’s job is to supervise the movement, installation, maintenance and operation of drilling rigs. Drillers also collect core samples and operate pumping equipment.

Courses you can take

Diploma of Drilling Operations.

Salary

The average driller salary in Australia is $97,734 per year or $50.12 per hour. Entry-level positions start at $80,183 per year, while most experienced workers make up to $130,000per year.

Tasks and duties

• Preparing mining sites prior to drilling.
• Moving, assembling and operating drilling rigs and machinery.
• Taking core samples.
• Performing maintenance and repairs and cleaning drilling equipment.
• Recording performance details and keeping logs of operations.
• Undertaking development work such as opening up new shafts.
• Positioning explosives in bore holes and detonating explosives.
• Monitoring drilling operations for safety.
• Operating pumps to extract air, water and other waste.

Geologist

As a Geologist you will undertake field work, laboratory and computer-based work to explore the earth for resources such as metals, oil, natural gas and water, or study the changes of the earth over time, such as climate change and land formation. You may work in a variety of areas including mineralogy, petrology, geological mapping, economic geology and petroleum geology.

Courses you can take

Bachelor of Geology

Bachelor of Geoscience

Salary

The average geologist salary in Australia is $115,000 per year or $58.97 per hour. Entry-level positions start at $102,375 per year, while most experienced workers make up to $150,000 per year.

Tasks and duties

• Surveying land and drawing up safe building plans by studying earth processes such as earthquakes, landslides, floods, and volcanic eruptions.
• Exploring the earth for metals, oil, natural gas and water.
• Developing methods to extract the earth’s resources.
• Studying the changes of the earth over time, such as climate change and land formation in order to better predict the future and explain current occurrences.
• Studying and mapping rock formations, collecting rock samples and fossils, or measuring the physical properties of the earth.
• Conducting field or geotechnical mapping of rock patterns, their distribution and stability for building bridges or tunnels.
• Conducting laboratory work such as data analysis for mining, oil and gas, engineering, and environmental companies.
• Conducting computer-based work such as digital field mapping and 3D modelling of an oil field or a mineral deposit.
• Writing reports such as daily site updates to economic assessments and environmental impacts of potential exploration projects.

Geophysicist

Some Geophysicists, such as Mining and Petroleum Geophysicists spend a lot of time outdoors investigating mineral deposits to evaluate whether they can be mined profitably, while others, such as Research Geophysicists spend most of their time in a lab studying samples and using computer models to make calculations.

The two main areas of geophysics are exploration geophysics, which deals with the search for the earth’s resources, and global geophysics, which studies such phenomena as earthquakes and magnetic fields.

Geophysicists often work in the mining and oil industries, playing an important role in the search for natural resources. Other Geophysicists work with environmental agencies to identify and mitigate threats to the environment.

Courses you can take

Bachelor of Science major in geophysics, geoscience or a combination of geology and physics

Salary

The average geophysicist salary in Australia is $117,285 per year or $60.15 per hour. Entry-level positions start at $111,890 per year, while most experienced workers make up to $123,621 per year.

Tasks and duties

• Planning and conducting field tests.
• Gathering, analysing and interpreting geophysical data.
• Presenting geophysical data to stakeholders to help them make better decisions.
• Forecasting weather, earthquakes, tsunamis, and other natural phenomena.
• Sampling rocks for information on the composition of the surface of the earth.
• Surveying specific locations for the presence of minerals, water, and petroleum.
• Undertaking analysis and interpreting seismic data to locate and evaluate potential oil and gas targets.
• Contributing to projects to assist in lowering the risks and costs associated with oil and gas exploration.
• Submitting reports such as seismic interpretation reports to Joint Venture parties and government petroleum regulators.
• Keeping up to date with advances in geophysical technologies and implementing the use of new and innovative technology.
• Maintaining geophysical equipment.

Geotechnical Engineer

Geotechnical Engineers are specialist Civil Engineers. They analyse what’s beneath the earth’s surface to understand how soil and rock will behave when placed under pressure by proposed structures including buildings, bridges, dams and airport runways. They use advanced scientific and mathematical processes to design stable foundations.

Courses you can take

Bachelor of Engineering (Civil)

Salary

The average geotechnical engineer salary in Australia is $120,000 per year or $61.54 per hour. Entry-level positions start at $101,947 per year, while most experienced workers make up to $188,200 per year.

Tasks and duties

• Obtaining soil and rock samples to determine strength, compressibility and other factors that affect the behaviour of soil and rock when a structure is imposed.
• Determining the safe load for soil.
• Analysing and mapping technical results obtained from seismic surveys, and investigating subsurface conditions and materials to determine their properties and risks.
• Analysing the relationship between physical structures and marine geology for offshore and coastal structures.
• Reviewing work practices to reduce the risk of injury from geotechnical hazards.
• Ensuring that all works are compliant with relevant regulations.
• Conducting routine inspections and reporting all significant incidents.
• Undertaking ongoing data collection, evaluation and reporting.

Plant Mechanic

Plant Mechanics (also known as Plant Fitters) work with industrial, agricultural, construction and mining equipment and machinery, carrying out inspections, repairs, and routine maintenance.

Plant Mechanics use a range of tools to diagnose faults and test machinery in order to determine what repairs need to be made or what preventative measures are required. They may work as part of a team in various industries such as mining, construction, earthmoving and agriculture.

Courses you can take

Cert 3 in Engineering- Mechanical Trade

Salary

The average plant mechanic salary in Australia is $86,775 per year or $44.50 per hour. Entry-level positions start at $74,224 per year, while most experienced workers make up to $118,950 per year.

Tasks and duties

• Conducting routine inspections, diagnosing faults, and testing machinery.
• Performing repairs and maintenance on a range of machinery to minimise downtime and meet maintenance schedules.
• Install new equipment or modifications to existing equipment.
• Perform risk assessments on tasks.

Miner

Miners operate machinery and equipment to dig, load and transport ore, coal, rock and sand underground or in open-cut mines. It’s common for Miners to work in rural and remote locations, often living a fly-in/fly-out lifestyle.

Courses you can take

Qualification in Surface Extraction Operations, Surface Coal Mining (Open Cut Examiner), Underground Coal Mining, Underground Metalliferous Mining, or Surface Operations Management.

Salary

The average miner salary in Australia is $79,794 per year or $40.92 per hour. Entry-level positions start at $78,449 per year, while most experienced workers make up to $125,000 per year.

Tasks and duties

• Operating specialist heavy machinery.
• Drilling, blasting and excavating bodies of ore.
• Loading ore into trucks and cars.
• Building new shafts and developing new drives, rises, crib rooms and air vents.
• Installing lighting, cabling and pump services to the mine.
• Operating heavy machinery.
• Operating pumps to expel air, water and mud.
• Acknowledging and reporting on any potential safety hazards.

There are many other job opportunities in this industry including:

Grader Operator

Dump truck operator

Mining supervisor

Operations Technician

Project manager

Process plant operator

Production Engineer

Rigger

Reliability Engineer

Trading Analyst etc.