Mining is an industry that is involved in the extraction of natural retargets such as precious metals, oil, coal, gas and many other natural retargets.
Many assume that careers in mining can be very hands-on and ones that involve long working hours and low pay, the fact is that this field is so diverse with some working in the mines while others might have a very cushy job at the office.
You will also be surprised to learn exactly how much workers in this industry earn. If you are looking for a career in mining, you are trudging the right grounds.
Different careers in mining
Geologists
Geologists are employed by mining companies to find mine deposits. These professionals use seismic equipment and also carry out soil sampling to determine the presence of mineral deposits, size of the deposit, purity of the deposits and they also report on whether it is economically feasible to carry out mining on that specific deposit. If you wish to become a geologist, you must take a degree in earth sciences.
Engineers
Engineers are mainly involved in design work. They design the main wells, tunnels as well as the infrastructure required to extract the mineral efficiently. Due to the crucial nature of their job, engineers are expected to remain on the mining site throughout the mining process to coordinate the process and also to react o any situation that may arise. There are different types of engineers that involved in the mining work; environmental engineers ensure that the mining process is compliant with the environmental regulations (they are also involved in the close up after the mineral deposits have been depleted and they also ensure that the restoration work is done accordingly), industrial engineers are employed to ensure there’s adequate productivity through proper management of employees, mechanical engineers are employed to design machines for ventilation and extraction. To work as an engineer in a mining company, you are required to have a bachelor’s degree in engineering in a relevant field such as mechanical engineering, environmental engineering, chemical engineering and industrial engineering.
Extraction
There are many jobs which can fall in this category for example drill mine operators, loading machine operators and explosive experts. About 41% of all the mining jobs lie in extraction. To wok in extraction, some companies will require you to have a high school diploma while other will only need you to be in good physical shape and pass the drug test.
Mine safety workers
These are professionals who ensure the safety of those working in the mines. A mine safety operator for example has the authority to shut down the entire mining operations until all the safety measures have been taken into consideration.
Salaries for different mining jobs
Although many people perceive mining jobs as low paying, the fact is that one can make a good deal of money in this industry. Lets us look at the salaries of different mining workers in different parts of the world as per 2012 according to technology.infomine.com
Salaries in Canadian mines
- Senior engineers – range from $94, 000 to $177,000
- Mine engineers – range from $66,000 to $126, 000
- Metallurgist – $52,000 to $115,000
- Geologist – $90,000 to $155,000
- Environmental coordinator – $63,000 to $183,000
- Chemists – $51,000 to $120,000
Salaries in South Africa mines
- Mining Engineers – $43,000 to $288,000 (depending on years of experience)
- Mechanical engineers – $86,000 to $151,000
- Geologists – $23,000 to $46,000
It was observed that miners in Australia received the highest salaries followed by those in Europe. The lagging continents in terms of miners’ salaries are Asia and Africa. For example the annual salaries of exploration managers in Australia were $231,000, $212,000 in Europe, $168,000 in Asia and $173,000 in Africa.
The future of mining careers
Many mining companies are striving to expand their mining operations, it is apparent that the future will come with more mining jobs. As every country seek to reach new heights in industrial development, this can only mean that more minerals will be required and consequently more employees in all aspects of mining. It is therefore true to say that mining is a career for the future.
About the guest post author:
Danny Duric has a bachelor’s degree in Business Management. He is blogging on topics related to business and HR. He is currently researching the mining industry. Visit this website for information about mining jobs in Australia.
Image credit: HUGO INFANTE/GOVERNMENT OF CHILE on Flickr