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About Mining
You'll become
Average Salaries
Mining workers may earn between $76,000 and $156,000 per year
Start your career in an important Australian industry and build versatile skills by studying a mining course.
You’re good with details, like solving problems and making plans, and want an exciting career where you can think big. Turn your talents into professional skills by studying a mining course.
A small but important industry in Australia, the mining sector employs thousands of people and produces the resources essential to making our modern world work. Seize your opportunity to work in an exciting, dynamic and important sector by studying a mining course.
Mining course graduates play a vital role in how society operates, excavating and processing the natural resources that fuel our cars, power our houses, build our phones and connect our people. Grounded in innovative thinking and rigorous testing, the study of mining is a unique opportunity for a person looking for a dynamic and different career.
In a mining course, you’ll work with calculations and numbers, raw materials, design software and heavy machinery to engineer the tools, instruments and solutions required to support our way of life. You may design and monitor mining projects, operate complicated heavy machinery, or successfully manage operations and projects to see dreams and plans come to life.
In a mining course, you’ll build the critical knowledge and practical skills required to thrive working in the mining sector, and have the opportunity to play a leading role in the industry.
You must study a mining course at a range of different levels, including as a certificate or diploma course, as a bachelor’s or master’s degree, or as a graduate certificate or post-graduate diploma. After completing your qualification, you’ll be eligible to seek employment in a range of roles within the mining sector, including working as a mining engineer, geologist, project manager, driller, miner or safety technician.
If you want a practical and exciting career and want to help our world run, take your first career step by studying a mining course.
What do mining graduates do?
After completing a mining course, you’ll have the opportunity to work in a range of areas, including in mining engineering, project management, or machinery operation.
If you choose to work as a mining engineer, you may perform tasks like:
- Surveying mineral deposits with prospectors, geologists, geophysicists and other scientists and engineers to identify and determine the resources presents, the feasibility of extracting the reserves, and the design and development of the extraction process;
- Preparing budgets, work plans and estimated production schedules for extraction work;
- Determining the most suitable methods of mineral extraction, taking into account terrestrial and natural factors;
- Preparing and designing plans and layouts for mines, tunnels, shafts and chambers; and
- Researching and approving methods of exploration, extraction and drilling, and determining drilling locations.
If you choose to work as a project manager on a mining project, you may expect to perform tasks such as:
- Assessing the natural, technical, financial and safety risks associated with the phases of the project development, construction and operations;
- Determining the safety of processes, order of extraction and safety mine walls, evaluating the risk of slippage and advising on the prevention of slippage and rock falls;
- Planning and coordinating the use of labour and equipment consistent with efficiency targets, regulations, legislation and safety guidelines;
- Developing budgets and work schedules; and
- Managing staff and resources, including liaising with contractors.
If you work as a drill operator or drill plant manager, you can expect to perform tasks like:
- Dismantling, moving and reassembling drilling rigs and accessory plants;
- Taking samples of ore, liquids and gases;
- Packaging and handling mineral samples;
- Performing minor plant maintenance and repairs;
- Recording performance details and information obtained from well and keeping logs detailing operations;
- Operating surface and underground mining plants;
- Positioning and detonating explosives in bore holes;
- Monitoring the operation of a plant and ensuring the safety of other workers on sites and during operations; and
- Operating other plant machinery.
Career Outcomes
Career Outcomes
After completing a mining course, you’ll be qualified to seek employment as a:
Is mining right for you?
You’ll thrive working in mining if you:
- Love problem-solving
- Enjoy focused work
- Enjoy practical work
- Are highly proactive and disciplined
- Can work well independently
- Have excellent time management and organisational skills
- Can work well with a team
- Can work responsively
- Cam communicate clearly and succinctly
- Work well under pressure
- Enjoy dynamic work
Job opportunities
Job opportunities in the mining sector expanded rapidly over the last decade and are expected to contract in the next decade, according to the Australian Government’s Job Outlook.
Job Outlook reports that approximately 11,700 people are currently employed as mining engineers in Australia, and predicts that the profession will contract slightly to employ approximately 9,000 people by 2020. Similarly, Job Outlook states that approximately 48,500 people are employed as drillers, miners and shot firers, and job opportunities in that profession will similarly contract slightly, to employ approximately 36,200 people by 2020.
Average Salaries
According to PayScale, a mining engineer can expect to earn between $76,000 and $156,000, with an annual average salary of approximately $120,000. PayScale notes a positive relationship between experience and earning capacity, with engineers with more than 20 years of professional experience earning up to $176,000 per year, while entry-level engineers earning on average approximately $110,000 per year.
According to PayScale, a miner can expect to earn between $75,000 and $162,000, with an annual average salary of approximately $96,000.