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Warning: These are the top jobs. So don't expect everyone in the industry earn big bucks. Don't flock to Western Australia because you read this. The industry is notoriously difficult to enter, not that these figures are untrue.
Note: There are uneasy news of a mining boom coming to a crash .To me, boom or doom, life goes on. The world will continue to spin. Anyway enjoy the read. All figures in AUD per annum
Exploration Geologist
An exploration geologist discovers and determines where minerals are likely to be found for future mining operations. It’s a crucial role to all mining operations.
Average salary: $90,000-$200,000.
Geophysicist
A geophysicist studies the structure, composition and other characteristics of the soil and locates minerals and ground water. A bachelor degree or higher qualification is required relevant experience may be required in certain cases.
Average Salary: $180,000 - $200,000
Mine Geologist
A mine geologist works with a team of professionals to locate, map and define the grade of ore bodies for mining operations.
Average Salary: $122,000 - $150,000 (+ bonus in some cases).
Resource Geologist
A resource geologist plans and implements resource development modelling and analyses the key ore deposits for future mining operations.
Average Salary: $150,000 - $180,000
GIS Technician
A GIS technician is responsible for providing professional support to find, eplore and analyse mineral ore bodies and samples.
Average Salary: $95,000 - $100,000 (+car and bonus in some cases).
Chemical engineer/Metallurgist
A metallurgist researches and develops processes used in extracting metals from their ores, casting, alloying, and heat treating. Various disciplines fit into this including Mill Superintendent , Senior Metallurgist, Process Engineer and Graduate Metallurgist.
Average Salary: $160,000 - $180,000 (graduates start around $100,000)
Civil Engineer
A civil engineer plans, designs, organises and oversees the construction and operation of mining related projects. Various other roles fit into this including Project Manager, Civil/Structural Engineer and Site Engineer.
Average Salary: $100,000-$250,000 (Project Managers are the top earners in this category, going as high as $250K)
Electrical/Electronics
Another discipline of mining engineering, the role requires the engineers to develop, implement and supervise the installation and maintenance for the huge range of electrical systems found in the industry. The roles that fit into this category are Electrical Engineer, Site Engineer and Project Engineer.
Average Salary: $100,000 - $200,000
Mechanical Engineer
Mechanical Engineers are responsible for planning, designing and overseeing the assembly, operation and maintenance of highly specialised mechanical and process plant equipment. Project Engineers and Site Engineers also fit into this category.
Average Salary: $100,000 - $250,000
Underground Miner
These miners are responsible for safely operating specialised equipment to excavate, load and transport coal, ore and rock in an underground mining operation.
Average Salary: $80,000 - $200,000
Opencut Miner
Opencut Miners are responsible for safe operation of specialised equipment to excavate, load and transport coal, ore and rock in an open-cut mining operation.
Average Salary: $100,000 - $200,000 (+perks in some cases).
Bogger Operator
Bogger operators are responsible for production, development, loading and building bogging equipment used on a range of diverse mining operations.
Average Salary: $85,000-$200,000
Electricians
They are required to challenge and develop their skills working on a range of mining related equipment. Another aspect of this job is an electrical fitter who works as part of an electrical maintenance team for the industry. A maintenance technician helps plan, develop and review electrical maintenance procedures.
Average Salary: $90,000 - $180,000
Drillers
Drillers move, set up and operate drilling rigs and related equipment to drill holes for mineral exploration. Drillers typically need to be physically fit and able to handle machinery as often the work is in remote areas, under difficult conditions. Being a team player is important too. Drillers also need to record details accurately, as precision is crucial to the safety of the exploration. Surface Drillers, Underground Driller and Drill and Blast Engineer.
Average Salary: $80,000-$200,000
This is the absurdity of salary here. Where else in the world would one find such high salary for tradies. Even miners in USA don't get such obscene pay. This ridiculous remuneration has caused inflation to everything in Perth. It is not sustainable. Recently, Gina Reinhart has cut a deal with the government allowing her to hire 1000 foreign labourers in order to proceed with a particular exploration project.
ReplyDeleteMy profession is one of them but my pay here is only 65% of what they are getting.
ReplyDeleteThey will accept your profession for PR application and even grant you a PR visa but when you start looking for jobs there, not easy to get the first job of your profession becos of no local exp there.
You've said it bro! I am stilling hunting for that elusive job that there are many of, but they are not giving to us without Aussie experience.
DeleteI am already in a senior position after working for 15 yrs in the same profession in S'pore.
DeleteI do not mind downgrading to a less senior position since I do not have any Aust exp which most Aust companies think highly of.
Most likely I will end up a part time or casual job in Aust while continue to search for that "high pay" job of my profession in Aust.
Actually it is quite irony, on one hand Aust immigration dept gives out PR visa to "skilled" migrants, on the other hand Aust jobs are not given to these "skilled" migrants due to no Aust exp. How to have Aust exp if Aust companies do not give the jobs to us? So end up we may have to be cheap FTs.
actually a canadian headhunter in oz once told me i speak english and write a decent resume over the phone a few years ago.he said i already had aussie experience due to my level of english.thats all there is...the aussie standard is really substandard and primitive.
DeleteMining jobs are usually meant for people well connected in that arena.it doesnt mean you need to be good.I read from newspapers that an aussie man who shoplifted at his nearby supermarket and verbally abused people ended up becoming a miner after that.
ReplyDeletewhile quite a few law abidding white folks went all out and did all the mining course and certs on their own couldnt even get a work there in the end.
its who you know in the mining sector that counts and not really the degree.
the main customers of coal are china,japan and south korea.currently observed that these traditional buyers of aussie coal are buying mongolian coal which is nearer and cheaper.
ReplyDeleteaussie coal mines are slowly closing shop and thats about the majority of the GDP in australia contributed from the resource "manufacturing".other than that they have no other viable source of modern day manufacturing next to beef processing which is one of the worlds worst jobs.
at the end of 2 yrs many miners would be unemployed in oz as mines shut down as china ,japan etc would be building railway lines and getting cheaper and higher grade coal from mongolia.
which is all the better as they never let anyone work in aussie coal mines other than those close relations and friends of theirs mainly and thos jobs not much people in the world are able to do.
The high pay listed are mostly for the FIFO. Meaning you will have to spend 3-4 weeks at a mine site in regional Australia and come back for 1 week break. The pay may be good but the turnover is high as the time away from family can be destructive to relationships.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking as a Singaporean FIFO'ing into mine sites. The mining roster system is not as easy as one thinks. It is a straight 12 hour day (6am - 6pm), and you have your breakfast at 5am, go to the pre-start meetings at 5:30am, and then commence work.
ReplyDeleteIt is really not the destructive to relationships if you have the family support, but it is the distance away from your family that will drive you nuts. I missed my kids growing up; you turn around in a couple weeks, and they have grown up ! The other issue is communications (phone calls tend to be expensive).
Tht high turnover is not due to work, but it is due to the management.
You may want to share more about the challenges you have faced along the way. Thanks for commenting
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