Mining
Overview
Snapshot
Summary
Mining is a small employing industry. Around 2.1% of workers have their main job in this industry.
Mining covers the exploration and extraction of minerals, oil and gas. Activities in the Mining industry include:
- mining preparation work
- underground or open cut mining
- dredging
- quarrying
- well operations or evaporation pans.
Most jobs are in Western Australia and Queensland. Employment is mainly in regional or remote locations like Pilbara and Gladstone.
A third of mining workers do not have post-school qualifications and around half have a Vocational Education and Training (VET) qualification. Although some jobs vital to the Mining industry, like Mining Engineer or Geologist, need a university degree.
Most people with their main job in this industry work full-time.
Average earnings are $2,349 per week, higher the all industries average of $1,200.
Employment
Employment in the Mining industry grew over the 20 years to November 2022.
The number of workers:
- fell by 1,000 (or 0.3%) over the last quarter
- fell by 500 (or 0.2%) over the last year.
Quarterly employment update, Mining industry
Source: ABS, Labour Force Survey, Detailed, November 2022, seasonally adjusted.
Outlook
Employment in Mining is projected to grow by 15,900 (or 5.9%) over the five years to November 2026.
Employment levels, past and projected, Mining
Source: ABS, Labour Force Survey, Detailed, November 2021, seasonally adjusted and Jobs and Skills Australia, 2021 Employment projections for the five years to 2026.
Sectors
Metal Ore Mining is the largest sector in the Mining industry, employing 45.5% of workers.
Employment by sector, Mining industry
Source: ABS, Labour Force Survey, Detailed, November 2022, seasonally adjusted.
Occupations
Largest employing occupations
Drillers, Miners and Shot Firers is the largest employing occupation in the Mining industry.
The 10 largest employing occupations are shown below. The table shows:
- the number employed in all industries
- the number employed in this industry
- the proportion employed in this industry.
Some occupations are common across a number of industries.
Largest employing occupations, Mining industry
ANZSCO Code | Occupation title |
Employment |
Employment (this industry) |
Proportion employed in this industry |
7122 | Drillers, Miners and Shot Firers | 57,600 | 50,600 | 88% |
3232 | Metal Fitters and Machinists | 111,900 | 26,600 | 24% |
3129 | Other Building and Engineering Technicians | 34,200 | 17,000 | 50% |
1335 | Production Managers | 69,100 | 10,100 | 15% |
2336 | Mining Engineers | 14,000 | 10,000 | 71% |
3411 | Electricians | 159,100 | 9,900 | 6% |
7331 | Truck Drivers | 170,300 | 9,100 | 5% |
7212 | Earthmoving Plant Operators | 50,100 | 7,100 | 14% |
2344 | Geologists, Geophysicists and Hydrogeologists | 10,000 | 6,300 | 63% |
3223 | Structural Steel and Welding Trades Workers | 73,100 | 5,700 | 8% |
Source: ABS Labour Force Survey, four quarter average, 2021.
Related occupations
The Mining industry employs workers in a range of occupations.
The table below shows related occupations by ANZSCO Skill Level (Skill Level 1 is the highest skill level). This includes occupations that:
- contribute a large share of industry employment (account for at least 3% of industry employment)
- have a large share of workers in this industry (at least 5% of workers in an occupation).
These thresholds were used as a guide only and a number refinements were made to the list of occupations included.
The table shows the total number of people employed in each occupation as well as the number and proportion employed in this industry at the time of the 2016 ABS Census.
- In most cases, 6-digit ANZSCO occupations are shown. This is the most detailed level of ANZSCO.
- 4-digit occupations are shown where the ANZSCO classification system only has one valid 6-digit occupation.
- The 4-digit employment figures will differ from the figures shown in the Largest employment occupations table above because the figures have come from different data sources.
Expand or collapse each Skill Level button to view related occupations.
Occupations related to Mining industry, by skill level
ANZSCO code | Occupation title | Employment (all industries) |
Employed (this industry) |
Proportion employed in this industry |
133513 | Production Manager (Mining) | 7,071 | 5,142 | 73% |
234411 | Geologist | 4,968 | 3,276 | 66% |
233611 | Mining Engineer (excluding Petroleum) | 3,851 | 2,755 | 72% |
251312 | Occupational Health and Safety Adviser | 15,640 | 1,523 | 10% |
233512 | Mechanical Engineer | 13,143 | 1,499 | 11% |
1323 | Human Resource Manager | 43,993 | 1,449 | 3% |
233612 | Petroleum Engineer | 2,391 | 1,282 | 54% |
1332 | Engineering Manager | 14,407 | 960 | 7% |
2333 | Electrical Engineer | 13,087 | 861 | 7% |
223111 | Human Resource Adviser | 24,183 | 857 | 4% |
232212 | Surveyor | 8,363 | 833 | 10% |
2233 | Training and Development Professional | 17,799 | 652 | 4% |
234312 | Environmental Consultant | 3,474 | 491 | 14% |
234912 | Metallurgist | 927 | 479 | 52% |
233513 | Production or Plant Engineer | 3,077 | 431 | 14% |
234412 | Geophysicist | 1,070 | 400 | 37% |
233111 | Chemical Engineer | 2,274 | 340 | 15% |
233212 | Geotechnical Engineer | 1,409 | 281 | 20% |
139912 | Environmental Manager | 2,137 | 232 | 11% |
234311 | Conservation Officer | 4,103 | 150 | 4% |
232214 | Other Spatial Scientist | 2,764 | 144 | 5% |
234313 | Environmental Research Scientist | 4,103 | 141 | 3% |
234413 | Hydrogeologist | 538 | 86 | 16% |
233112 | Materials Engineer | 497 | 71 | 14% |
233915 | Environmental Engineer | 1,270 | 60 | 5% |
221211 | Company Secretary | 783 | 51 | 7% |
232213 | Cartographer | 410 | 31 | 8% |
233914 | Engineering Technologist | 147 | 12 | 8% |
Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report.
ANZSCO code | Occupation title | Employment (all industries) |
Employed (this industry) |
Proportion employed in this industry |
312913 | Mine Deputy | 5,807 | 4,935 | 85% |
312911 | Maintenance Planner | 6,191 | 2,586 | 42% |
312912 | Metallurgical or Materials Technician | 3,368 | 1,120 | 33% |
511111 | Contract Administrator | 17,579 | 898 | 5% |
312999 | Building and Engineering Technicians nec | 4,128 | 609 | 15% |
312312 | Electrical Engineering Technician | 5,929 | 561 | 9% |
311412 | Earth Science Technician | 1,532 | 484 | 32% |
3126 | Safety Inspector | 3,280 | 302 | 9% |
231213 | Ship's Master | 3,299 | 119 | 4% |
312511 | Mechanical Engineering Draftsperson | 2,501 | 110 | 4% |
231212 | Ship's Engineer | 1,759 | 93 | 5% |
312512 | Mechanical Engineering Technician | 974 | 86 | 9% |
231214 | Ship's Officer | 567 | 21 | 4% |
Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report.
ANZSCO code | Occupation title | Employment (all industries) |
Employed (this industry) |
Proportion employed in this industry |
323211 | Fitter (General) | 58,558 | 16,429 | 28% |
341111 | Electrician (General) | 106,814 | 6,804 | 6% |
322311 | Metal Fabricator | 35,916 | 3,581 | 10% |
399212 | Gas or Petroleum Operator | 3,850 | 1,790 | 46% |
3211 | Automotive Electrician | 6,611 | 799 | 12% |
323212 | Fitter and Turner | 8,642 | 560 | 6% |
322313 | Welder (First Class) | 16,192 | 507 | 3% |
441211 | Emergency Service Worker | 1,129 | 339 | 30% |
323299 | Metal Fitters and Machinists nec | 2,593 | 122 | 5% |
399213 | Power Generation Plant Operator | 2,142 | 115 | 5% |
323214 | Metal Machinist (First Class) | 2,041 | 79 | 4% |
323213 | Fitter-Welder | 803 | 78 | 10% |
342314 | Electronic Instrument Trades Worker (General) | 1,388 | 67 | 5% |
399211 | Chemical Plant Operator | 1,673 | 56 | 3% |
341112 | Electrician (Special Class) | 76 | 8 | 11% |
Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report.
ANZSCO code | Occupation title | Employment (all industries) |
Employed (this industry) |
Proportion employed in this industry |
712212 | Miner | 31,957 | 28,711 | 90% |
733111 | Truck Driver (General) | 129,332 | 7,410 | 6% |
712211 | Driller | 6,697 | 4,582 | 68% |
712999 | Stationary Plant Operators nec | 4,089 | 2,452 | 60% |
712213 | Shot Firer | 1,887 | 1,490 | 79% |
731311 | Train Driver | 9,904 | 1,022 | 10% |
7123 | Engineering Production Worker | 15,108 | 829 | 5% |
721216 | Loader Operator | 4,855 | 807 | 17% |
591113 | Purchasing Officer | 13,877 | 654 | 5% |
721213 | Bulldozer Operator | 1,437 | 640 | 45% |
7121 | Crane, Hoist or Lift Operator | 9,580 | 628 | 7% |
821712 | Scaffolder | 7,881 | 618 | 8% |
591115 | Stock Clerk | 16,616 | 611 | 4% |
712912 | Bulk Materials Handling Plant Operator | 2,446 | 547 | 22% |
821711 | Construction Rigger | 6,351 | 518 | 8% |
721214 | Excavator Operator | 9,151 | 461 | 5% |
711516 | Rubber Production Machine Operator | 1,326 | 365 | 28% |
899415 | Tyre Fitter | 6,026 | 339 | 6% |
721215 | Grader Operator | 2,087 | 223 | 11% |
8216 | Railway Track Worker | 3,936 | 211 | 5% |
7112 | Industrial Spraypainter | 4,162 | 170 | 4% |
839313 | Product Tester | 1,470 | 156 | 11% |
591112 | Production Clerk | 4,235 | 142 | 3% |
712922 | Weighbridge Operator | 781 | 128 | 16% |
712918 | Train Controller | 1,232 | 127 | 10% |
711513 | Plastics Fabricator or Welder | 802 | 95 | 12% |
711911 | Chemical Production Machine Operator | 2,172 | 77 | 4% |
599517 | Train Examiner | 147 | 49 | 33% |
712911 | Boiler or Engine Operator | 575 | 42 | 7% |
712917 | Railway Signal Operator | 1,107 | 40 | 4% |
821911 | Crane Chaser | 887 | 29 | 3% |
712913 | Cement Production Plant Operator | 294 | 25 | 9% |
711114 | Stone Processing Machine Operator | 192 | 18 | 9% |
711913 | Sand Blaster | 496 | 18 | 4% |
899414 | Radiator Repairer | 257 | 14 | 5% |
Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report.
ANZSCO code | Occupation title | Employment (all industries) |
Employed (this industry) |
Proportion employed in this industry |
821912 | Driller's Assistant | 1,667 | 1,159 | 70% |
821914 | Mining Support Worker | 1,269 | 873 | 69% |
821915 | Surveyor's Assistant | 1,242 | 132 | 11% |
899916 | Mechanic's Assistant | 1,271 | 66 | 5% |
821913 | Lagger | 559 | 55 | 10% |
Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report.
Data Downloads
Industry profile data
This file contains data for all 19 industries to make comparing industry data easy. Information available includes:
- Industry snapshot data
- Industry employment (20-year time series)
- Industry employment projections
- Industry sector employment
- Top employing occupations by industry
Occupations related to each Industry, by Skill Level
This spreadsheet lists occupations that are related to each industry by ANZSCO Skill Level.
Occupation (ANZSCO) to industry (ANZSIC) correspondence
This file maps occupations to industries using the Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO) and Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification (ANZSIC).
Data are sourced from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2016 Census.
The purposes of the correspondence are to:
- Identify occupations that contribute a large share of employment to each industry.
- Identify occupations that have a strong association with each industry, even if they do not contribute a large share of employment to the industry.
Useful links
Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification (ANZSIC)
The ANZSIC provides a basis for the standardised collection, analysis and dissemination of economic data on an industry basis for Australia and New Zealand. The ANZSIC is a hierarchical industry classification with four levels, namely Divisions (the broadest level), Subdivisions, Groups and Classes (the finest level).
There are 19 Division level industries, most industry data on LMI are displayed at this level. Division level industries provide a broad overall picture of the economy and this level is most suitable for the publication of summary tables in official statistics.
The Subdivision, Group and Class levels provide increasingly detailed dissections of these categories for the compilation of more specific and detailed statistics. The sector data on LMI is at the Group level.
For more information on the ANZSIC visit the ABS website.
Industry links
- Accommodation and Food Services
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- Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing
- Arts and Recreation Services
- Construction
- Education and Training
- Electricity, Gas, Water and Waste Services
- Financial and Insurance Services
- Health Care and Social Assistance
- Information Media and Telecommunications
- Manufacturing
- Mining
- Other Services
- Professional, Scientific and Technical Services
- Public Administration and Safety
- Rental, Hiring and Real Estate Services
- Retail Trade
- Transport, Postal and Warehousing
- Wholesale Trade