Mining Engineers

ANZSCO ID 2336

Overview

Snapshot

Employed
11,400
Future Growth
17.1%
Weekly Earnings
$3,252
Full-Time Share
89%
Female Share
13%
Average age
36

Summary

Mining Engineers plan and direct the engineering aspects of locating and extracting minerals, petroleum and natural gas from the earth.

Tasks

  • conducting preliminary surveys of mineral, petroleum and natural gas deposits with prospectors, Geologists, Geophysicists, other mineral scientists and other engineers to determine the resources present, the feasibility of extracting the reserves, and the design and development of the extraction process

  • preparing operation and project cost estimates and production schedules, and reporting progress, production and costs compared to budget

  • determining the most suitable methods of ore extraction taking account of such factors as depth of overburden, and attitude and physical characteristics of deposits and surrounding strata

  • preparing plans for tunnels and chambers, location and construction of mine shafts, layout of mine development and the application of appropriate mining techniques, often using computer modelling

  • 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 of mine walls, evaluating the risk of slippage and advising on the prevention of slippage and rock falls

  • planning and coordinating the utilisation of labour and equipment consistent with efficiency targets, statutes, safety guidelines and environmental conditions

  • planning and conducting research and providing advice on engineering operations for the exploration, location and extraction of petroleum and natural gas

  • determining location for drilling

  • deciding on types of derrick and equipment including seabed platforms

  • devising methods of controlling the flow of oil and gas from wells

Characteristics

Job Type
Professionals
Skill Level
Very high skill
ANZSCO Occupation group
Unemployment Rate
Below average
Industries
Pathway(s)
  • University
Interests
  • Practical
  • Analytical
  • Enterprising
Physical Demand
  • Light
  • Medium

Outlook

Employment Outlook

JSA produces employment projections to show where likely future job opportunities may be. The latest data are for the five years from November 2021 to November 2026. Over this period, the number of workers:

  • is expected to grow very strongly
  • is likely to reach 18,800 by 2026.
  • Source: Jobs and Skills Australia Employment Projections to 2026.

    Notes: The number employed includes people who work in this occupation as their main job. People who work in more than one job are counted against the occupation they work the most hours in.

    Employment projections figures are rounded to the nearest 100. Calculations based on these rounded figures may result in differences to the numbers that are displayed on this page. Employment projections data (including occupations) can be downloaded from the Employment Projections page.

Projected Change
17.1%
(or 2,800 jobs)
From
16,100
in 2021
To
18,800
in 2026

Number of Workers

Source: ABS Labour Force Survey, ABS seasonally adjusted data to November 2021 and Jobs and Skills Australia Employment Projections to 2026.
Year Employment
2011 7,800
2012 13,300
2013 10,400
2014 12,600
2015 10,900
2016 10,600
2017 9,000
2018 8,000
2019 10,300
2020 11,100
2021 16,100
2026 18,800

Source: ABS Labour Force Survey, ABS seasonally adjusted data to November 2021 and Jobs and Skills Australia Employment Projections to 2026.


Earnings and hours

Working arrangements

  • Around 91% of people employed as Mining Engineers work full-time hours, in all their jobs combined. This is 25 percentage points above the all jobs average (66%).

    Full-time workers work an average of 50 hours per week in their main job. This is 6 hours more than the all jobs average (44 hours per week).

    Median full-time earnings are $3,252 per week, this is much higher than the all jobs median ($1,593):

    • 3 in 4 workers earn more than $2,628
    • 1 in 4 earn more than $3,654

    Median hourly earnings are $73, this is much more than the all jobs median ($41 per hour).

    Sources: Full-time share and full-time hours: ABS, 2016 Census, customised report. Compared to the all jobs average. Full-time median earnings and median hourly earnings: ABS, Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2021. Compared to all jobs median.

Weekly Earnings (Before Tax)

Source: Based on ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2021, Customised Report. Median weekly total cash earnings for full-time non-managerial employees paid at the adult rate. Earnings are before tax and include amounts salary sacrificed. Earnings can vary greatly depending on the skills and experience of the worker and the demands of the role. These figures should be used as a guide only, not to determine a wage rate.
Earnings Mining Engineers All Jobs Average
Full-Time Earnings 3,252 1,593
Total Earnings 0 0

Source: Based on ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2021, Customised Report. Median weekly total cash earnings for full-time non-managerial employees paid at the adult rate. Earnings are before tax and include amounts salary sacrificed. Earnings can vary greatly depending on the skills and experience of the worker and the demands of the role. These figures should be used as a guide only, not to determine a wage rate.


Industries

Main industries

1
Mining
71.4%
2
Professional, Scientific and Technical Services
17.1%
3
Electricity, Gas, Water and Waste Services
4.3%
4
Construction
2.1%
5
Other industries
4.3%

Regions

Employment across Australia

NSW

12.5% All occupations: 31.6%

VIC

7.2% All occupations: 25.6%

QLD

25.8% All occupations: 20.0%

SA

5.8% All occupations: 7.0%

WA

46.9% All occupations: 10.8%

TAS

0.6% All occupations: 2.0%

NT

1.1% All occupations: 1.0%

ACT

0.1% All occupations: 1.9%

Employment by State and Territory (% Share)

State Mining Engineers All Jobs Average
NSW 12.5 31.6
VIC 7.2 25.6
QLD 25.8 20.0
SA 5.8 7.0
WA 46.9 10.8
TAS 0.6 2.0
NT 1.1 1.0
ACT 0.1 1.9


  • Around 70% of Mining Engineers live in capital cities, compared with the all jobs average of 62%.

    Western Australia and Queensland have a large share of employment relative to their population size.

    Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Share of workers across Australian states, territories and regions, in this job compared to the all jobs average.


Worker profile

Age and gender

Age In Years
36
All Jobs Average is 40
Female Share
13%
All Jobs Average is 48%
  • The median age of Mining Engineers is 36 years. This is younger than the all jobs average of 40 years.

    A large share of workers are aged 25 to 34 years.

    Females make up 13% of the workforce. This is 35 percentage points below the all jobs average of 48%.

    Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Age profile and gender share compared to the all jobs average.

Age Profile (% Share)

Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Age profile of workers in this job compared to the all jobs average.
Age Bracket Mining Engineers All Jobs Average
15-19 0.0 5.0
20-24 4.9 9.3
25-34 38.6 22.9
35-44 28.2 22.0
45-54 16.8 21.6
55-59 5.6 9.0
60-64 3.5 6.0
65 and Over 2.4 4.2
Median Age 36 40

Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Age profile of workers in this job compared to the all jobs average.


Employment Pathways

Education, training and experience

A bachelor degree in engineering majoring in mining or geotechnical engineering is needed to work as a Mining Engineer. Some workers have a postgraduate qualification.

Registration may be required in some states and territories. In addition, Engineers Australia has a non-compulsory National Engineering Register.

Visit

  • Course Seeker to search and compare higher education courses.
  • ComparED to compare undergraduate and postgraduate student experiences and outcomes.

Highest Level of Education (% Share)

Source: ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Highest qualification completed by workers in this job (in any field of study). Qualifications needed by new workers might be different from the qualifications of workers already in the job.
Type of Qualification Mining Engineers All Jobs Average
Post Graduate/Graduate Diploma or Graduate Certificate 24.8 10.1
Bachelor degree 61.7 21.8
Advanced Diploma/Diploma 5.3 11.6
Certificate III/IV 4.2 21.1
Year 12 3.0 18.1
Year 11 0.4 4.8
Year 10 and below 0.6 12.5

Source: ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Highest qualification completed by workers in this job (in any field of study). Qualifications needed by new workers might be different from the qualifications of workers already in the job.


Skills and Knowledge

Employers look for Mining Engineers who can communicate clearly, have strong interpersonal skills and work well in a team.

Skills

Skills can be improved through training or experience.

  • 70%

    Reading comprehension

    Reading work related information.

  • 68%

    Mathematics

    Using maths to solve problems.

  • 68%

    Monitoring

    Keeping track of how well work is progressing so you can make changes or improvements.

  • 66%

    Judgment and decision making

    Figuring out the pros and cons of different options and choosing the best one.

  • 64%

    Complex problem solving

    Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.

  • 64%

    Critical thinking

    Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.

  • 63%

    Writing

    Writing things for co-workers or customers.

  • 63%

    Systems evaluation

    Measuring how well a system is working and how to improve it.

  • 61%

    Operations analysis

    Understanding needs and product requirements to create a design.

  • 59%

    Speaking

    Talking to others.

  • 59%

    Systems analysis

    Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect it.

  • 59%

    Active learning

    Being able to use what you have learnt to solve problems now and again in the future.

  • 57%

    Active listening

    Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.

  • 57%

    Science

    Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.

  • 57%

    Time management

    Managing your own and other peoples' time to get work done.

  • 54%

    Coordination with others

    Being adaptable and coordinating work with other people.

  • 54%

    Management of financial resources

    Figuring out how money is needed to do something, and keeping track of the money that's being spent.

  • 52%

    Instructing

    Teaching people how to do something.

  • 50%

    Management of material resources

    Providing the right equipment, facilities, and materials needed to do work.

  • 50%

    Quality control analysis

    Doing tests and checking products, services, or processes to make sure they are working properly.


Knowledge

These are important topics, subjects or knowledge areas.

  • 83%

    Engineering and technology

    Use engineering, science and technology to design and produce goods and services.

  • 74%

    Technical design

    Design techniques, tools, and principles used to make detailed technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.

  • 72%

    Mathematics

    Arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics.

  • 60%

    Physics

    The physical laws of matter, motion and energy, and how they interact through space and time.

  • 59%

    Production and processing

    Raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and ways of making and distributing goods.

  • 58%

    Administration and management

    Business principles involved in strategic planning, leadership, and coordinating people and resources.

  • 58%

    Chemistry

    Chemical composition, structure, and properties. How chemicals are made, used, mixed, and can change.

  • 58%

    Geography

    Describing land, sea, and air, including their physical characteristics, locations, how they work together, and the location of plant, animal, and human life.

  • 58%

    Law and government

    How our laws and courts work. Government rules and regulations, and the political system.

  • 57%

    English language

    English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

  • 57%

    Public safety and security

    Use of equipment, rules and ideas to protect people, data, property, and institutions.

  • 56%

    Computers and electronics

    Circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

  • 53%

    Clerical

    Word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office work.

  • 53%

    Building and construction

    Materials, and methods used to construct or repair houses, buildings, or other structures like highways and roads.

  • 52%

    Mechanical

    Machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.

  • 47%

    Transportation

    Moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road.

  • 44%

    Customer and personal service

    Understanding customer needs, providing good quality service, and measuring customer satisfaction.

  • 42%

    Personnel and human resources

    Recruiting and training people, managing pay and other entitlements (like sick leave), and negotiating pay and conditions.

  • 40%

    Education and training

    Curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

  • 38%

    Economics and accounting

    Economics and accounting, the financial markets, banking and checking and reporting of financial data.


Abilities

Workers use these physical and mental abilities..

  • 73%

    Oral comprehension

    Listen to and understand what people say.

  • 71%

    Deductive reasoning

    Use general rules to find answers or solve problems logically.

  • 70%

    Written comprehension

    Read and understand written information.

  • 68%

    Oral expression

    Communicate by speaking.

  • 66%

    Inductive reasoning

    Use lots of detailed information to come up with answers or make general rules.

  • 66%

    Written expression

    Write in a way that people can understand.

  • 64%

    Problem spotting

    Notice when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong, even if you can't solve the problem.

  • 64%

    Sorting or ordering

    Order or arrange things in a pattern or sequence (e.g., numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).

  • 61%

    Categorising

    Come up with different ways of grouping things.

  • 61%

    Mathematics

    Choose the right maths method or formula to solve a problem.

  • 61%

    Visualization

    Imagine how something will look after it is moved around or changed.

  • 59%

    Flexibility of closure

    See a pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) hidden in other distracting material.

  • 57%

    Originality

    Come up with unusual or clever ideas, or creative ways to solve a problem.

  • 55%

    Near vision

    See details that are up-close (within a few feet).

  • 54%

    Brainstorming

    Come up with a number of ideas about a topic, even if the ideas aren't very good.

  • 54%

    Far vision

    See details that are far away.

  • 50%

    Speech recognition

    Identify and understand the speech of another person.

  • 48%

    Speech clarity

    Speak clearly so others can understand you.

  • 48%

    Selective attention

    Pay attention to something without being distracted.

  • 45%

    Perceptual speed

    Use your eyes to quickly compare groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.


Activities

These are kinds of activities workers regularly do in this job.

  • 82%

    Planning and prioritising work

    Deciding on goals and putting together a detailed plan to get the work done.

  • 79%

    Giving expert advice

    Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups.

  • 79%

    Researching and investigating

    Looking for, getting and understanding different kinds of information.

  • 77%

    Making decisions and solving problems

    Using information to work out the best solution and solve problems.

  • 76%

    Collecting and organising information

    Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or checking information or data.

  • 76%

    Making sense of information and ideas

    Looking at, working with, and understanding data or information.

  • 74%

    Estimating amounts, costs and resources

    Working out sizes, distances, amounts, time, costs, resources, or materials needed for a task.

  • 72%

    Looking for changes over time

    Comparing objects, actions, or events. Looking for differences between them or changes over time.

  • 70%

    Keeping your knowledge up-to-date

    Keeping up-to-date with technology and new ideas.

  • 69%

    Checking compliance with standards

    Deciding whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.

  • 69%

    Communicating within a team

    Giving information to co-workers by telephone, in writing, or in person.

  • 69%

    Drafting, laying out, and specifying parts

    Detailing and describing how devices, parts or equipment are to be made, assembled, modified, maintained, or used.

  • 69%

    Thinking creatively

    Using your own ideas for developing, designing, or creating something new.

  • 68%

    Building good relationships

    Building good working relationships and keeping them over time.

  • 66%

    Coming up with systems and processes

    Deciding on goals and figuring out what you need to do to achieve them.

  • 64%

    Communicating with the public

    Giving information to the public, business or government by telephone, in writing, or in person.

  • 63%

    Managing payments and orders

    Monitoring and controlling resources and the spending of money.

  • 60%

    Explaining things to people

    Helping people to understand and use information.

  • 58%

    Documenting or recording information

    Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.

  • 58%

    Working with computers

    Using computers to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.


Interests and demands

Learn about the daily activities, and physical and social demands faced by workers. Explore the values and work styles that workers rate as most important.

Interests

Interests are the style or type of work we prefer to do. All interest areas are shown below.

  • 90%

    Analytical

    Ideas and thinking. Searching for facts and figuring out problems in your head.

  • 81%

    Practical

    Practical, hands-on work. Often with plants and animals, or materials like wood, tools, and machinery.

  • 62%

    Enterprising

    Starting up and carrying out projects. Leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes require risk taking and often deal with business.

  • 52%

    Administrative

    Following set procedures and routines. Working with numbers and details more than with ideas, usually following rules.

  • 24%

    Creative

    Working with forms, designs and patterns. Often need self-expression and can be done without following rules.

  • 19%

    Helping

    Working with people. Helping or providing service to others.


Values

Work values are important to a person’s feeling of satisfaction. All six values are shown below.
  • 83%

    Working conditions

    Job security and good working conditions. There is usually a steady flow of interesting work, and the pay and conditions are generally good.

  • 81%

    Support

    Supportive management that stands behind employees. Workers are treated fairly by their company, they are supported by management, and have supervisors who train them well.

  • 76%

    Independence

    Work alone and make decisions. Workers are able to try out their own ideas, make decisions on their own, and work with little or no supervision.

  • 71%

    Achievement

    Results oriented. Workers are able to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment.

  • 71%

    Recognition

    Advancement and the potential to lead. Workers are recognised for the work that they do, they may give directions and instructions to others, and they are looked up to in their company and their community.

  • 52%

    Relationships

    Serve and work with others. Workers usually get along well with each other, do things to help other people, and are rarely pressured to do things that go against their sense of right and wrong.


Demands

The physical and social demands that workers face most often are shown below:
  • 98%

    Telephone

    Talk on the telephone.

  • 96%

    Electronic mail

    Use electronic mail.

  • 90%

    Face-to-face discussions

    Talk with people face-to-face.

  • 90%

    Unstructured work

    Have freedom to decide on tasks, priorities, and goals.

  • 88%

    Contact with people

    Have contact with people by telephone, face-to-face, or any other way.

  • 86%

    Teamwork

    Work with people in a group or team.

  • 86%

    Freedom to make decisions

    Have freedom to make decision on your own.

  • 84%

    Being exact or accurate

    Be very exact or highly accurate.

  • 84%

    Indoors, heat controlled

    Work indoors with access to heating or cooling.

  • 81%

    Impact of decisions

    Make decisions that have a large impact on other people.

  • 77%

    Time pressure

    Work to strict deadlines.

  • 76%

    Spend time sitting

    Spend time sitting at work.

  • 74%

    In an enclosed vehicle or equipment

    Work in a closed vehicle (e.g., car).

  • 73%

    Frequent decision making

    Frequently make decisions that impact other people.

  • 72%

    Letters and memos

    Write letters and memos.

  • 71%

    Consequence of error

    Work where mistakes have serious consequences.

  • 70%

    Responsible for outcomes

    Take responsibility for the results of other people's work.

  • 70%

    Repeating same tasks

    Repeat the same tasks or activities (e.g., key entry) over and over, without stopping.

  • 69%

    Lead or coordinate a team

    Lead others to do work activities.

  • 67%

    Wear common protective or safety equipment

    Wear equipment like safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hard hats or life jackets.

Occupational Information Network
O*NET is a trademark of the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration.
The skills and importance ratings on this page are derived from the US Department of Labor O*NET Database Version 21.2, 17-2151.00 - Mining and Geological Engineers, Including Mining Safety Engineers.


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