The Catlins Area School
Mining Engineer Mataaro Waro
Mining engineers plan, prepare, design and manage the development of opencast (above ground) or underground mines.
Employers often prefer to employ registered mining engineers.
- Engineering Associates Registration Board website - engineer registration
- Engineering New Zealand website - engineer registration
- Registration Authority for Chartered Professional Engineers website - engineer registration
- Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy website - mining engineer accreditation and registration
Mining engineers may do some or all of the following:
- prepare designs, plans and schedules for mines and mining operations
- research and develop new mining methods and technology
- determine the equipment needed to develop a mine
- consult with clients, professionals and government officials
- oversee work at the mine site
- ensure safety and environmental standards are met and maintained
- carry out economic analysis on mineral deposits.
Physical Requirements
Mining engineers need to be reasonably fit as they may need to work underground and inspect heavy equipment.
Mining engineers may also be required to undergo regular drug and alcohol tests.
Useful Experience
Useful experience for mining engineers includes:
- mine and quarry work
- engineering or surveying work
- supervision or management experience
- heavy vehicle and earthmoving experience
- accounting and finance management experience
- operating or repairing machinery.
Personal Qualities
Mining engineers need to be skilled at:
- project management, people management and leadership
- writing clear proposals, reports and presentations
- identifying, analysing and creatively solving problems
- remaining calm in emergencies, and working under pressure
- acting on their own initiative, and as part of a team
- finance and budgeting.
Skills
Mining engineers need to have knowledge of:
- mining methods and different mining processes
- quarry or mine products
- the practical aspects of operating a mine
- new production methods and technology.
Conditions
Mining engineers:
- usually work between eight and 10 hours a day, and may also work weekends, evenings, and be on call
- work in offices, laboratories and mine sites, often in isolated locations
- may work in conditions that may be hazardous, noisy and dirty
- may work in cramped or confined conditions in underground mines, or varied weather conditions in opencast mines
- may travel or work overseas.
Subject Recommendations
NCEA Level 3 is required to enter tertiary training. Useful subjects include chemistry, construction and mechanical technologies, design and visual communication (graphics), geography, maths and physics.
Mining Engineers can earn around $70-$75K per year.
Pay for mining engineers varies depending on experience and where they work.
- Graduate mining engineers usually earn between $70,000 and $75,000 a year.
- Experienced mining engineers usually earn between $75,000 and $210,000.
Sources: MITO, 2018; Minex National Health and Safety Council, 2018.
Mining engineers may progress to become self-employed consultants or mine and quarry managers.
Mining engineers can specialise in a number of roles, including:
- Academic and Research Mining Engineer
- Academic and research mining engineers work in universities or research centres. They may specialise in fields such as rock engineering, mining economics, or geology project design.
- Coal Mining Engineer
- Coal mining engineers work in open pit or underground coal mines.
- Consultant Mining Engineer
- Mining engineers who work as consultants are involved in a wide variety of projects, mining methods and different technical areas. They use computer programs to model the mining process and design, and can work on open pit and underground mines.
- Open Pit Mining Engineer
- Open pit mining engineers work in surface mines that are open to the daylight, such as quarries. These mines may also be referred to as open-cut or opencast mines.
- Underground Mining Engineer
- Underground mining engineers work in deep mines that are usually located several hundred feet underground. The minerals in these mines are removed mechanically and transferred by shuttle car or conveyor to the surface.
Years Of Training
4 years of training usually required.To become a mining engineer you need to have a Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) or a Bachelor of Engineering Technology in one of the following majors:
- civil engineering
- environmental engineering
- mechanical engineering
- natural resource engineering.
Some mining companies employ geology graduates who then study to complete mining engineer qualifications.
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