Miner

A miner extracts coal, minerals, or other resources from underground or open-cut mine sites using heavy machinery and hand tools. They operate within strict safety protocols mandated by the relevant state mining regulator and Safe Work Australia, performing tasks that range from drilling and blasting to hauling and processing raw ore or coal in Australian mining operations.

Operate surface or underground mining equipment such as excavators, haul trucks, loaders, and drilling rigs to extract ore or coal. Follow blast plans and timing sequences when preparing and detonating explosives in controlled mining environments. Inspect and maintain mining machinery before and after shifts, reporting faults to supervisors or maintenance teams. Monitor ground stability and roof support in underground mines, identifying and reporting hazards such as falls or gas accumulation. Secure loads on haul trucks and transport extracted material to designated stockpile or processing areas. Comply with site-specific induction and mandatory safety briefings, including rescue procedures and emergency protocols. Read and interpret mining plans, geological maps, and equipment operation manuals to navigate work schedules. Collect samples of ore or coal for quality testing and grade assessment in accordance with mine specifications.

The standard entry pathway requires a Certificate II or III (ABS skill level 4). Specific qualification requirements vary by employer and state. Some employers may accept equivalent experience. Check yourcareer.gov.au for available courses and dewr.gov.au/skills-reform/free-tafe for subsidised training options.

You'll need to get certified fast and then work fly-in-fly-out shifts in remote areas, often 10 to 14 days on and 7 days off. The work is physically demanding and dangerous: roof collapses, equipment accidents, and exposure to dust and gases are real risks. Pay caps out unless you move into supervisory roles, and automation may reduce some underground jobs over time.

Most are in regional or remote areas requiring FIFO work. Remote work is not an option in this role.

Published for ANZSCO unit group 7122, the wider group this job sits in, not for this job on its own.

This is the median for full-time employees who are not managers and are paid at the adult rate, before tax and salary sacrifice. It is a guide to what the work pays, not a wage rate.

Source: ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, customised report.

• Adaptability and Flexibilitycore
• Attention to Detailcore
• Check borehole depthcore
• Incident Reportingcore
• Policy and Procedure Adherencecore
• Problem Solvingcore
• Record Managementcore
• Regulatory and Legislative Awarenesscore
• Risk Identificationcore
• Team Collaborationcore
• Time Management and Prioritisationcore
• Verbal Communicationcore
• Workload Self-Managementcore
• Active Listening
• Address problems critically
• Basic Arithmetic and Numerical Accuracy
• Chemistry
• Continuous Learning and Upskilling
• Goal Setting and Planning
• Inventory Tracking
• Process Improvement Identification
• Written Communication

• ABS OSCA 2024, occupation definition and task statements
• ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, customised report.
• ABS, 2021 Census of Population and Housing based on usual place of residence (Custom Report). OSCA Experimental Estimates.

Role data is drawn from official Australian Government sources, and each figure names where it comes from. Where a role is not in the ABS classification, the page shows no government figures for it. Data may not reflect every local variation.

Where our numbers come from.

What Miner workers move into, from ten years of tax records.

Last updated: 30 October 2026