Mining Engineer (excluding Petroleum)
A mining engineer designs, develops and oversees extraction operations for metallic ores, coal, and other mineral deposits in Australian mines. They apply geological and engineering principles to assess ore bodies, plan pit layouts, design extraction sequences, and ensure safe and efficient recovery of minerals while managing environmental and regulatory compliance.
What this job is
A mining engineer designs, develops and oversees extraction operations for metallic ores, coal, and other mineral deposits in Australian mines. They apply geological and engineering principles to assess ore bodies, plan pit layouts, design extraction sequences, and ensure safe and efficient recovery of minerals while managing environmental and regulatory compliance. They work across feasibility studies, operational planning, and site supervision in underground and open-pit mining environments.
Are employers advertising this role?
Steady, up 2.7% over 5 years
Counted across a group of similar roles. These are three-month rolling averages of online job advertisements, not filled positions.
Source: Jobs and Skills Australia, Internet Vacancy Index.
Day-to-day
Conduct resource estimation and geological interpretation using drill hole data, geotechnical surveys, and mining software (Surpac, Vulcan, MineSight) to define ore body boundaries and grade distributions. Design pit layouts, stope designs, and extraction sequences using computer-aided design software to optimise ore recovery and minimise operational risk. Perform geotechnical stability analysis on pit walls and underground openings using slope stability software to prevent collapses and design appropriate support systems. Develop mine plans and production schedules that align extraction with equipment capacity, processing plant throughput, and market demand. Specify mining methods (open pit, underground, alluvial) and recommend equipment selection based on ore characteristics, depth, and economic viability. Prepare feasibility studies and financial models assessing capital costs, operating costs, and net present value for new mining projects or expansions. Ensure compliance with Safe Work Australia standards, state mining legislation (such as the Queensland Mining and Quarrying Safety and Health Act 1999), and site safety protocols by reviewing work practices and incident reports. Supervise surveying and mapping of mining areas using GPS, laser scanning, and photogrammetry to maintain accurate pit geometry and resource tracking.
Who does this now
About 6,300 people worked in this occupation across Australia at the 2021 Census.
What this role asks for
Bachelor degree or higher (ABS skill level 1)
Registration or licensing may be required.
Can employers fill these jobs
Employers hiring for this occupation had trouble finding suitable applicants in 2025. This measures how hard employers found it to fill jobs. It is not a count of jobs, and it does not say whether the occupation is growing.
Requirements
The standard entry pathway requires a bachelor degree or higher (ABS Skill Level 1). 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.
The honest hard part
You may need professional engineer registration in some states, which can take years of supervised practice after your degree. The real kicker: many sites are remote and require fly-in-fly-out rosters (2 to 3 weeks on, 1 week off), which hammers work-life balance. Coal mining roles are shrinking fast due to the shift to renewables, so your long-term job security depends on diversifying into other minerals.
Where the jobs are
Most sites are regional or outback; remote work from city offices is rare. You'll need to be willing to relocate or accept FIFO arrangements.
Pay
Published for ANZSCO unit group 2336, 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.
Skills
- Attention to Detailcore
- Goal Setting and Planningcore
- Incident Reportingcore
- Problem Solvingcore
- Process Improvement Identificationcore
- Regulatory and Legislative Awarenesscore
- Report Writingcore
- Research and Analysiscore
- Risk Identificationcore
- Stakeholder Communicationcore
- Team Collaborationcore
- Time Management and Prioritisationcore
- Verbal Communicationcore
- Written Communicationcore
- Address problems critically
- Continuous Learning and Upskilling
- Microsoft Office Suite Proficiency
- Negotiation
- Policy and Procedure Adherence
- Process Documentation
- Quality Assurance and Checking
- Reporting and Analytics
- Workload Self-Management
Which of these do you have?
Tick the ones you haveCommon questions
Sources
- 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.
What Mining Engineer (excluding Petroleum) workers move into, from ten years of tax records.
Last updated: 30 October 2026
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