Stone Processing Machine Operator

A stone processing machine operator controls and monitors industrial machinery that cuts, shapes, polishes, or grinds stone materials (granite, marble, limestone, sandstone) for use in construction, monumental, or decorative applications. Working in quarries, stone mills, or fabrication workshops, they operate multi-axis saws, polishers, edge-profiling machines, and CNC stone cutting equipment, ensuring product quality, machine safety, and compliance with workplace health and safety standards.

Operate stone sawing machines (gang saws, bridge saws, wire saws) to cut blocks and slabs according to specified dimensions and cutting plans. Load and secure raw stone material onto machine beds or conveyor systems, checking for weight distribution and stability. Monitor machine performance during operation, adjusting feed rates, coolant flow, blade tension, or spindle speed to optimise cutting efficiency and surface finish. Inspect finished stone products for cracks, surface defects, dimensional accuracy, and adherence to customer specifications using measuring tools and visual assessment. Operate stone polishing and grinding machines to achieve required surface finishes (honed, polished, flamed, brushed) on stone tiles and countertops. Program or input parameters into CNC stone cutting or profiling machines, including cut sequences, tool paths, and shape profiles. Change and maintain cutting tools, blades, grinding wheels, and polishing pads, ensuring correct installation and alignment. Clean stone dust and debris from work areas, machines, and finished products using compressed air, vacuums, or water spray systems.

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.

Stone dust inhalation is a serious long-term health risk despite safety gear. You'll need respiratory protection every shift, and silicosis can develop over years of exposure. The work is also physically demanding with heavy lifting, repetitive strain injuries are common, and wages plateau quickly without moving into supervisory roles.

Most positions are on-site only: remote work isn't an option in this field.

Published for ANZSCO unit group 7111, 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.

• Attention to Detailcore
• Basic Arithmetic and Numerical Accuracycore
• Cast concrete sectionscore
• Incident Reportingcore
• Inventory Trackingcore
• Policy and Procedure Adherencecore
• Problem Solvingcore
• Quality Assurance and Checkingcore
• Risk Identificationcore
• Team Collaborationcore
• Time Management and Prioritisationcore
• Verbal Communicationcore
• Workload Self-Managementcore
• Active Listening
• Adaptability and Flexibility
• Clean mixer
• Continuous Learning and Upskilling
• Data Entry and Accuracy
• Goods Receipt Processing
• Process Improvement Identification
• Regulatory and Legislative Awareness
• Stock Counting and Stocktake

• 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 Stone Processing Machine Operator workers move into, from ten years of tax records.

Last updated: 30 October 2026