Mining engineer
Plan and oversee the extraction of minerals from open-cut, underground and surface mining operations.
Salary
Cited figures from Job Outlook and QILT. ExamExplained does not publish predictive earnings or projections.
| Figure | AUD | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Full-time weekly earnings | $3150 | Job Outlook (2025-06-01) |
| Graduate starting salary | $95,000 | QILT (2025-03-01) |
What a mining engineer actually does
Mining engineers work mostly on site at open-cut or underground mines. Most start their careers in the Pilbara, Hunter Valley, Bowen Basin or Kalgoorlie on fly-in fly-out rosters. A site day starts with a pre-shift meeting reviewing safety hazards and the previous shift, then walking the pit or the longwall, working with surveyors and geologists to update the mine plan, and writing technical reports in the afternoon. Software tools like Surpac, Datamine, Deswik and Vulcan dominate the planning side. Production engineers focus on the next month of drill-and-blast or coal cutting. Long-term planners build life-of-mine schedules. Hours run on rosters such as 8-and-6 or 2-and-1 with 12-hour shifts during swings. Money is good but the work asks a lot in time away from home.
Typical tasks
- Develop mine plans and schedules.
- Manage drill-and-blast and haulage operations.
- Lead safety and risk management on site.
Skills you'll use
- Mine planning software including Surpac, Datamine, Deswik or Vulcan
- Drill and blast design and explosives engineering
- Geotechnical risk assessment for slopes and ground support
- Australian mining legislation and the Coal Mining Health and Safety regimes
- Production scheduling and resource estimation
- Cost modelling for cash cost and life-of-mine economics
- Coordinating with geologists, surveyors and metallurgists
How to become one
- 1Finish Year 12 with English, Maths Methods or Specialist and ideally Physics or Chemistry
- 2Complete a 4-year Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) with a mining major accredited by Engineers Australia
- 3Apply for graduate programmes at BHP, Rio Tinto, Fortescue, Glencore, South32 and the major mid-tier miners in your third year. Vacation work matters more in mining than in most engineering streams
- 4Spend your first 2-3 years rotating through pit, planning, drill-and-blast and ventilation
- 5Work toward your Statutory Quarry or Mine Manager certificate of competency. The path differs by state and mineral, but each state requires a workplace-based examination
- 6Build Chartered Engineer status with Engineers Australia or AusIMM membership over your first 5-8 years
Where you can work
- Tier-one miners including BHP, Rio Tinto, Fortescue, Glencore and South32
- Mid-tier and emerging miners across the Pilbara, Goldfields and Bowen Basin
- Mining consultancies offering planning, geotechnical and rehabilitation advice
- Contract mining companies running drill-and-blast and haulage operations
- Equipment manufacturers running OEM technical services
- State mining regulators including the Resources Safety and Health Queensland office
- Junior explorers and project developers
Career progression
Typical stages and salary bands. Salary figures are sourced from Job Outlook, QILT or industry bodies; brackets are 25th-75th percentile not absolute floors or ceilings.
- Graduate0-2 yearsTypical roles: Graduate mining engineer, Production engineer, Mine planning engineerSalary band: $90,000 - $115,000 per year (source, sourced 2026-05-21)
- Engineer3-6 yearsTypical roles: Mining engineer, Drill and blast engineer, Senior planning engineerSalary band: $140,000 - $190,000 per year (source, sourced 2026-05-21)
- Senior7-12 yearsTypical roles: Senior mining engineer, Superintendent, Technical services managerSalary band: $200,000 - $260,000 per year (source, sourced 2026-05-21)
- Manager12+ yearsTypical roles: Mine manager, General manager, Group technical director
Is this for you?
You might love this if
- You are happy spending years working in remote Australia
- You like making big decisions about plant, people and dollars
- You can manage a team that includes operators, contractors and other professionals
- You enjoy a roster lifestyle and can disconnect on your time off
- You want a career with strong earnings and rapid responsibility
This might not suit you if
- You want to live full-time in a capital city
- You dislike heavy machinery, dust and shift work
- You are not comfortable with high-consequence safety environments
- You want predictable Monday-to-Friday hours and weekends
Three ways in
Uni, TAFE and trade routes for mining engineer. Not every career has all three; we only list pathways that actually lead to this occupation.
University
Bachelor degrees that lead to this career.
TAFE / VET
Nationally accredited Certificate and Diploma qualifications.
No direct TAFE pathway to this career.
Apprenticeship trade
Earn while you learn through an Australian Apprenticeship.
Not an apprenticeship trade.
Sources
- https://www.jobsandskills.gov.au/explore-careers/occupation/mining-engineers
- https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/classifications/anzsco-australian-and-new-zealand-standard-classification-occupations
ExamExplained does not publish predictive salary figures. For current Australian earnings data check Job Outlook directly. Career classifications follow the ABS ANZSCO 2022 release.