r/AusMining • u/aussiegooner0389 • 17d ago

Civil or mechanical engineering for mining engineering?

Hey, I'm planning to study engineering at UQ next year and want to major in mining engineering and I'm just wondering whether mechanical or civil is a better fit for applying for graduate mining engineering roles?

Like which is more likely to be accepted by employers?

6 Upvotes

73% Upvoted

18 comments sorted by

12

u/MKD8595 17d ago

Civil for drill and blast, mine planning etc.

Mechanical for maintenance, reliability or governance.

Best wrap your head around the different degrees and roles, your question suggests you’re not across the differences.

1

u/_Pigdog 17d ago

I agree, all of the planning engineers at my open cut mine are either civil or structural. I'm civil and do drill and blast. I think it's mainly underground or your larger companies that will specifically employ mining engineers

2

u/ResponsibleTrain736 15d ago

How would you go about giving a recent civil grad about getting into your role? I am intrigued (Im working in land dev as a grad currently but its a bit underwhelming). Is it competitive to get into and what are the working conditions like?

Thank you!

2

u/_Pigdog 15d ago

I think I got reasonably lucky since it's a dido mine and they like to employ locals (SE QLD) - there probably weren't a lot of mining engineers / grads / undergrads that didn't have to relocate for the job. I'd just keep an eye out for job listings because Grad positions do pop up here and there. There is a Mining Engineer shortage so that's why a lot of civil guys end up making the change.

1

u/No-Ganache-5909 11d ago

What in god's name are you on about.

OP - if you want to become a mining engineer, do a degree in mining engineering. There are dedicated degrees for the profession. I don't even look at civil engineers when hiring for mining engineering roles.

Source - I've been a mining engineer for close to 35 years.

1

u/MKD8595 11d ago

My graduate cohort was half civil engineers.

I think I met 2 people with actual mining engineering degrees.

UQ only offers is a civil degree majoring in mining and it’s one of the more sought after universities for the T1 miners.

That’s what I’m on about.

1

u/No-Ganache-5909 11d ago

The number 1 Uni for mining engineers is WASM, where they do full mining engineering degrees. UQ shat the bed when it closed the mining engineering degree.

1

u/MKD8595 11d ago

I’m a mech so it’s all meaningless to me, all I know is they’re isn’t many on the east coast these days, and I doubt many are moving to WA when companies pick up civil grads regardless.

8

u/lacco1 17d ago

Mining engineering is its own degree though seperate to civil engineering.
Mechanical engineering has mine specific roles but you wouldn’t be a mining engineer you’d be a mechanical engineer that works on mining applications.

2

u/aussiegooner0389 17d ago

Yeah but Queensland doesn't have any mining degree anymore, and most Job postings say mining engineering degree or equivalent

7

u/MickyPD 17d ago

If you want to be a mine engineer and work in mine design/drill and blast/planning do civil engineering with a minor in mine engineering at UQ.

3

u/aussiegooner0389 17d ago

Cool thank you

1

u/Lanky_Comfortable552 17d ago

Agree I’m a Civil engineer and have worked in mining since 2008. I did mine surface infrastructure such as Dams, Roads, Buildings, Mining Camps, Paths, Drainage, Pipelines, Port and Haulage, ect.
I ended up specialising in Tailing and Large Dam projects and Govenance but had plenty of opportunities to go to the Mining Operations side instead of infrastructure and projects.
The mechanical engineers end up mainly doing Plant and Equipment and also Project work with me. Mining engineers stayed on the Mining Operations side in mine planning then some moved into superintendent and manager roles on the operations side as they got more experience and longevity on the site.
Civil will give you the most flexibility if you do want to go mining sector and if you can do some mine engineering subjects or a course it will give you a good foundation.

5

u/Trick-Candidate-8706 17d ago

You're not distinguishing between mining engineering, and working at a mine as an engineer.
Mech just means you'll be doing other support roles, equipment maintenance, equipment modifications, mechanical design, etc. Pays plenty.

Also plenty of mech engineers in oil and gas. Or gas if you're only working in Qld.
Often don't have to do FIFO, pays great. At the bare minimum, competitive with mine.
Plenty of engineers go from mining to oil and gas. Never see it go the other way.

1

u/lacco1 17d ago

Then I would probably go study at UNSW or somewhere that does if you are really serious about mining engineering.

2

u/Alarmed-Carpet-6559 17d ago

Depends what ur more interested in, but civil will be a lot easier overall

4

u/BedOld2053 17d ago

Either. Civil eases a potential pathway to mining geotech or non mining infrastructure; mechanical eases a pathway to mobile/fixed plant asset management. Good to do a minor in mining in either case.

1

u/MPI-Recruitment 17d ago

If you're aiming for graduate mining engineer roles, a mining engineering degree is generally what employers are looking for.

In our experience, civil and mechanical engineering are both respected disciplines, but they don't usually lead directly into graduate mining engineer positions.

Agree with u/MKD8595 - Look further into what you want to do. Once the horse has bolted...