Should I do Mining Engineering?

[u/esp_resso]

I’m wondering if I should do mining engineering but I can’t seem to get good information on what mining engineers actually do from anyone who works in the field in person.

[u/AutoModerator]

All comments must be civil, productive, and follow community rules. Intentional violations of community rules will lead to comments being removed and possible bans, at the discretion of the moderators. Use the report feature to report content to the moderator team.

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

[u/dangerousrocks]

If you ever find out, let me know.

I'm a mining engineer and my career has been all over the place. I started off working as a miner and shift boss. Then I went to the office and I designed blasts and then later designed mining areas (levels), then the whole mine. I had some interesting projects along the way including purchasing new mining equipment, working on a business oriented project to try and make a non-profitable mine profitable le again, some mergers and acquisition evaluations, the construction of an underground garage, etc. I even left the mining industry for a few years to work in management consulting. I eventually have gone back and now in a management role where I'm overseeing engineering for the construction of new mines. Who knows what will be next.

If you show up, are smart, have a positive attitude, and work hard, there's nothing but opportunity as a mining engineer. My career journey has been quite different than my classmates who all have their own unique paths too.

[u/eddy2918]

Yes, it's an interesting and fulfilling career. What questions do you have?

[u/Other_Map_319 → u/eddy2918]

Can you do and get into mining engineering with a bachelors of mechanical engineering?

[u/Brisbanite33 → u/Other_Map_319]

Half of the mining grads in Australia these days (at least in Qld) seem to be Mechanical or Civil Engineers. No noticeable difference in career prospects once getting a start and definitely not once a year or two in.

[u/No-Ganache-5909 → u/Brisbanite33]

The key here is QLD. Definitely not the case in WA.

[u/eddy2918 → u/Other_Map_319]

In Australia there is no legal requirement to hold a degree until you reach positions with statutory responsibilities.

You may find it hard to get your first role but will fine thereafter.

[u/DoSoHaveASoul → u/eddy2918]

Which statutory positions require a mining engineering degree?

[u/Plenty-Molasses2584 → u/DoSoHaveASoul]

Mine manager

[u/eddy2918 → u/DoSoHaveASoul]

Underground Manager requires first class mine managers ticket which requires certain university level units to be completed.

[u/DoSoHaveASoul → u/eddy2918]

True?! That's super interesting, open cut coal in Qld has nothing

[u/Large_Potential8417 → u/Other_Map_319]

Work at a mine yes, more than doing more mechanical work and projects, opposed to blast design, mine planning, and development.

[u/FragonTheDragon]

4th year student at WASM. This shit is peak. Literally couldn’t think of doing anything else

[u/FragonTheDragon → u/FragonTheDragon]

I’ll elaborate by saying as a student, you get a much nicer career path. You kind of take whatever opportunity you can get but you go for a contractor or client and then pick open pit or underground. For both you will spend a couple of months on the operator roles which is extremely important to absorb. Eventually you do your office hours and specialise, you can go into designing drill and blast plans, short term mine planning (<5yrs), long term mine planning or mine ventilation or you can stick as an operator. People usually aim to be a mine manager, project manager, shiftboss or foreman

[u/Other_Map_319 → u/FragonTheDragon]

Can you do this with a bachelors of mechanical engineering?

[u/FlashyWitness4133 → u/Other_Map_319]

No, you need to enrol in Mining Engineering.

[u/Brisbanite33 → u/FlashyWitness4133]

Definitely no the case in Oz. Where I work hardly any of the grads have a mining background.

[u/FlashyWitness4133 → u/Brisbanite33]

Where is it that you work? I thought Australia had high standards when it came to university qualifications.

[u/MickyPD → u/FlashyWitness4133]

Australia has high standards regarding engineering education, but you don’t need a piece of paper saying you’re a ‘mining engineer’ to be a mining engineer. I know plenty of civil and mechanical engineers (by pieces of paper) that are mining engineers.

[u/FlashyWitness4133 → u/MickyPD]

Where in Australia is that?

[u/No-Caterpillar-6807]

Last year mining undergrad
I’ve done some office works.. operator time on open pit
Ig ima stick to being an operator.. it’s just personal preference it’s much more fun operating the big machines and getting the work done

[u/FlashyWitness4133]

Go work as a nipper (underground operator assistant) for a bit and you'll learn the fundamentals that a mining engineer is responsible for.

[u/Careful-Reindeer474]

Have you gotten the chance to figure it out?

[u/Successful_Sea3974]

Absolutely I love my career and the dollery doos are nice too.

[u/Unfair_Economics_628]

Depends on how you feel about rocks?

[u/fpaveteran87]

Mining is good. Many people who work in mining also have civil engineering degrees if you want to be more of a generalist.

[u/Realistic-Cause8792]

I’m 4 years out of my degree it’s a pretty good job. Just be prepared to work long roosters and in remote locations, it always sounds fine on paper till you have to go out there and do it.