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Mining Engineer

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AVG. SALARY

$119,260

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EDUCATION

Bachelor's degree

What They Do

Mining and Geological Engineers, including Mining Safety Engineers Career Video

Insider Info

Mining engineers find new deposits, plan, design and run mines, oversee their safety and restore the land when the mining is done. Their purpose is to extract coal, metals and minerals for use by industry. Others work in equipment development or as analysts.

Mining engineers use computer simulators to plan mines and sophisticated software to run mining operations.

"Mining engineers rarely work in the mine environment -- too expensive to keep underground and too few are available," says mining engineering consultant Edward Hollop.

"So, students have their choice: coal mining, metal mining, non-metal mining, mining equipment, space, investment, banking, chemicals and undersea mining and anywhere their hearts and minds take them."

John Mossop is a professor of mining engineering. He says that despite the images many people have of mines, this is not a particularly dangerous career.

"Everything can be dangerous," he says. "Most accidents involve man versus machine -- you know,...a truck goes off a cliff. When the work was done by hand, there was more chance of an accident. Even rock falls are not so much a problem anymore."

Mining engineers have to be prepared to travel. They have to go where the mines or their related jobs are. But it is not necessarily any more of a nomadic lifestyle than any other modern career. "People have to be ready to move in today's workforce," says Mossop. "You may have to move to California or Boston to get ahead."

Depending on which environment you work in, a mining engineer may have a traditional office and 40-hour workweek. But at times, this career may mean extra hours, especially if you're working around a mining site. You may get your clothes dirty in this setting.

People who are disabled may find it difficult to do this work. "Depending on your disabilities, there are certain areas that you can't fit in -- exploration, for example," says Mossop. "But some people can go to work for banks or other investment institutions as analysts."

Just the Facts

Want a quick overview of what this career is about?Check out Just the Facts for simple lists of characteristics.

At a Glance

Plan, design and run mining operations

  • You can work in coal mining, metal mining, undersea mining and more
  • Be prepared to travel
  • You'll need an engineering degree

Contact

  • Email Support

  • 1-800-GO-TO-XAP (1-800-468-6927)
    From outside the U.S., please call +1 (424) 750-3900

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