Mining and Geological Engineers, Including Mining Safety Engineers

What the job really is

Conduct subsurface surveys to identify the characteristics of potential land or mining development sites. May specify the ground support systems, processes, and equipment for safe, economical, and environmentally sound extraction or underground construction activities. May inspect areas for unsafe geological conditions, equipment, and working conditions. May design, implement, and coordinate mine safety programs.

At a glance

• Sector: Architecture & Engineering
• O*NET-SOC code: 17-2151
• O*NET job zone: 4 — considerable preparation
• Work sample tasks on file: 12
• Tools and technologies listed: 12

What you actually do

Work sample tasks recorded for this occupation:

• Prepare technical reports for use by mining, engineering, and management personnel.
• Inspect mining areas for unsafe structures, equipment, and working conditions.
• Select or develop mineral location, extraction, and production methods, based on factors such as safety, cost, and deposit characteristics.
• Select locations and plan underground or surface mining operations, specifying processes, labor usage, and equipment that will result in safe, economical, and environmentally sound extraction of minerals and ores.
• Prepare schedules, reports, and estimates of the costs involved in developing and operating mines.
• Monitor mine production rates to assess operational effectiveness.
• Supervise, train, and evaluate technicians, technologists, survey personnel, engineers, scientists or other mine personnel.
• Examine maps, deposits, drilling locations, or mines to determine the location, size, accessibility, contents, value, and potential profitability of mineral, oil, and gas deposits.
• Design, implement, and monitor the development of mines, facilities, systems, or equipment.
• Test air to detect toxic gases and recommend measures to remove them, such as installation of ventilation shafts.
• Implement and coordinate mine safety programs, including the design and maintenance of protective and rescue equipment and safety devices.
• Devise solutions to problems of land reclamation and water and air pollution, such as methods of storing excavated soil and returning exhausted mine sites to natural states.

Tools and technology

Autodesk AutoCAD, Autodesk AutoCAD Civil 3D, Bentley MicroStation, Microsoft Access, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office software, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Project, Microsoft SharePoint, Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Word

What employers expect you to already be comfortable with.

Where this job leads

Related occupations — the usual moves up and sideways:

• Petroleum Engineers
• Civil Engineers
• Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians
• Industrial Engineers
• Geothermal Production Managers
• Chemical Engineers
• Environmental Engineers
• Water/Wastewater Engineers

Getting in

O*NET assigns this occupation job zone 4 (considerable preparation). The related occupations above are the realistic routes in and out.

Find openings

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Check this against the source

O*NET OnLine: Mining and Geological Engineers, Including Mining Safety Engineers — the authoritative public-domain profile this page is derived from, including the full task list, reported skills and the wage estimates for your region.

Derived and rewritten from the public-domain O*NET database (U.S. Department of Labor / Employment and Training Administration). Figures are observations, not promises — always confirm salary, licensing and visa requirements with the employer and the relevant authority.