Miner
Miners extract coal, metal ore and other minerals, running the drills, machinery and blasts that break and move rock at open-cut and underground sites.
- Median salary
- $151,200
3.6%vs last year, before tax
- People employed
- 40,600
0.2%vs last year
- Projected growth
- +5.8%
to 2035
- AI exposure*
- Moderate
- automation risk
- Average hours
- 63/wk
+23h vs all jobs
- Shortage status
- Not in shortage
national
Miners work at open-cut and underground sites, operating drill rigs, load-haul-dump vehicles and other heavy plant to break out and move coal, metal ore and rock. Most work for mining companies in remote parts of Western Australia, Queensland and New South Wales, often on a fly-in fly-out roster that has them living on site for a set swing. The role differs from a driller's, whose work usually stops once the hole is in, because a miner sees the ore through from blast to load to haul.
How much do miners earn?
The median full-time salary for a miner is $151,200 per annum, before tax, up $32,300 since 2018.
Base rates sit under an enterprise agreement or site contract, so they are broadly similar across the industry, but total earnings vary a lot. Site allowances, overtime, night shift and the roster pattern do most of that work, which is why a fly-in fly-out swing usually pays more than a residential job on the same site. Underground work and licensed roles such as shot firing generally pay above surface production work.
What does a miner do day to day?
The list below is what fills most weeks; the exact mix shifts with seniority and whatever stage the current work is at.
- Operating drill rigs, load-haul-dump vehicles and haul trucks to break out and move ore or coal through a swing
- Running pre-start checks on plant, then checking ground conditions and escape routes against site safety procedures before work begins
- Installing and maintaining ground support, ventilation and dust suppression as the pit or tunnel advances
- Loading and handling explosives alongside a licensed shot firer, then clearing the area before the blast goes up
- Logging production figures, faults and ground conditions at the end of shift so the next crew picks up cleanly
What skills do miners need?
Employers look for plant and equipment operation, worksite safety management, hand and power tool work, backed by Drill rig fluency and strong problem solving.
Specialist skills
- Plant and equipment operation
- Worksite safety management
- Hand and power tool work
- Regulatory compliance
- Risk and internal controls
Software and tools
- Drill rig
- Load-haul-dump vehicle
- Explosives (licensed)
- SCADA monitoring systems
- Personal protective equipment (PPE)
General skills
- Problem solving
- Attention to detail
Is the job growing?
About 40,600 people work as miners in Australia, and employment is projected to grow 5.8% over the decade to 2035. That's modest growth: demand is steady rather than booming.
How do you become a miner?
Here's the path most miners take, step by step.
- 1Get a mine-ready qualification
The Certificate II in Resources and Infrastructure Work Preparation (RII20120) and the Certificate III in Surface Extraction Operations (RII30120), both from the RII training package, are the standard entry credentials. Many people complete one through a paid traineeship with a mining company, which also gets them site time.
- 2Add the licences and inductions sites ask for
A heavy vehicle licence, a current first aid certificate and the induction for the operation you are joining are usual requirements. Queensland coal mines also require the Standard 11 mine induction, and other states run their own equivalents, so check the operator's list before you apply.
- 3Start in a supporting role
Driller's offsider, mining labourer and haul truck operator are common first jobs, and they put you on site in a crew with experienced miners. Some companies run their own entry programs for people with no mining background.
- 4Move onto production equipment
Once you have swing experience and the machinery competencies signed off, you can move onto drill rigs, loaders and load-haul-dump vehicles, which is where the responsibility steps up.
- 5Specialise if you want to go further
An explosives licence lets you run blasts, and statutory roles such as mine deputy need further study and underground experience. Both are internal progressions rather than jobs you can walk into from outside.
Ready to apply as a miner?
Whether you're working toward becoming a miner or already are one and want a hand with the next step (sharpening your resume for ATS screening, tightening your cover letter, or knowing what you'll actually be asked at interview), here are examples grounded in this specific role, not generic templates.
What jobs can a miner move to?
Moving into Refinery Operator typically comes with the biggest pay rise, worth $32,500 a year more on average.
| Move to | Typical pay change | Overlap | Retraining |
|---|---|---|---|
| Refinery Operator Miners bring process plant and heavy equipment experience to refinery operation, with a short course covering the specific plant systems.Known move | +$32,500 | 70% | short course |
| Driller Miners bring rig, site and safety experience to drilling, with a short course covering the specific drilling ticket.Known move | +$0 | 58% | short course |
| Mine Deputy Miners can step up to mine deputy, applying underground and safety knowledge, though statutory certification and further training are required.Known move | −$400 | 43% | reskill |
| Shot Firer Miners already understand drilling and blasting, so moving into shot firing mainly requires the explosives licence and ticket.Known move | −$31,600 | 67% | minimal |
| Earthmoving Plant Operator Miners bring heavy machinery and site safety experience to earthmoving plant operation, with a certificate needed for the role.Known move | −$48,200 | 36% | reskill |
Moves are chosen from Jobs and Skills Australia's Data on Occupation Mobility, which follows income tax records between 2011-12 and 2020-21, together with entry requirements and skill overlap. A known move is one people were seen making in that data. Pay change compares median full-time pay for the two roles.
Who works as a miner?
The typical miner is 42 years old; 88% are men, 94% work full-time, and full-timers average 63 hours a week.
- 42
- Median age
- 12%
- Female share
- 94%
- Full-time
- +23h
- vs all-jobs avg
What's it like being a miner?
Mining runs on swings rather than a five-day week: long shifts on site, then a block of days off, which concentrates the working year into intense stretches with real breaks between them. The work is physical and organised around safety procedures, with heavy equipment that is loud, hot and unforgiving. Full-time miners average about 63 hours a week once overtime is counted, so the job tends to suit people who would rather work hard for a stretch and then be off site entirely.
What people like
- Earnings build quickly on site. Site allowances, overtime and shift penalties sit on top of base pay, and they add up fast once you are on a full swing rather than a training roster.
- Heavy machinery at the centre of the job. A haul truck or drill rig shifts hundreds of tonnes a shift, and the fleets on large sites are modern, maintained and increasingly automated.
- Output you can see at the end of a shift. Tonnes moved and metres drilled are measured every swing, so your contribution shows up in numbers rather than in someone's impression of your work.
- Small crews that rely on each other. You work with a handful of people in close quarters, and the swing structure builds working relationships quickly because there is no going home at the end of the day.
What people find hard
- Long swings away from home. Most rosters keep you on site for a week or more at a time, which is hard on partners, children and friendships, and it is the main trade-off for the pay.
- Heat, dust and noise. Open pits and underground drives are hot, dusty and loud, and the work stays physical even where machinery does the heavy lifting.
- Remote locations. Most mines sit well away from the cities, so the job generally means fly-in fly-out travel or relocating to a mining town.
- Hiring follows the commodity cycle. Crew numbers rise and fall with the price of what the site digs, so opportunities on a particular operation depend on its mine plan and the market.
Based on our synthesis of professional-body surveys and public accounts of the role, not first-person verified reviews.
Which industries employ miners?
Mining employs the largest share of miners.
Top employing industries
- 1Mining
Ranked by employment share; the source doesn't publish an exact percentage per industry.
| Year 12 or below | 51.1% | |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate III/IV | 37.1% | |
| Diploma / Advanced Diploma | 4.7% | |
| Bachelor degree | 2.4% | |
| Postgraduate | 0.5% |
Will AI replace miners?
Mining sits at a moderate level of AI and automation exposure. Autonomous haulage, remote-operated drills and fleet management software already handle parts of the production cycle on larger sites, which changes the mix of the job more than it removes it, because equipment and ground still need people on site to inspect, maintain and take control when conditions change.
Share of typical working time by exposure level
- Operating haul trucks and drill rigsAutonomous haulage and remote-operated drills run on some sites, but mixed fleets still need operators to spot, refuel and take back control when ground or weather turns.35%moderate
- Ground support, dust and ventilation workInstalling mesh, bolts and ventilation is physical work at the face in unstable ground, and it stays with the crew.30%low
- Production logging and shift handoverFleet management systems record tonnes and metres automatically, so end of shift reporting is increasingly a matter of checking and annotating data.20%high
- Pre-start checks and safety inspectionsMonitoring systems flag faults and gas levels, but someone still walks the machine and the ground before the shift starts.15%moderate
Moves least exposed to AI
These career moves from miner work are rated low for AI exposure:
- Mine Deputy
Solid skill overlap (43%), reskill to get there, and a low automation-risk profile.
- Shot Firer
High skill overlap (67%), little retraining to get there, and a low automation-risk profile.
Common questions about becoming a miner
Straight answers to the questions people ask most.
How much do miners earn?
$151,200 per year before tax for full-time miners. The roster pattern, overtime, site allowances and whether the work is underground or on the surface all move that figure, so a fly-in fly-out swing on a remote site can sit above the median while a residential job in a mining town can sit below it.
How do you become a miner?
Most people start with the Certificate II in Resources and Infrastructure Work Preparation (RII20120) or the Certificate III in Surface Extraction Operations (RII30120), then take an entry role such as driller's offsider or haul truck operator. Mine sites also require their own inductions and often a heavy vehicle licence, and Queensland coal mines require the Standard 11 induction.
Are miners in demand in Australia?
Miners are currently not in shortage, and employment is projected to grow 5.8% over the decade to 2035. About 40,600 people work in the role, and hiring follows the commodity cycle, so openings on a given site depend on what it mines and where it sits in its mine plan.
Will AI replace miners?
Not in the near term, but automation already handles parts of the production cycle. Autonomous haul trucks and remote-operated drills run on some sites, while ground support, inspections and recovery work still need people on the ground.
What can miners move into?
Shot firing is a common step and uses the same drilling and blasting knowledge, though it pays $31,600 less. Refinery operation draws on process plant experience and pays $32,500 more, while mine deputy work needs statutory certification and pays $400 less.
What are the hours and rosters like?
Full-time miners average about 63 hours a week, because shifts on site run long and rosters compress the working year into swings. That gives you long blocks off, but it also means time away from home and a body clock that moves with the roster.
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