How to become a Mine Surveyor
Designs and measures mines, tunnels and other underground works, maps out mineral deposits, and determines the commercial viability of open cut and underground mines.
Main tasks
- Identifies limits for excavation purposes and marks drill patterns for blasting in open cut mines
- Determines, controls and maps the location and direction of tunnels in underground mines
- Establishes site horizontal and vertical height data
- Calculates the volume of materials moved or minerals mined
- Uses GIS to create site maps, including mine structures and deposit layers
- Identifies potential risks and environmental effects of mining activities
Ways in
- University: Architecture & Built Environment degrees, Offered by 24 universities in Australia
- TAFE and VET: Advanced Diploma of Surveying (CPP60121); Certificate IV in Surveying and Spatial Information Services (CPP41721); Diploma of Surveying (CPP50121)
- Licence or registration: Registration or licensing may be required.
Pay · Outlook · AI and this job
- Typical full-time pay: $119,600 a year
- About 19,600 people work in this job group now, and about 23,200 are projected by 2035. (+18.6%)
- AI is likely to change parts of this job. Jobs and Skills Australia rates its automation exposure as medium.
Related jobs
Not sure this is for you? Take the 2-minute career quiz
Questions people ask
How do I become a Mine Surveyor?
Ways in include: Architecture & Built Environment degrees; Advanced Diploma of Surveying; Certificate IV in Surveying and Spatial Information Services.
How much does a Mine Surveyor earn in Australia?
Median full-time pay is $119,600 a year (Jobs and Skills Australia).
Is a Mine Surveyor a growing career in Australia?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 19% by 2035, from about 19,600 to about 23,200 people (Jobs and Skills Australia).
Do you need a degree to become a Mine Surveyor?
Not always. 53% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: Architecture & Built Environment degrees; Advanced Diploma of Surveying; Certificate IV in Surveying and Spatial Information Services.
Will AI change the work of a Mine Surveyor?
AI is likely to change parts of this job. Jobs and Skills Australia rates its automation exposure as medium.
Sources
- Jobs and Skills Australia: Occupation data (ANZSCO), from ABS Labour Force and Census (February 2026), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-04
- Jobs and Skills Australia: Generative AI Capacity Study, interactive table data (September 2025), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-04
- Jobs and Skills Australia: Employment Projections (Victoria University) (May 2025 to May 2035), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-04
- Australian Taxation Office: Taxation Statistics, Individuals Table 15A (2023-24), CC BY 2.5 AU, retrieved 2026-10-04
Updated 2026-10-04