How to become a Mining Engineer
Official title: Mining Engineer (excluding Petroleum)
Plans and directs the engineering aspects of locating and extracting minerals from the earth.
Main tasks
- Plans and designs mining operations, including the location and layout of the mine development
- Researches and improves the efficiency and safety of mining methods and equipment
- Monitors and evaluates mining operations to ensure compliance with safety and environmental regulations
- Assesses mineral reserves and analyses production costs to determine the viability of mining projects
- Conducts geological surveys and analyses data to identify mineral deposits
- Optimises procedures to extract raw materials from the ground using blasting, drilling and other excavation methods
Ways in
- University: Science degrees, Offered by 39 universities in Australia
- University: Engineering degrees, Offered by 34 universities in Australia
- Licence or registration: Registration or licensing may be required.
Pay · Outlook · AI and this job
- Typical full-time pay: $182,936 a year
- About 15,500 people work in this job group now, and about 18,400 are projected by 2035. (+18.5%)
- AI is more likely to help with parts of this job than to do it. Jobs and Skills Australia rates its automation exposure as low.
Related jobs
- Petroleum Engineer
- Chemical Engineer
- Extractive Metallurgist
- Materials Engineer
- Civil Engineer
- Geotechnical Engineer
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Questions people ask
How do I become a Mining Engineer?
Ways in include: Science degrees; Engineering degrees.
How much does a Mining Engineer earn in Australia?
Median full-time pay is $182,936 a year (Jobs and Skills Australia).
Is a Mining Engineer a growing career in Australia?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 19% by 2035, from about 15,500 to about 18,400 people (Jobs and Skills Australia).
Do you need a degree to become a Mining Engineer?
Usually. 86% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Will AI change the work of a Mining Engineer?
AI is more likely to help with parts of this job than to do it. Jobs and Skills Australia rates its automation exposure as low.
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