Geological Exploration Engineers and Technicians

How to become a Geological and Mineral Survey Engineer

Official Chinese title (2022 occupational classification): 地质矿产调查工程技术人员

Carries out geological surveys on land, at sea and in polar regions, explores for and assesses mineral resources, and does basic geological research.

Main tasks

Doing geological mapping, logging and section measurement
Processing survey material, analysing sample test data and interpreting the results together
Researching basic geological questions and how ore deposits form
Working through reconnaissance, general survey, detailed survey and exploration to establish the type, distribution and reserves of deposits, assess whether they are worth mining and design development plans
Compiling combined maps and writing reports on the results
Writing technical standards, quality standards and operating procedures for geological and mineral survey work
Giving technical advice on geological and mineral surveys

Ways in

University: Engineering degrees, Offered by 105 universities in China Related undergraduate subject classes in the Ministry of Education catalogue (2025): Geological Engineering (0814); majors such as Resource Exploration Engineering, Exploration Technology and Engineering, Geological Engineering, Groundwater Science and Engineering, Tourism Geoscience and Planning Engineering, Intelligent Earth Exploration. Matched to the occupation by Peernovo.
University: Science degrees, Offered by 99 universities in China Related undergraduate subject classes in the Ministry of Education catalogue (2025): Geology (0709); majors such as Geology, Geo-information Science and Technology, Geochemistry, Palaeontology. Matched to the occupation by Peernovo.
Vocational majors: Higher vocational college (高职专科) major: Coalfield Geological Exploration (420105). Vocational major 420105 Coalfield Geological Exploration (煤田地质勘查), 3 years. The Ministry of Education's 2022 major profiles list this occupation among those the major prepares students for (职业面向). Example certificates: Digital Technology Applications in Mining.; Higher vocational college (高职专科) major: Geological Hazard Investigation and Prevention (420207). Vocational major 420207 Geological Hazard Investigation and Prevention (地质灾害调查与防治), 3 years. The Ministry of Education's 2022 major profiles list this occupation among those the major prepares students for (职业面向).; Higher vocational college (高职专科) major: Geological Survey and Mineral Prospecting (420102). Vocational major 420102 Geological Survey and Mineral Prospecting (地质调查与矿产普查), 3 years. The Ministry of Education's 2022 major profiles list this occupation among those the major prepares students for (职业面向).; Higher vocational college (高职专科) major: Mineral Geological Exploration (420104). Vocational major 420104 Mineral Geological Exploration (矿产地质勘查), 3 years. The Ministry of Education's 2022 major profiles list this occupation among those the major prepares students for (职业面向). Example certificates: Real Estate Data Collection and Database Building.; Higher vocational college (高职专科) major: Urban Geological Investigation (420209). Vocational major 420209 Urban Geological Investigation (城市地质勘查), 3 years. The Ministry of Education's 2022 major profiles list this occupation among those the major prepares students for (职业面向).; Vocational bachelor (职业本科) major: Resource Exploration Engineering Technology (220101). Vocational major 220101 Resource Exploration Engineering Technology (资源勘查工程技术), 4 years. The Ministry of Education's 2022 major profiles list this occupation among those the major prepares students for (职业面向).

Pay · AI and this job

Median pay in China: CN¥79,500 a year (2025).
Middle half: CN¥55,200 to CN¥123,700. One in ten earn less than CN¥42,000 and one in ten more than CN¥192,300.
This is the figure for the mid group Engineering and Technical Personnel, not for this job alone.
National figure: wage prices of enterprise employees from the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security (MOHRSS) enterprise pay survey. The public sector and the self-employed are not covered.
Guangzhou only: median CN¥116,181 a year (2025), middle half CN¥77,050 to CN¥175,622.
This is the figure for the mid group Engineering and Technical Personnel, not for this job alone.
Generative AI can do relatively little of this work, by the ILO's global estimate.

Who does this work

The census group Engineering and Technical Personnel holds 2.35% of everyone employed in China; 17.1% of its workers are women (2020 Census).
48.9% are under 35, 45.1% are 35 to 54 and 6% are 55 or older. The middle age band is 35 to 39.
Census figures for the whole mid group (2020 long-form sample), not for this job alone.

Questions people ask

How do I become a Geological and Mineral Survey Engineer?

Ways in include: Engineering degrees; Science degrees; Higher vocational college (高职专科) major: Coalfield Geological Exploration (420105); Higher vocational college (高职专科) major: Geological Hazard Investigation and Prevention (420207).

How much does a Geological and Mineral Survey Engineer earn in China?

Across China, the median pay of enterprise employees is CN¥79,500 a year (Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security (MOHRSS), 2025). The public sector and the self-employed are not covered. It is the figure for the mid group Engineering and Technical Personnel. In Guangzhou alone it is CN¥116,181 a year (2025).

Will AI change the work of a Geological and Mineral Survey Engineer?

Generative AI can do relatively little of this work, by the ILO's global estimate.

Sources

Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security (MOHRSS): 2025 enterprise pay survey information: wage prices of enterprise employees by occupation mid group, and digital occupations (P10 to P90 annual CNY) (2025 (published 2026-07-08)), retrieved 5 October 2026
Guangzhou Human Resources and Social Security Bureau: Guangzhou 2025 labour market wage prices (P10 to P90 annual CNY by occupation) (2025 (enterprise pay survey)), retrieved 4 October 2026
National Bureau of Statistics of China: China Population Census Yearbook 2020, long-form tables 4-6 and 4-7 (employed by occupation mid group, sex, age) (2020 Census long form (10% sample)), retrieved 4 October 2026
International Labour Organization, Generative AI and Jobs: A Refined Global Index of Occupational Exposure (ILO Working Paper 140, Gmyrek et al.) (ILO Working Paper 140, May 2025, Annex Table A1), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 4 October 2026

Sources: Occupational Classification of the People's Republic of China (2022 edition, public consultation draft), Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, State Administration for Market Regulation and National Bureau of Statistics; Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, 2025 enterprise pay survey information; Guangzhou Human Resources and Social Security Bureau, 2025 labour market wage prices; National Bureau of Statistics of China (www.stats.gov.cn), 2020 Population Census yearbook; Ministry of Education, vocational education major profiles (2022 revision) and undergraduate major catalogue (2025); Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, national vocational qualifications catalogue (2021); O*NET interest scores (CC BY 4.0); ILO global generative AI exposure index (CC BY 4.0). Figures processed by Peernovo. English text, translations and the matching of occupations to ISCO-08, majors, degree fields and qualifications by Peernovo.

Descriptions and tasks are Peernovo's own words, written from the facts in the Occupational Classification of the People's Republic of China (2022 edition). Job titles and work types are the classification's own.

Updated 5 October 2026