Mining and mineral processing plant operators

How to become a mineral and stone processing plant operator

Official title: Mineral and stone processing plant operators

Also called: Coal washer, Crusher operator (mineral or stone processing), Flotation worker (mineral processing), Gold precipitator, Machine operator (stone cutting or processing), Milling machine operator (minerals)

Mineral and stone processing plant operators monitor and operate machinery and equipment for processing rocks, minerals and stone to recover refined products for immediate use or further processing.

Main tasks

Setting up and operating stationary plant and machinery which grind, crush, cut, saw and slice rocks, minerals and stones according to the specifications for the job
Positioning blocks and slabs of stone onto machines for sawing, cutting and further working
Monitoring and maintaining the flow of unprocessed rocks, minerals and stones from conveyors into machines
Operating washing, separating, leaching, precipitating, filtering, extracting and combining equipment to remove waste material and recover minerals
Combining mineral ores with solvents to facilitate further processing
Separating metal and mineral concentrates from ore and alluvial deposits by thickening, flotation, gravity separation, filtration, or magnetic and electrostatic separation
Observing meters, gauges and control panels, adjusting valves and controls to ensure the safe and efficient operation of equipment, detecting malfunctions and assisting with plant and machinery maintenance and repair
Examining processed materials visually or with hands to ensure compliance with established standards and job specifications, and collecting samples for testing in laboratories
Recording information about processing completed during shifts, such as quantities, types and dimensions of materials produced
Sorting, stacking and moving processed minerals and stone for packaging, further processing or shipping

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

Median pay: HK$20,000 a month
About 387,500 people in 2025, and about 403,200 projected by 2028. (+4.1%)
Generative AI can do relatively little of this work, by the ILO's global estimate.

Questions people ask

Do you need a degree to become a mineral and stone processing plant operator?

Usually not. Only 10% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Will AI change the work of a mineral and stone processing plant operator?

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

Sources

Census and Statistics Department (2021 Population Census): 2021 Population Census, Interactive Data Dissemination Service: working population by occupation (38 groups) and sex, age, education, income; median income and field of education (9 groups) (2021 Population Census), retrieved 4 October 2026
Census and Statistics Department (General Household Survey): Median monthly employment earnings by occupation (9 groups), excluding foreign domestic helpers (Table 210-06317A); employed persons by occupation, age and sex (210-06307A) and by industry (210-06308A) (2025 annual (series to 2026-07)), retrieved 4 October 2026
Labour and Welfare Bureau; tables published by C&SD: Mid-term Update of Manpower Projection to 2028: supplementary statistical tables (5 occupation groups, 17 selected industries) (2025 to 2028 (published 2026-09)), 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

Updated 4 October 2026