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In the late 2000s, why would anyone consider a career in mining, which seems so 20th century? Because the work pays well, it’s much safer than it was decades ago and many mining industry jobs these days aren’t even in the mines.
The demand for mining labor and brains is high and rising. “The labor market is difficult for us; it’s tight,” says Russ Fields, president of the Nevada Mining Association. “Our major mines are looking for all kinds of employees, from introductory labor to scientists.” Jobs are open in mines from the Appalachians to the Mountain West and beyond, in operations that yield everything from coal to minerals to precious metals.
Recent Trend Has Reversed Decline of Mining Employment
For most of the past two decades, employment in mining and natural resources has eroded, from 771,000 in 1987 to 572,000 in 2003, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The causes for the decline included greater automation, which reduced manpower requirements, and the depletion of resources that could be mined profitably.
But about three years ago, this labor market turned on a dime when commodities prices began to spike, making a number of relatively expensive mining techniques economically viable. Mining employment rose 112,000 by 2006 to 684,000 -- an increase of nearly 20 percent.
Even if commodity prices stabilize, labor demand will likely continue to be high. “Fifty percent of workers in the industry will retire within 10 years,” says Leigh Freeman, general manager of Downing Teal, an executive recruitment firm specializing in mining and related industries. “It’s desperate, and the peak demand for talent is still three to four years out.”
Labor in the Mines, Professionals at the Drawing Boards
There are all kinds of jobs in the mining industry -- in the pits, underground and back at the business office. There have been recent job openings for the folks who operate the machinery, as well as for mine exploration geologists, mining production superintendents, mining safety engineers and even civic designers.
Mining companies also need practitioners of a number of core business disciplines, including business development, public relations, finance and legal.
Whether the work is blue collar, professional, technical or executive, the compensation is good. “A starting underground miner gets paid about $25 an hour,” says Fields. Many engineers and other mining professionals earn $100,000 or more.
Safety and Working Conditions
Like many industrial occupations in the United States, mining is much safer than it used to be.
Mining injuries have declined by more than half since 1990, from 8.36 per 200,000 labor hours to 3.92 in 2005, according to a National Mining Association summary of Mine Safety & Health Administration (MSHA) data. Mining also causes fewer nonfatal injuries than many industries, including manufacturing, construction, agriculture and retail trade, says the BLS.
Which is not to say that you can’t get killed working in a mine: 57 American miners died on the job in 2005, says the MSHA. Still, some miners don’t even work where the drill meets the rock. Telemining, which uses remotely controlled equipment to harvest marketable commodities, is becoming increasingly common.
For better or worse, mine workers are likely to work unconventional schedules. Miners may work day, night or graveyard 8-hour shifts, perhaps for 10 days straight, followed by five days off. Or they might work 12-hour shifts for two solid weeks, followed by a week off.
Women Make Inroads
Women mine workers are sought after, especially those with an aptitude for operating giant trucks or other heavy equipment. Fifteen to 20 percent of mine employees in Nevada are women, according to Fields.
Moreover, women are poised to achieve parity in mining engineering and management, sooner rather than later. Fifty percent of students in mining schools are female, according to Freeman.
