if i wanted to ride the mining boom.. (1 Viewer)

[BackCountrySnow]

Yes.

I just registered here because it seems there are a few misleading posts in this thread. Briefly my background in answering this question comes from living in a mining community for the past ten years. My father has spent the last 20 years working in mines both in Australia and overseas.

Mines employ various types of engineers, but most common ones are Mining, Mechanical, Electrical and Chemical. These are the streams that are required onsite on a daily basis just to keep the mines running. While you'll sometimes find electronic, telecommunication, mechatronic and civil engineers on site, these streams of engineers more often than not work for consultancies and will just do occasional site visits to check on projects the consultancy is in charge of. If you are wanting into mining for the money then these consultancies usually only pay a premium when you are required to be on-site, and in the main you'll be city-based.

That's good to hear. Mechanical engineering is what sounds most interesting to me anyway. What are the conditions like at the mines?

 

[gcspsp]

The chemical engineers are primarly used in post extraction processing areas, so separation and refining of ores. A mine like Olympic Dam in SA which has an onsite refinery will tend to employ more than sites that just ship concentrate offsite to refine elsewhere. When we actually lived there the then Residential Manager (Mining Engineer) was sacked and replaced by a Chemical Engineer because it was believed that a Chemical Engineer was the most suitable choice for a site running a refinery.

So I guess a Chemical Engineer employed in refining would be required to stay onsite?

 

[gcspsp]

It really does depend on the mine but if they have family residences and good facilities in town, then they would probably want them to be residents rather than fly-in/fly-out.

There are still many mines that don't have housing. So those would still be FIFO. Places like Olympic Dam though, you'd more likely than not be expected to reside there. The more senior engineers get much higher specced houses than other employees. At Olympic Dam that includes in-ground pools.

Added: Not that it is as import to graduate engineers as it is to more senior ones, but mining companies usually will see that your partner has employment as well if they want it. One of the other things to bear in mind is that in the mining industry at a senior level it is common for your partner to be flown to site as well, and the pair of you wined and dined by management to assess BOTH of you for suitability.

Wow! Thats all I can say!

 

[bigboyjames]

miner is lying. he doesn't know anything about engineering. all empty words. i advise BOS to ban his account.

/end troll

 

[proringz]

Do the Engineering course in UNSW (Civil/Mining). My friend's in the same position as you (wants to do mining but not forever, or not sure if he gonna like it), so do a double major and you can pick a career after that or switch halfway.

 

[bigboyjames]

Do the Engineering course in UNSW (Civil/Mining). My friend's in the same position as you (wants to do mining but not forever, or not sure if he gonna like it), so do a double major and you can pick a career after that or switch halfway.

listen, your friend is a twat. srsly.

 

[tau281290]

China's imports of coal and steel from Australia are slowing, read this.

Up here in Newcastle, there are heaps of coking coal ships that are anchored off the coast because China is not taking the shipments. Prices are dropping for coking coal, steel and iron ore.

Full Transcript.

That's is very correct. There is no boom anymore, the boom already reached its peak in 2007/8. So now you will just ride the slumping mining sector, not a "mining boom".

If you want to wait for the next mining boom to come, I can assure you it won't be any time near your uni graduation.

 

[Graney]

A couple of other degrees that could get you "riding the mining boom" include Geology or Mineral Geoscience, Environmental Science and Metallurgy.

This is what I was going to suggest. Environmental and geology science majors are great to be in right now.

With regards to the boom, there may be a short term slump due to the state of the global economy, but the prospectus looking at ten years to a career, is still fantastic.

 

[velox]

Only problem is when Iron Ore contracts with Chinese steel mills are renegotiated in April 2009. Prices will tank then.

China's imports of coal and steel from Australia are slowing, read this.

Up here in Newcastle, there are heaps of coking coal ships that are anchored off the coast because China is not taking the shipments. Prices are dropping for coking coal, steel and iron ore.

Full Transcript.

I have just written a piece on what you have mentioned.

Coking coal and Iron ore are at spectacular highs because of the fact that they are traded off exchange and only in contract form. Steel on the other hand has tanked, and it costs more to buy the precursors of Iron ore and coking coal, than the current spot price for steel.

Australia has always had a ports problem, I havent read the article but there have always been delays at Australian ports due to the poor infrastructure we have. But yes, China is slowing, and is stockpiling materials because they can. However I dont believe the demand for our commodities will drop so much that engineers/mining (professional) personnel will be unemployed. There is still a skills shortage out there.

Miner: Your insights are valued and are aligned with what I have been told by employees of mining giants.

 

[Miner]

Australia has always had a ports problem, I havent read the article but there have always been delays at Australian ports due to the poor infrastructure we have.

Don't forget to factor in the wharfies and their union.

 

[velox]

Don't forget to factor in the wharfies and their union.

Apologies for the omission, I was only small then

Miner: I assume you are in SA?

 

[jb_nc]

You probably should build a timemachine.

I don't think the "boom" where people were getting paid $100 000 a year to drive a big truck is going to last much longer at all.

I think it will be over by the time you graduate university.

Go a generalist degree rather than a highly specalised B E (Mining bauxite in Queensland while wearing a white (but not yellow) hardhat)

 

[velox]

You probably should build a timemachine.

I don't think the "boom" where people were getting paid $100 000 a year to drive a big truck is going to last much longer at all.

I think it will be over by the time you graduate university.

Go a generalist degree rather than a highly specalised B E (Mining bauxite in Queensland while wearing a white (but not yellow) hardhat)

Large well capitalised miners are still hiring, and taking many interns. Obviously better to do a broad degree like civil, mech, elec rather than mining.

 

[jb_nc]

Large well capitalised miners are still hiring, and taking many interns. Obviously better to do a broad degree like civil, mech, elec rather than mining.

Any chance of landing an internship place at this late stage?

Any ideas of who to apply with?

 

[velox]

Any chance of landing an internship place at this late stage?

Any ideas of who to apply with?

I doubt it at this stage. Should have applied to BHP before, as they had quite a few places. Chem Eng right?

 

[velox]

Yep. Lived a few years in Roxby Downs the township built by WMC to service the Olympic Dam mine. Left there when the old man headed off to South America for work but he's now contracting back in South Aust FIFO at Prominent Hill. Next contract starts after Christmas FIFO in northern WA for 6 months then back to a different mine in SA following that.

Added:



You are months too late for these. Start looking in Feb/March next year. The one thing you can be guaranteed of is a very long application process. Keep your eyes open for the big players campaigns like BHP Billiton, Rio Tinto, Xstrata and Oz Minerals. If they offer it then register on there websites for their graduate newsletters and they'll keep you up to date on their application times for various programs.

Cool, I once passed through Roxby when I went to Woomera - fun times.

Ironically Rio, Xstrata and Ozminerals have not even contacted me to say whether ive made it through to the next round or not! BHP are pretty much done with recruitment, so the others will get the left overs from BHP.

Most were open until Aug/Sept. Anglogold is still open but not for chem eng (I dont think so).

Why does your old man contract? More money? Or does he just prefer a different scenery?