Occupation

Mining and Geological Engineers, Including Mining Safety Engineers

Human Advantage 70%

Significant human skills needed

AI Automation Risk Low Risk
2.6 / 10

This occupation requires complex human judgment, social interaction, and creative problem-solving that are difficult to automate.

Conduct subsurface surveys to identify the characteristics of potential land or mining development sites. May specify the ground support systems, processes, and equipment for safe, economical, and environmentally sound extraction or underground construction activities. May inspect areas for unsafe geological conditions, equipment, and working conditions. May design, implement, and coordinate mine safety programs.

Also Known As: Coal Mine Inspector, Engineer, Exploration Engineer, Field Engineer, Geological Engineer, Geophysical Engineer, Geotechnical Engineer, Geotechnical Project Engineer +28 more

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Core Tasks

  1. Prepare technical reports for use by mining, engineering, and management personnel.
  2. Inspect mining areas for unsafe structures, equipment, and working conditions.
  3. Select or develop mineral location, extraction, and production methods, based on factors such as safety, cost, and deposit characteristics.
  4. Select locations and plan underground or surface mining operations, specifying processes, labor usage, and equipment that will result in safe, economical, and environmentally sound extraction of minerals and ores.
  5. Prepare schedules, reports, and estimates of the costs involved in developing and operating mines.
  6. Monitor mine production rates to assess operational effectiveness.
  7. Supervise, train, and evaluate technicians, technologists, survey personnel, engineers, scientists or other mine personnel.
  8. Examine maps, deposits, drilling locations, or mines to determine the location, size, accessibility, contents, value, and potential profitability of mineral, oil, and gas deposits.
  9. Design, implement, and monitor the development of mines, facilities, systems, or equipment.

Supplemental Tasks (9)

  1. Test air to detect toxic gases and recommend measures to remove them, such as installation of ventilation shafts.
  2. Implement and coordinate mine safety programs, including the design and maintenance of protective and rescue equipment and safety devices.
  3. Devise solutions to problems of land reclamation and water and air pollution, such as methods of storing excavated soil and returning exhausted mine sites to natural states.
  4. Lay out, direct, and supervise mine construction operations, such as the construction of shafts and tunnels.
  5. Design, develop, and implement computer applications for use in mining operations such as mine design, modeling, or mapping or for monitoring mine conditions.
  6. Select or devise materials-handling methods and equipment to transport ore, waste materials, and mineral products efficiently and economically.
  7. Evaluate data to develop new mining products, equipment, or processes.
  8. Design mining and mineral treatment equipment and machinery in collaboration with other engineering specialists.
  9. Conduct or direct mining experiments to test or prove research findings.

Education & Training

Job Zone 4 Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
Education: Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Experience: A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
On-the-Job Training: Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.

Education Level Distribution

Percentage of workers in this occupation with each education level.

Bachelor's Degree
79%
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Baccalaureate degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees carrying the title of Master.
17%
Master's Degree
3%
Some College Courses
1%
Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)
1%

Technology & Tools

Hot Technologies

  • Autodesk AutoCAD
  • Autodesk AutoCAD Civil 3D
  • Microsoft Access
  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Office software
  • Microsoft Outlook
  • Microsoft PowerPoint
  • Microsoft Project
  • Microsoft SharePoint
  • Microsoft Windows
  • Microsoft Word
  • MySQL
  • Oracle Database
  • SAP software

Software (45)

  • Business software applications
  • Carlson SurvCADD
  • Computer aided design and drafting CADD software
  • CyberArk
  • Enterprise resource planning ERP software
  • GEO-SLOPE GeoStudio
  • Gemcom PCBC
  • Gemcom Surpac
  • Gemcom Whittle
  • GijimaAst Mining Solutions International Mine2-4D
  • Hellman & Schofield MP3
  • Maptek Vulcan
  • Mincom MineScape
  • MineSight
  • Minemax iGantt
  • Modular Mining Systems DISPATCH
  • Ohio Automation Integrated Computer Aided Mine Planning System ICAMPS
  • Oracle JD Edwards EnterpriseOne
  • Oracle Primavera Systems
  • Overland Conveyor Belt Analyst
  • Promine
  • RungePincockMinarco XERAS
  • RungePincockMinarco XPAC
  • Schlumberger PIPESIM
  • Site mapping software
  • Statistical software
  • Structure query language SQL
  • Trimble Geomatics Office
  • VMware
  • Ventsim
  • Word processing software

Tools & Equipment (15)

  • Clinometers
  • Color plotting printers
  • Combustible gas detectors
  • Computer scanners
  • Desktop computers
  • Digital plotters
  • Directional compasses
  • Geological hammers
  • Global positioning system GPS receivers
  • Handheld calculators
  • Laptop computers
  • Measuring tapes
  • Personal computers
  • Stratum compasses
  • Universal serial bus USB flash drives

Where This Career Leads

Career progression organized by specialty track and experience level.

Resource Extraction Advanced Manufacturing

Zone 1
Zone 4
Mining and Geological Engineers, Including Mining Safety Engineers You are here
Zone 5
Hydrologists 78% match

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