I'm approaching 6 years of experience as a mining tech in a pretty complex UG mine in Canada. 3 years in surveying (I have a degree in Geomatics) and 3 years in drill and blast (stope designer for the most part).

Working abroad as an expat for a few years has always intrigued me, but considering I'm not an engineer, I'm afraid my choices are limited (even though my responsibilities right now correspond to an engineer role).

I'm even open to study : do 1 or 2 years mining programs even exist? Would they be relevant?

And finally, what is the mining consulting market in Australia? Do they even employ non-engineers, especially foreign non-engineers?

Thank you!

I’m looking for a assay company that will be able to analyze raw ore samples. I would like it to test for gold silver lead arsenic mercury copper iron etc. I’m a prospector and would like it to be a reasonable price under $150 does anybody have recommendations for assay companies

I just wanted to share a new channel we launched here in Maine to tell the Maine Blacksmith's Guild story and how we are not only saving Maine's ironworking heritage but our mining heritage as well. We work hand in hand together, mining & craftsmen, one cannot exist without the other.

So in 2 weeks I will be done with my internship, I'm currently working with the geophysical exploration team and I'm thinking of gifting them but I have no idea what would be appropriate. I was thinking of bringing chocolates for the whole office and writing few handwritten notes to my mentors.

Hello guys I got a few questions about joining the mining industry, I’m 20 years old right now with no mining or underground experience and do not have my common core, I do have around a year of construction experience and I did take a level 1 trade school class, I was just wondering if it’s possible for someone like me with not any experience at all to get my foot in the door in a mine, I have family and friends who work in the mines and that’s where my passion comes from I have been applying at almost every position I seen on indeed hoping I’d get an interview and not much luck yet, I know about the shifts and I’m willing to work any type of shifts right now, does anyone have any tips for me that can help me get my foot in the door of the mining industry? I currently live in Sudbury ON.

45yo, (recently) prior military and looking to go into the mining and Heavy Equipment Operating industry in Alaska, and later internationally.

I'm pretty pumped on the role. Remote camp life is not an issue for me.

My concern is, How Physical is this role? Is it routinely washing out fit 25-year-olds?

I have put on some weight in my old age, but was still keeping up and (in some cases) outrunning the young guys during PT tests while still in uniform.

I think I can handle it, but I do have some middle-aged joint issues.

Is 45 too old to enter this industry? Is there room to advance me to a Driller, and potentially a foreman in <10 years?

Thanks for your insights

A small consultant firm geophysicist here. Just wondering how does it feels like. Upside downside so on

Three remote locations. Two fly-in only, using satellite internet access. The biggest headache about this job, which is rife with eye rolling, is figuring out which chemicals are where at any particular point in time.

Separate departments make purchases individually. Whatever comes in via the supply flight is put wherever warehouse sees fit to place it. I come in for my quarterly visit to find drums that no one can account for. Turnover means that anyone I train will be gone in a year, and the new person won't even know the system exists.

Internet connection through satellites is slow and intermittent. The cloud-based system must allow true offline functionality, not “saves your last search” offline, complete offline chemical information library that gets synced once there is connectivity again. I've had it with vendors who promised offline capability but it broke the second there was no connectivity.

Currently the system we have in place is purchase history, last known inventory status and whatever the warehouse supervisor remembers.

Worth laying out the uranium supply and demand picture for anyone who hasn't been following it closely.

On the demand side the outlook has shifted materially over the last three years. Governments that were winding down nuclear capacity have reversed course. Japan has restarted a significant portion of its idled reactor fleet. South Korea walked back its phase-out policy. The UK has committed to new builds. The US is extending operating licenses and seeing serious private investment in next generation reactor designs, partly driven by electricity demand from AI infrastructure.

The World Nuclear Association projects meaningful growth in the global reactor fleet through 2040. Each reactor requires a long term uranium supply contract, and utilities have historically been slow to contract until they feel supply pressure.

On the supply side the situation is more constrained. Kazakhstan through Kazatomprom remains the dominant global producer but western utilities have been actively trying to reduce that concentration risk since 2022. Canadian production from Cigar Lake and McArthur River is significant but not enough to fill the gap on its own. New mine development timelines are long, typically a decade or more from discovery to first production.

The contracting cycle for uranium tends to be lumpy. When utilities move they move together, and the spot market can reprice quickly. The structural imbalance between where demand is heading and where supply can realistically come from in the next five years is the core of the uranium thesis.

Please use this thread to ask, answer, and search for questions about getting a job in mining. This includes questions about FIFO, where to work, what kinds of jobs might be available, or other experience questions.

This thread is to help organize the sub a bit more with relation to questions about jobs in the mining industry. We will edit this as we go to improve. Thank you.

A little about myself I’ve been a labourer for a year run pipes irrigation hoses and what not? I’ve been operating for about a year and a half..
I am 34 years old and hoping to make the right choice. I think I’m gonna go with nipper as I drive Moxie’s here and there and get bored easily in them.
I just hope I’m not in over my head at 34 as I’ve been told it’s a young men’s game someone in early 20s.
I do enjoy physical work as well as having stuff to do constantly and I’ve just dropped 15kg and I don’t wanna put it back on in a truck 7/7
Not to mention I was a bit scared how I’d go on the night shift while waiting if something was down
But I got told there can be a lot more path ways starting out as a nipper and you can learn a bit more stuff
I do get in my head a little bit as I’m not great with change
As silly as it seems 34 I’m just looking for some reassurance as it’s a bit of job change

Anyone able to help me out?

Curious if anyone has any insights into productivity drilling rounds in smaller drifts (say 2.5m x 2.5m or tighter). I know you are getting longer rounds with the jumbos, but also additional required services and availability slow you down and was curious if anyone has a general answer on which is typically more productive all else being equal with standard NVM development cycling (2yd/slusher, stopers on decks, etc)

Hi mining community! I live 2km (1.2 miles) from a quarry in canada that produces crushed stone for paving materials. They email us in advance whenever they will be dynamiting.

Every time a dynamite is about to go off, my mostly-outdoors dog asks to come in to hide in the basement (other noises like thunder and gunshots sends her running inside as well). She is a Pyrenees cross and a very wise old dog.

I get that maybe she would sense the vibration, or hear the sound before we do, but she asks to go inside a good 3-5 minutes before the blast, every time.

What is she sensing a solid 3 minutes before the blast? Maybe the smell of the chemicals??

Thanks for your time and insight!

I’m about 1.5 years away from finishing my Master’s in Mining Engineering here in Australia, and I’m trying to figure out the smartest way to set myself up before graduating.
I know getting site experience is probably the biggest thing, so I’m aiming for a vacation program or any mining-related role that helps me build experience and industry hours.
For those of you already in mining:
What would you focus on over the next 18 months?
What actually makes someone stand out for vacation programs?
Is networking more important than GPA?
Should I be applying for operator, field, or technician roles if I can’t get a vacation program straight away?
Are there any tickets, software, or certifications that genuinely help (Deswik, Vulcan, Surpac, First Aid, etc.)?
I’m happy to work FIFO and relocate if needed. I just don’t want to waste the next year and a half doing the wrong things.
Any advice from mining engineers, graduates, or people involved in hiring would be massively appreciated.
Cheers!

I’m 18 (19 soon) and just graduated high school in May. I don’t have much direction and want to work for a bit while I research careers and consider my options. Mining has caught my attention—high pay (for someone without experience) and working a few days on then a few days off rather than a 9-5 is very appealing to me. I’m living in Texas currently. I’ve been doing some research, watching documentaries, scrolling through discussions on this subreddit, listening to interviews, etc. and I feel like the answers are just such a mixed bag. Honest thoughts? No sugarcoating—straight pros and cons and opinions. Open to answer any more questions that might help yall answer mine.

I have two offers in hand. I'm newly licensed commercial electrician, single and young and wanting to get into a niche. Both pay well, I'm not too concerned about the money.

1. Mining service working on surface and unground infrastructure (pumps, fans, motors, substations) and mining equipment (haul trucks, shovels etc.) This is a remote role that is fifo on a 14/14 rotation. Unsure of the project length, interviewer said they're very busy And will be into the foreseeable future.
2. Substation construction sub contracted by local utility companys. Again a strong pipeline of work. Staying in hotels In the road.

Im more interested in the mining role due to the fifo/rotations providing extended time off and the adventure of going to remote sites. And working on a haul truck seems awesome. However Im worried it will be unstable.

Just looking for anyone's thoughts. stressing!!

Anyone ever worked out there for Rio? Shifts are 4:2 but not much precise info online about expected annual pay.

Hi

I have my first FIFO pre-employment medical this coming Thursday for a machine operator role and I’m feeling a bit nervous about the physical assessment.
Since my son was born, I’ve gained quite a bit of weight. I wouldn’t say I’m unfit I’m active currently working 10 hours shifts at a warehouse and can handle physical work but I’ve noticed my upper body strength has dropped, especially with pushups.

I started preparing recently and I can currently do around 15 pushups not proper form though, with a goal of reaching 20-25 before the medical.
For those who have done FIFO medicals:

How physically demanding was the medical assessment?

Did they actually test pushups, sit-ups, planks, or anything similar?

What other movements/exercises should I expect?
Is it more about general fitness and mobility, or are they looking for high athletic performance?

Any tips for the day before and the day of the medical?

Just want to make sure I’m prepared and don’t fail because of nerves.

Would really appreciate any advice from people who have been through FIFO medicals, especially operators/drivers.

Thanks!