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Miner
Miners operate equipment to excavate, load and transport
coal, ore, mineral sand and rock either underground or in
open-cut mines.
Underground miners travel down vertical shafts or sloping
declines to reach the work face.
Open-cut and surface miners extract the mineral ore using
mining machines, drilling and blasting methods, ripping (e.g.
by bulldozer) or dredging.
Miners may specialise as an:
Open-cut Miner who may perform the following tasks:
- operates drilling rigs to drill holes in the benches of
open cuts, according to the blast pattern
- loads holes with explosives and triggers the blast
- operates excavating or ripping machines to remove
overburden and/or coal, ore and rock
- operates loading equipment to load trucks for the
transport of material to stockpile or treatment
- operates bulldozing equipment to move materials into
place for dredging
- operates mobile plant machinery - such as bucketwheel
excavators, draglines, mining shovels, bulldozers, graders
and front-end loaders to develop and maintain benches, haul
roads and stockpiles
- sets up lighting, pumping and other equipment.
Underground Miner who may perform the following
tasks:
- extracts coal or ore by drilling and blasting
- cuts drives or drill holes with hand or machine mounted
hydraulic drills according to plans devised by production
geologists or mining engineers
- loads ore into mine cars, trucks or conveyors, for
transport to underground crushers or to the surface
- rockbolts the walls and roofs of mines, and builds
timber or steel sets to support the rock
- installs vertical shafts and ventilation rises for air
circulation
- installs pipelines, pumps, vent ducting and cabling to
service the mine
- back-fills mineral voids.
With experience and sometimes further training, it is
possible to become a
Mine Shift Supervisor who may perform the following
tasks:
- regularly inspects mine sites, both above and below
ground
- makes sure that roadways are in safe condition
- supervises shotfiring
- conducts tests to detect the presence of gas, and makes
sure underground ventilation is adequate
- makes sure mine personnel know and comply with safety
regulations and emergency procedures in regard to electrical
and mechanical equipment, the storage and use of explosives
and the support structure of the mine.
Other career progressions for miners include registered
mine manager, 'undermanager', mine deputy and open cut
examiner.
Mines are often located in remote areas where miners and
plant operators may have to work in dusty, hot and noisy
conditions. However, many workers are employed at mine sites
on a fly-in/fly-out basis, usually flying from a base location
to the mine site, where they work for a number of weeks and
then return to the base location. Although they work as part
of a team, they generally work without direct supervision.
Required Skills - Miner
- enjoy practical and manual activities
- aptitude for mechanical equipment operation
- able to tolerate physically demanding work, including
shift work
- willing to work within occupational health and safety
rules
- age limits may apply
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