Mining Engineer
Mining Engineering jobs are projected to rise in the next years, that’s why many are pursuing a course in this field.
Relatively, mining engineering is one of the smallest fields in engineering but it is one of the most important jobs in our world today—and it is still growing.
To understand the nature of this field more, here is a short description about mining engineering.
What is a Mining Engineer?
Mining engineers are responsible for designing safe and efficient mines for removing coal and metals. They are responsible for optimizing mines for extracting resources in the most efficient and effective way that is possible. They also make sure that they extract as much of the resource as possible.
Mining engineers, more often than not, have their own specialization in a certain metal or mineral. There are those that work together with geologists so they will be able to find and evaluate new ore deposits. On the other hand, there are those that specialize in developing or improving mining equipment, manage processing operations that segregate and refine minerals.
There are mining safety engineers as well. They implement the best practices in the field, conduct mine and equipment inspections, monitor the air quality, and make sure that their company complies with all the safety regulations to keep the workers safe.
What Do Mining Engineers Do?
Mainly, mining engineers design underground mines as well as open-pit mines, they supervise the construction of structures in the mines, planning of transportation of minerals to processing plants, monitor production, and do reports as well.
These professionals assess the geological characteristics of mining sites to find the best structures and equipment as well as process that fit the mine best.
They also make sure that the operations conducted are environmentally sound.
Get a Mining Engineer Degree
To become a mining engineer, the first step you have to take is to finish a bachelor’s degree in mining engineering or geological engineer.
Since there are very few schools around the globe which offer mining engineering programs, students who do not have access to a university that offers such may need to specialize in this area from within general engineering programs.
Some programs in mining engineering include geology, mine design and safety, physics, and mathematics.
Where do Mining Engineers Work
Many mining engineers work in mining operations in locations that are remote. However, there are some that work in sand-and-gravel operations that are found nearby cities. As time goes by, some may work their way up to office-based positions in mining firms or consultation companies which are in business districts or metropolitan areas.
Most mining engineers work full time. Those who work in remote locations have schedules with different shifts that exceed 40 hours per week.
