Going to the mines

dishpig · 24-05-2007, 09:50 AM

Hi all,
This is a question out to all the miners out there. I'm just wondering how I could I get into the mining industry and start off a career there. Like what coarses to do who to call etc. I am willing to work the hard yards if needed.

uranium_death · 24-05-2007, 10:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dishpig

Hi all,
This is a question out to all the miners out there. I'm just wondering how I could I get into the mining industry and start off a career there. Like what coarses to do who to call etc. I am willing to work the hard yards if needed.

Hello there.
You can do work there as an engineer or geologist.
You can do geology or engineering at most major universities, I would have thought. With HECS, your course over 4 years may be around $20,000, give or take a little.

I know squat, but that's a basic start.

dishpig · 24-05-2007, 10:34 AM

Sorry should have explained a bit more, I'm more into the constant hard work sort of thing. Like inside the mine doing the grueling work.

||| · 24-05-2007, 11:05 AM

you can drive a big dump truck. you just have to do a course on how to drive a big dump truck. talk to the recruiters is the best bet.

i love those big dump trucks

DODDO · 24-05-2007, 02:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by |||

you can drive a big dump truck. you just have to do a course on how to drive a big dump truck. talk to the recruiters is the best bet.

i love those big dump trucks

...and join the massive waiting list for that type of job.

||| · 24-05-2007, 02:54 PM

maybe he can change the tyres on them when they get a flat or wash them after every shift with a huge sponge

DODDO · 24-05-2007, 02:57 PM

hahaha, nice one

Brute6 · 24-05-2007, 03:01 PM

I used to work over in Kalgoorlie, and started out at one of the employment agency-type places. Easiest and quickest way of getting in. Mainly because thats how the mining companies find all their labourers instead of finding them themselves. Extraman was who I went through in Kalgoorlie.

DODDO · 24-05-2007, 03:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brute6

I used to work over in Kalgoorlie, and started out at one of the employment agency-type places. Easiest and quickest way of getting in. Mainly because thats how the mining companies find all their labourers instead of finding them themselves. Extraman was who I went through in Kalgoorlie.

If you dont mind me asking, what were you doing there, and did it pay good?

Im asking as im a qualified diesel and plant mechanic, but would do any job that was given to me in a mine, if the pay is what ive heard it is.

Cheers!

Brute6 · 24-05-2007, 03:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DODDOAU

If you dont mind me asking, what were you doing there, and did it pay good?

Im asking as im a qualified diesel and plant mechanic, but would do any job that was given to me in a mine, if the pay is what ive heard it is.

Cheers!

I was in Kalgoorlie at a Nickel and Cobalt mine, it wasn't an underground mine. It has since shutdown, but I think from memory I was on somewhere around the $15/hour, as a labourer. 12 hour shifts, 4 days, 4 night and 4 off. I then moved closer to home and started at the Stawell Gold mine which is an underground mine. Awesome experience!!!! Working 1000m underground.... Was on the service/maintenance crew. Around $13/hour - pretty poor but I was after the expereince at that stage. Just wanted any job I could there, then the plan was to move up the ladder. Had a landcruiser as my site truck, 12 hour days, 2 days, 2 nights then 4 off. Very hard work, but as I have no problem with elbow grease work, its an awesome experience to have!!!
But generally, if you are a dumpy driver, loader, or into the explosives, thats where the big $$ are.....

Green X · 24-05-2007, 07:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DODDOAU

If you dont mind me asking, what were you doing there, and did it pay good?

Im asking as im a qualified diesel and plant mechanic, but would do any job that was given to me in a mine, if the pay is what ive heard it is.

Cheers!

Mate you have Experience with heavy diesel equipment you could walk into a mining Job in WA 100K+ a year easy. My mate works for Caterpillar and he is on around 110K. With some rosters you end up working only 6-7 moths a year.

One of my mates has just been doing Shut-downs up north pulling 3k for 5 days work, and he reckons it’s cruzy as ******, one day they played 22 consecutive games of Canasta wile they were waiting for parts to show up LMAO.

macca13 · 24-05-2007, 03:11 PM

The best way is to take ANY job that will get you to mine site even if its cleaning the rooms at the camp once your there you can make the contacts you need to start out mining. Unless you have a trade or uni degree there is no real courses you can do to help, you can do generic mine inductions at training places and senior first aid always looks good. As Brute6 said labour hire places generally have openings for labourers just be prepared to do anything to get on a minesite and start making contacts, most managers will hire someone they know over someone they don't.
Have fun I head back underground next week after 2 years in a town job.

Falcon_Phill · 24-05-2007, 03:25 PM

I was going to do it at one stage. All you need is your induction training, which is a week long course that shows you what its like to be underground, safety underground and a heap of tests. Once you do that all you pay $700 and get a certificate, then you just need to find someone who is hiring. Be persistent with them is the advice i was given from other miners.

dishpig · 24-05-2007, 03:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Falcon_Phill

I was going to do it at one stage. All you need is your induction training, which is a week long course that shows you what its like to be underground, safety underground and a heap of tests. Once you do that all you pay $700 and get a certificate, then you just need to find someone who is hiring. Be persistent with them is the advice i was given from other miners.

Would you happen to know where I can lok to find an induction course. Prefably around Brisbane.

Falcon_Phill · 24-05-2007, 03:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dishpig

Would you happen to know where I can lok to find an induction course. Prefably around Brisbane.

Nah, i did mine at the Southern Mines Rescue Station in Russel vale NSW. This page might help though:

http://www.nrw.qld.gov.au/simtars/training_courses.html

DODDO · 24-05-2007, 03:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Falcon_Phill

Nah, i did mine at the Southern Mines Rescue Station in Russel vale NSW.]

How long did you do that course, how long did it go for and for what type of mining? ie. open cut coal, ore etc.?

Cheers.

svo347 · 24-05-2007, 03:32 PM

I too am a plant mechanic, been out of my apprenticeship 9 years or so.
Ive moved out of mining into construction and havent looked back, Annual income of $120-$140,000. Get into it mate seriously

DODDO · 24-05-2007, 03:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by svo347

I too am a plant mechanic, been out of my apprenticeship 9 years or so.
Ive moved out of mining into construction and havent looked back, Annual income of $120-$140,000. Get into it mate seriously

What sort of construction work are you doing, if you dont mind me asking?

**Polyal** · 24-05-2007, 05:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by svo347

I too am a plant mechanic, been out of my apprenticeship 9 years or so.
Ive moved out of mining into construction and havent looked back, Annual income of $120-$140,000. Get into it mate seriously

Holy Crap!

I was keen, well I still am, to work in the auto industry as an engineer, I had a stint with Ford which was good.

But the $$ in mining is so tempting, damn ive still go two years of my degree to go, hopefully its still all happening in WA by the time I am done.

Falcon_Phill · 24-05-2007, 03:48 PM

Coal, 5 days, 8am - 4pm. They used to take you into the mines for the last dayof training, but they wont anymore which sucked.

xb51 · 24-05-2007, 03:50 PM

In Queensland you need generic pasport (surface or underground) depending on which one you want to do.
Medical certificate to show your fit to work
Each mine has another induction into there mine site (boring as hell)
Every induction you do you cant start the induction till you have done there independent drug test.

dishpig · 24-05-2007, 04:41 PM

labouring sounds like an alright way to get into it. I'll keep trying till I get in.

ler · 24-05-2007, 05:17 PM

I was told getting truck or heavy machinery experience is a good way. Ive heard farmers are losing a lot of labourers to mining. Like from Driving dozers or some other farm machinery might be good experience.

dan.76 · 24-05-2007, 05:52 PM

explosives is another way to go, someone like orica.

mrniceguy · 24-05-2007, 07:03 PM

Watch you dont get ripped off, ive heard of people paying $4000 to do a course to drive a dump truck, when most companys will train you onsite.

Your best bet is to get onsite with a labour hire mob. And personally id avoid driving any sort of dump truck/loader etc. Boring as batshit. Get a job in a processing plant of some sort, the most dangerous and complex one you can. Experiance in these places is looked upon more favouably than say gold, which is pretty basic. Anything other than gold really.

**killerjoolz** · 24-05-2007, 07:59 PM

1st step join the CFMEU(union) and then try and get work with a mining contractor(Ditchfields etc),after that can usually pickup work in any mine as you will have contracting experience(usually the one you contract at)....all training is provided on the job,once you get the job with the mine they will send you for a medical and physical examination,as well as doing some induction training for the 1st week or so,always keep an eye out in all major newspapers for Mine Job Adverts,our mine here has just interviewed for adult Apprenticeships......Good Luck...PS my hubby is a coalminer...

sly · 24-05-2007, 08:37 PM

A lot of the labour hire firms are small local companies around the mines. There are a few big players that you might have in Brisbane, like Hudson, Skilled, Hays and possibly TESA.

Unlikely that the Brissy offices will recruit for the mines, but they might put you in contact with their offices in mining areas - they have to have a local presence near the mines to do stuff like inductions, clothing issues, briefings on site rule changes ("safety huddles") etc. When you get to speak to someone who actually recruits mining contractors, don't be shy about asking who else recruits in their local area. It shows you're keen & not going to sit on your **** waiting for them.

Things have slowed in the Hunter Valley the last couple of months as they can't get coal through the port quick enough. I guess chances are better in Qld.

Try not to spend money up front if you can avoid it. The mine I work at has trained hundreds of cleanskins in the last 3 years. Some spent $4,000 to train on trucks before they started - they went through training in about 4 weeks compared to 6 weeks for complete novices. And joining the CFMEU won't help you get a job - probably the opposite. Make up your mind about joining AFTER you get a job offer. It's probably a good idea to join as some companies have tried to force people to sign disgusting AWA's. If you've got the choice stick with award conditions or an EA if there's one available.

**killerjoolz** · 24-05-2007, 09:18 PM

years ago when my hubby 1st got in the mines,you had to be in the union 1st to get a job,sorry for the bum steer,thought it was still the go...lol

Walkinshaw · 27-05-2007, 12:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by killerjoolz

years ago when my hubby 1st got in the mines,you had to be in the union 1st to get a job,sorry for the bum steer,thought it was still the go...lol

That definatly use to be the case. Infact it is now highly illigal to make Union membership compuslary.

crusher · 24-05-2007, 11:57 PM

Could always go for Drilling mate. Big bucks doing that. Start off as a fieldey then move to Drillers offsider then to Driller 1 and so forth. Huge money in drilling. And you can end up on the rigs. Doing that you only end up working 6 months a year but get the pay of 12+.

I might be heading up in a couple months seeing how things go. Probably start as a fieldey or something. As long as your prepared to work your *** off youll be sweet mate.