GineersNow Engineering Magazine November 2016 Issue No 009

Photo by ETHZürich
THIS IS HOW MUCH A MINING AND /
OR GEOLOGICAL ENGINEER EARNS
What exactly is the difference between a
mining engineer and a geological engineer?
What does each one of them do? Do they
get paid enough? How much do they earn
annually? Does working as a mining or
a geological engineer mean working in
isolated areas in mountains? Will one still
have a social life when working?
A geological engineer usually does the
research in order to locate where the
possible mineral deposits are. They go to
these sites and evaluate them. If any of
the places becomes a site where they can
extract valuable minerals, a geological
engineer plans how to extract them in the
most efficient and most environmental
friendly way.
The mining engineer specializes in one
particular mineral and also does the same
job as the geological engineer in finding the
most efficient way to extract the minerals
from the mining site.
Their work may sound easy but in real life,
the work is hard and dangerous. Mining
sites can go deep down under the ground.
With lack of ventilation, power and water,
it’s the engineer’s job to plan also a safe way
of getting the work done efficiently. These
engineers also work with geoscientists and
metallurgical engineers.
To become a mining and /or a geological
engineer, one must earn a bachelor’s degree
in an accredited engineering program and
pass the licensure exam (which vary from
state to state and country to country). There
are states that require engineers to continue
earning education credits to keep their
licenses.
One must hone in on their analytical skills,
decision-making and problem solving skills.
These engineers also use a lot of advanced
math principles, so that’s a lot of math for
them. They also need to develop their writing
skills since they must prepare reports and
instructions for everyone in the company.
These engineers work in offices of consulting
companies or mining firms so they most
likely live in urban areas. Some of them have
to work in remote areas where minerals are
usually found. Don’t worry, locals from the
community will entertain them.
How much are they earning?
Engineers earn different annual wages
in different fields. For those who offer
engineering services, the median annual wage
is around $78,560. Those who are part of the
metal ore and coal mining industry, they earn
around $85,000. While engineers who work in
the oil and gas extraction field are earning the
most with $115,860.
For the mining and geological engineering
students, the future is bright for them because
by the year 2024, many engineers will retire
by then. Also, not everyone can easily become
one because of the educational and licensing
requirements, so there won’t be too many
competition in the field.
64
NOVEMBER 2016
Mining Engineering and Its Importance