Day in the life
A Day in the Life of a Mining Engineer
What mining engineers actually do from the start of a shift to the end: the tasks, tools, schedule and realities of the job.
What is a typical day like for a mining engineer?
Morning safety meeting. From there, the day usually includes design mines, plan production, and design ventilation. Full time, sometimes rotations at remote sites.
Hour by hour: a typical shift
No two days are identical, but this timeline reflects a realistic day for a mining engineer working full time.
- Morning safety meeting.
- Inspect a pit wall.
- Update the mine plan.
- Meet the drill and blast team.
- Run ventilation models.
- Review production numbers.
- Plan next week.
Where mining engineers work
Mining engineers work at mine sites and in offices, often in remote areas.
Hours and schedule
Full time, sometimes rotations at remote sites.
Tasks you’ll do most often
- Design mines
- Plan production
- Design ventilation
- Plan ground support
- Estimate costs
- Ensure safety
- Plan reclamation
Tools you’ll use every day
- Deswik or Vulcan
- AutoCAD
- GIS
- Drones
- Ventilation software
- Excel
The best and hardest parts of the job
What people like
- High pay
- Battery minerals demand
- Field and office mix
- Big operations
What’s hard
- Remote locations
- Industry cycles
- Safety pressure
- Rotations away from home
You’ll likely thrive if…
- I like geology and engineering
- I don’t mind remote sites
- I care about safety
- I like big operations
- I want high pay
- I solve problems
Not sure? Take the free Mining Engineer fit quiz or the Career Match Quiz.
Staying safe on the job
- Follow MSHA rules
- Monitor ground stability
- Ensure ventilation
- Plan for emergencies