Every Australian Mine-Site Job Explained
From Entry-Level General Hands to Shift Supervisors >> What each Role Requires and What Tickets you Need to Enter Mine Sites In Australia
Runs a department — mining, maintenance, technical services or HSE.
Leads a crew of 8–20 operators/trades per shift. Owns safety and production.
Electrical fault-finding and installs on heavy mobile equipment.
Fabricates and repairs steel structures, chutes, hoppers, and process plant.
Grade control, resource modelling and orebody characterisation.
Maintains, repairs and replaces plant and equipment during scheduled mine site shutdowns.
Operates mobile and crawler cranes for shutdowns, construction and general lifts.
Maintains and repairs heavy mobile equipment — trucks, dozers, loaders.
Rigs loads for lifting, erects structural steel, installs conveyors and process plant.
Builds new mine infrastructure, process plant modules, camp buildings and civil earthworks.
Directs a crane operator and slings loads. Prerequisite for rigging.
Drives 200–400 tonne trucks moving ore and waste from pit to crusher.
Similar to haul truck but often smaller class trucks in gold/quarry operations.
Manages spares, consumables and dispatch in the mine site warehouse.
Does whatever the crew needs — cleaning, spotting, sample prep, labouring.
Cleans camp accommodation, wet mess and administration buildings.
Australian Mining Salary Guide
31 roles from camp attendant to company director — sort by pay, A–Z or qualifications.
| Role | Seniority | FIFO Package | Residential / DIDO | Quals Needed | Tickets & Qualifications |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Company Director / CEO (ASX Miner) | Executive | $900k – $4.0M | $900k – $4.0M | Very High | Degree plus MBA or CA/CPA, GAICD, 20+ years industry leadership |
| General Manager — Operations / Site GM | Executive | $400k – $750k | $380k – $700k | Very High | Engineering or Geoscience degree, WA/Qld Statutory Quarry or Mine Manager ticket, 15+ years |
| Registered / Statutory Mine Manager | Management | $320k – $550k | $300k – $500k | Very High | Mining Engineering degree, First Class Mine Manager's Certificate of Competency |
| Mining Manager / Operations Manager | Management | $280k – $450k | $260k – $420k | Very High | Engineering degree, statutory ticket, Cert IV Leadership, 10+ years |
| Maintenance Manager | Management | $240k – $380k | $220k – $350k | Very High | Mechanical/Electrical degree or trade plus Diploma, asset management experience |
| Shutdown / Turnaround Manager | Management | $230k – $360k | $200k – $320k | High | Trade plus project management, Cert IV WHS, Heights, Confined Space, Gas Test |
| Production / Mining Superintendent | Management | $220k – $340k | $200k – $310k | High | Engineering degree or extensive operations background, statutory supervisor tickets |
| Senior Mining Engineer | Technical | $200k – $320k | $185k – $290k | Very High | Mining Engineering degree, RPEQ or Chartered status, Vulcan/Deswik proficiency |
| Electrical Supervisor / HV Switching Coordinator | Supervisory | $190k – $300k | $175k – $270k | Very High | Electrical trade, unrestricted Electrical Licence, HV Switching, Cert IV Frontline |
| Senior Geologist (Production) | Technical | $180k – $280k | $165k – $255k | Very High | Geology degree, MAIG/AusIMM membership, 8+ years mine geology |
| Drill & Blast Supervisor | Supervisory | $175k – $260k | $160k – $235k | High | Shotfirer's Licence, Explosives Licence, Cert IV Frontline Management |
| Maintenance Supervisor | Supervisory | $170k – $250k | $155k – $225k | High | Heavy Diesel or Electrical trade, Cert IV Leadership, isolation authority |
| Production Supervisor / Shift Supervisor | Supervisory | $160k – $240k | $145k – $215k | High | Statutory supervisor certificate, Cert IV Frontline Management, operator background |
| HSE / Safety Advisor | Technical | $140k – $220k | $125k – $195k | High | Cert IV or Diploma WHS, ICAM investigation, Cert IV Training & Assessment |
| Heavy Diesel Fitter (Mobile Maintenance) | Trade | $140k – $210k | $120k – $175k | High | Cert III Mobile Plant Technology, Standard 11, Heights, Confined Space |
| Mine Electrician | Trade | $140k – $205k | $125k – $180k | High | Cert III Electrotechnology, A-Grade Licence, HV Switching, Standard 11 |
| Boilermaker / Structural Welder | Trade | $130k – $200k | $110k – $165k | High | Cert III Engineering Fabrication, welding tickets, Heights, Confined Space |
| Dragline Operator (Qld Coal) | Operator | $150k – $200k | $145k – $190k | Moderate | Coal Board Medical, Generic Induction, site VOC on dragline |
| Shutdown Trade Assistant / Rigger | Trade | $120k – $190k | $100k – $155k | Moderate | Dogging, Basic/Intermediate Rigging, EWP, Heights, Confined Space, Gas Test |
| Mine Surveyor | Technical | $130k – $185k | $115k – $165k | High | Surveying degree or Diploma, Authorised Mine Surveyor registration |
| Excavator / Loader Operator | Operator | $120k – $170k | $105k – $145k | Moderate | Standard 11, HR licence preferred, site VOC on machine class |
| Drill Operator (Production Drilling) | Operator | $115k – $165k | $100k – $140k | Moderate | Standard 11, HR licence, site VOC, Shotfirer pathway optional |
| Processing Plant Operator | Operator | $110k – $160k | $95k – $140k | Moderate | Standard 11, Confined Space, Gas Test, Cert III Process Plant Operations |
| Graduate Mining Engineer | Technical | $110k – $150k | $100k – $140k | High | Mining Engineering degree, Standard 11 |
| Haul Truck Operator | Operator | $100k – $150k | $90k – $130k | Low | Standard 11, HR licence commonly required, site VOC |
| Water Cart / Light Vehicle Operator | Entry Level | $85k – $120k | $75k – $105k | Low | HR licence, Standard 11, police clearance |
| Production Trainee / Operator Traineeship | Entry Level | $90k – $115k | $80k – $105k | Low | Standard 11, driver's licence, pass medical — no experience required |
| Tyre Hand / Wash Bay / Fuel Farm Attendant | Entry Level | $80k – $110k | $70k – $95k | Low | Standard 11, White Card, physical capacity assessment |
| Utility / General Hand | Entry Level | $70k – $95k | $62k – $82k | Low | Standard 11, White Card, police clearance, medical |
| Kitchen Hand / Camp Catering | Entry Level | $65k – $88k | $58k – $75k | None | Food Safety Handling desirable, police clearance, medical |
| Camp Attendant / Housekeeping | Entry Level | $65k – $85k | $58k – $72k | None | Police clearance and medical only — no tickets required |
Indicative ranges only, current for 2026 and expressed in AUD per annum. Always confirm rates, roster and allowances in writing with the employer before accepting an offer.