Mining Employment

[Blownlc]

All in all though i bloody hate the mining industry in australia. There are alot of wankers, alot of people who are there because their daddy is the big cheese and alot of people who will stab you in the back at first opportunity. Maybe i just had bad times with BHP and a few other companies. Expat is ok cause it cuts out alot of the over the top safety bullcrap and we just get on with it, but i know when i come home i will not be going mining. Construction all the way.

Good luck with it all anyway, it is nice to have the beans to blow on cars. This job paid to get my XB hardtop painted. After 9 years of no progress it is finally painted and getting pieced back together. Now if only i had the time.

The money i am earning can't buy my youth back.

Sounds a lot like the construction industry here in melb. Plenty of dogs trying to climb the ladder faster or riding on the back of someone else.

[Richo460]

Yeah there is always someone trying to bust you doing the wrong thing or telling the boss your hopeless to make them sound better.

$43 and hour is good for working in town. I know people earning less than that, flat rate, doing FIFO shutdowns. I would be asking the boss for a bit of overtime rather than going mining. I spend 6 weeks in the desert of southern Egypt supervising a maintenance crew and my hourly rate isn't a whole lot better than that. If i could get $40/hr in Cairns i would be booking a flight asap.

There are people earning 140k + but it varies alot. depends the job, the mine and the roster. The week on week off rosters would be 100-120k i would guess. Some places do give a healthy bonus too.

On job i hadn't thought of is an operator, not of the trucks or excavators but of the plant. I work in a gold processing plant and there are quite a few operators running the place making sure pumps are running, valves are open in the right places, checking all that sort of stuff, basically running the plant. There is no trade for it so anyone can do it.

[wherethehellarewe]

Sorry to hijack into this thread but i'm also diesel mechanic that has been in the aviation industry for the last 5 years. My job has just been shut down in Melbourne at Qantas and i'm wanting to go back to the big spanners. Does anyone know of any Gas turbine work in the mines? i'm looking to step it up from what i used to do in the Maint workshops and get on the bigger stuff. Cheers

[nissannewby]

43/hr is pretty good. I know the fitters up here on the sites i know about are pushing nearly 140k but you do have to remember this is only half a years work. I havent heard anythin bad about expat work and theres plenty in new guinea and places like that but there rosters are like 15/13 (days). Good luck with all mate hoepfully some of the info here is advantageous to you.

[Richo460]

Sorry to hijack into this thread but i'm also diesel mechanic that has been in the aviation industry for the last 5 years. My job has just been shut down in Melbourne at Qantas and i'm wanting to go back to the big spanners. Does anyone know of any Gas turbine work in the mines? i'm looking to step it up from what i used to do in the Maint workshops and get on the bigger stuff. Cheers

not that i have seen mate, our site runs big diesel generators. Coal fired Power station work is your best bet for big stuff.

Expat stuff is ok, New Guniea can have good rosters but the place is not real nice, might be better now than it was though. There are mines in Indo, Loas and those places which are awesome and very hard to get into. Expat wages are usually from about 160 - 200 before tax, some alos give very good bonuses and retention bonuses. I've been overseas for 18 months and i am aching to get back home. I get 6 breaks a year and they usually are 2 weeks actually at home. I know blokes doing 9 weeks on 3 weeks off. Some mines in Africa do 12 on 3 off but they will get your whole family there in a house.

[Blownlc]

It is good coin I know. But the ability to be home with the kids for five days every second week while they a young is one of the pro's to it. And the money of course. The idea is that for three years I work in the mines to put a big dent in the mortgage. Intern shortening the time it will take for us to buy our rural property. As I said, that's the idea.

I'll have a crack at ringing some of the places you guys have mentioned as well as getting on the blower to to a few other people I know, as see what comes of it.

I would like to say a BIG thanks for all your input, info and advise. I'll keep you posted if something comes of it.

Cheers Boys!
Stu

[White Elephant]

Hey mate i work in the mines myself and they are hard to get into unless your a diesel fitter or hv sparky. Your best bet is to apply for any sort of position with a mining company as getting your foot in the door will be the hardest part of it all but once your in you are set and can move around to different positions and then onto other sites until you find a roster/pay setup that works for you. There are mines in SA which dont require as much to get in as the ones do up here in QLD and NSW is also easier to get into as well have a look in the hunter valley region. Also dont be affraid to apply with contractors who do all there work for mine sites as a lot of full time positions in the mines are given to people who are already out there so if your there with a contractor it only increases your chances. Hope this helps.

What nissannewby said. I work for an engineering company that service the mining industry globally, everyone that I speak to reckons your best bet is to get your foot in the door in the first instance, then it's on and upwards from there!

[waz65]

On job i hadn't thought of is an operator, not of the trucks or excavators but of the plant. I work in a gold processing plant and there are quite a few operators running the place making sure pumps are running, valves are open in the right places, checking all that sort of stuff, basically running the plant. There is no trade for it so anyone can do it.

Not quite as easy as just walking in either as I have been a process operator for over 20 years , A lot of companies that have processing plants want experienced op's also ,
BTW i did 5 years FIFO at Century Mine in NW queensland before my current job

[wildgu6]

Hey buddy, mate at work looking into mine work as well, boss is in the know and got this reply from one of his contacts,

need to get on Exact minings website ( http://www.exactmining.com.au/ ) and apply on line there are fn heaps of jobs, or Thiess Mining.
Truckdrivers / labourers 100K +
Most jobs are Fly in Fly out on various mine sites throughout Australia.

Not sure if this has come up yet as havent read the thread right through but maybe this can help.

[macca86]

Seems like the back door is going to be the easiest way in. Although the hours aren't an issue the roster probably isn't going to be practical givin my family situation. I'll make some calls to the above mentioned companies today and see what comes of it.

I am wondering now though if financially its the best option. I'm making $43 an hour here in melb and I'm home by 3:30 most days. I hear stories of blokes making anywhere from $140k right up to $205k per annum. How much truth is in this?

Mate I was in town doing 6x 12 hr shifts 2weeks days 2 weeks nights and took home after tax 1800 and 2400 ($39 per hr casual plus overtime rates meal dirt and heat allowances) a week with penalties and laha That is after tax. Was paying about 700 to 1000 a week in tax and working in town no time off so that figure is easy to get. It really depends on your skill set and roster say you do 7 days on 7 days off remember you only get paid for what you work so the 3000 a week working is only 1500 a week but then you're not having to work all year.
I only stopped as we saved enough for my wedding and fix the car and I hurt my back otherwise I would still be there. After the wedding I'll be seeking new employment.