Career as Mining Engineer

Last Updated On 03 Nov, 2020

How to Become a Mining Engineer

About Mining Engineer

Mining Engineering is an engineering discipline which is considered to be one of the oldest forms of engineering. It deals with the technologies and techniques used for identification and extraction of minerals from the earth. Professionals who practice this type of engineering are called mining engineers. They are responsible for extracting minerals from the earth with the application of latest scientific technologies. Mining engineers are also responsible for ensuring the process of development of the mines. They are also responsible for the safety measures that should be taken care of regarding mines and the areas surrounding it.

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Engineers of this stream easily get jobs in Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs), Governmental Organisations and Private Organisations. Mining engineers are not responsible for mining minerals but also take care of the overall management and functionalities of the mining process. To emphasise more on the roles of mining engineers, mentioned below are the various job profiles of mining engineers.

Eligibility to become Mining Engineer

  • Candidates must have passed 10+2 from a recognised institution in science stream with PCM (Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics) as major subjects.

  • Candidates must have a minimum of 50% marks in 10+2 or equivalent (relaxation rules apply for different categories and varies from college to college).

  • A valid scorecard of any of the above entrance exam is also to be produced by the candidates with the required passing score or cut-off marks.

  • For Diploma Course in Mining Engineering, candidates should at least have a passing certificate of 10th boards form a recognised institution

Types of Job Roles Mining Engineer

In order to become a mining engineer, candidates need to have a certified degree from a recognised institution. Once they successfully get a degree, a number of mining engineer job profiles will be available for them. Candidates can opt for some of the mining engineer job profiles given below.

  • Mining Engineering Technician: Closely associated with the mining team, these engineers work for different processes including preparation, development, operation segmentation, exploration, and maintenance of the mines.

  • Mine Planner: Mine planner plans and determines the best ways to dig out minerals from beneath the earth without hampering the surrounding areas.

  • Mineral Explorer: These professionals are responsible for determining the availability, quantity and quality of minerals deposited. They also assess the area and then pass the statement to start the mining process.

  • General Manager Mines: They look after the overall managerial responsibilities at the time of mining and at during the planning process.

  • Technical Consultant: Commonly known as Mining Consultants, they are involved in the process of advanced data mining related works. They take decisions considering the database and analyzing information stored for the mining process and mining areas.

  • Research Engineer: A research engineer is responsible for conducting researches on the quality, quantity and value of the minerals that can and have been extracted. They analyze the process and conduct experiments for the minerals and mining areas.

  • Drilling Engineer: These people are responsible for determining costs, planning the excavation process, and developing and supervising the drilling operations.

  • Mineral Processing Engineer: They perform the function of separating minerals in the form of concentrates from the extracted ore in the mining process. Their main work is to segregate metallic and non-metallic matter from the ore to generate profitable minerals. 

Employment Sector/Industry for Mining Engineer

There are a number of employment opportunities for mining engineers in the private and public sectors that can be availed after acquiring a certain degree or certificate. Given below are the employment opportunities for mining engineers

Government Owned  

  • Mining Department of the Center (Ministry of Mines)

  • Mining Department of the States

Public Sector

  • Mineral Mining Industries

  • Ore Extraction Companies

  • Ore Production Companies

  • Drilling Agencies

  • Mining Drilling Suppliers

  • Data Mining Outsourcing Services Companies

Top Recruiting Companies for Mining Engineers

There are number of companies that hire professionally trained mining engineers for different tasks with the mining work. The task allotted will be based on the degree and the specialization done by the candidates. Few among these top recruiting companies for mining engineers are as follows:

  • Hindustan Zinc Ltd

  • National Mineral Development Corporation India

  • National Aluminium Company Ltd

  • Hindalco

  • McKinsey&Company

  • Kudremukh Ltd.

  • Hindustan Copper

  • Rajasthan State Mines and Minerals Limited

  • Bharat Aluminium Company (BALCO)

  • Gujarat Mineral Development Corporation Ltd

  • Vedanta

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Pay Scale/Salary of Mining Engineer

A mining engineer gets paid according to their experience and qualification. Enlisted below are mineral engineers’ salary based on their job profiles and experience.  

Job Profile

Starting Salary per annum (in INR)

Mid Level Salary per annum (in INR)

Senior Level Salary per annum (INR)

General Engineer Mines

8,95,000

10,00,000 – 15,00,000

24,03,000

Research Engineer

5,92,756

13,74,055

24,92,770

Drilling Engineer

2,95,351

9,98,114

30,91,260

Note: The above figures are an estimate and may vary from individual to individual and organisation to organisation.

Books & Study Material to Become Mining Engineer

To pursue this career, you will need a professional degree (B. Tech, MBA etc.), for which you need to appear for related entrance exams. Hence, there are no specific books that can prepare you for this career. You need to be agile and grab every learning opportunity that comes your way to learn the tricks of the trade. Mining engineering will give you an on-the-job learning experience, and the more you learn & implement all that in your work, the chances of you becoming an expert in this field will increase. This will subsequently reflect in your pay package.

Pros of becoming a Mining Engineer

  • If you like traveling, then you’ll love this job as it requires a lot of travelling.

  • It is a constantly evolving field which will give you a chance to learn new technicalities and that can be quite interesting.

  • The work of mining will keep you engaged and involved, which is the best way to grow within the industry and make your profile stronger than before.

  • It is considered to be among the list of jobs that pay well. A good salary scale is generally offered in the field of mining engineering.

Cons of becoming a Mining Engineer

  • If you don’t like travelling then this can be one of the biggest constraints that you will face while working as a mining engineer.

  • As the mineral market keeps on fluctuating, the job security of a mining engineer also keeps fluctuating with it.

  • Mining engineering is a field with a very high level of competition in all its job profiles.

  • The level of stress is also high as there is no fixed time or duration of work. It becomes more stressful once the mining work is at its peak.

Career path for Mining Engineer

In order to become a mining engineer, candidates must qualify certain examinations and need to have a qualifying degree. It is important for an aspirant to know how to become a mining engineer. To do so, candidates can read the details mentioned below.

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FAQs about Mining Engineer

Will the demand for Mining Engineers grow in future?

It is estimated that the demand for mining engineers will grow by 3% until the year 2028.

What kind of job roles are offered to a mining engineer?

A mining engineer can get hired in various types of job roles such as senior geologist, exploration geologist, mine engineer, quality assurance manager, project engineer etc.

Can I become a mining engineer with a Bachelor’s degree?

Yes, with a Bachelor’s degree you can easily become a beginner level mining engineer but you must also possess a good command over subjects such as mathematics, chemistry, biology, physics and English.

Which courses are suitable to become a successful mining engineer after completing the bachelor’s degree study?

After completing the Bachelor’s degree study, the candidates may choose to join courses like environmental reclamation, metallurgy, mine design, mine operation, geology etc to become a successful mining engineer.

Is mining engineering a good course for girls?

Girls are not eligible to pursue a course in Mining Engineering. The course is only open to male candidates.

How many types of mining are there?

There are two types of mining - surface mining and sub-surface mining.

What is the average salary of mining engineers in India?

The average salary of mining engineers in India is in the range of INR 6 LPA to INR 7 LPA.

Do mining engineers always suffer from health conditions?

Not always but yes sometimes mining engineers do suffer from certain health conditions while working in underground mines.

Which qualities are required to become a good mining engineer?

A good mining engineer always has strong problem-solving abilities, good organizational skills and strong grip over subjects like science and mathematics.

Does ISRO hire mining engineers?

No, ISRO does not hire mining engineers but there are several other government organisations like Bharat Aluminium Company (BALCO), Hindustan Zinc, National Mineral Development Corporation India etc which hires mining engineers.

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