Unskilled Mining Jobs WA

Some Basic Information on Mining Jobs.

Here is some unskilled mining jobs that normally require no mining job experience previously.

Drilling offsider

Drilling offsiders is one of the most important unskilled mining jobs. A drilling offsider is a mining job that does not normally require previous experience, contractors often provide full training. The job entails assisting the driller of the drill rig with the drilling on the exploration or grade control holes. The duties of a drilling offsider also include maintaining machinery and vehicles around the mining site, as well as keeping the site in a orderly fashion.  Drilling offsiders assist with “daily prestart checks.”   All facets of this job require a good level of physical fitness and a mechanical mind. 1 - 2 years and you can become a driller yourself and have your own offsider working under you.

Sample Preparer

Sample prepares have the responsibility of working in labs which examine minerals and soil.   Employees receive hands on training.  Individuals with good mathematical and computer skills are successful starting out in the mining industry as a sample preparer.  Unskilled mining jobs like this is a beneficial means of gaining experience to become a field assistant.   

Survey Assistant

A survey assistant position, another unskilled mining job, involves helping the surveyor on a mine site to determine the elevation of future mining areas.  This also requires surveying or assessing the positioning of hills, bodies of water, and wooded areas.  Assistants have the task of clearing particular areas to ensure the accuracy of surveys.  An assistant also has the duty of assembling and dismantling necessary equipment when surveying is complete. 

Geologist Assistant

When working as a geologist assistant, employees take minerals and soil samples.  Assistants collect data from samples and input information into computer systems and assist with the writing of reports.  Such activities are in preparation for future mining or current mining.  Once mining in various areas is complete, a geologists assistant might also work to restore the area to its previous state. 

Mining Cleaning jobs

Unskilled mining jobs include cleaning, maintaining the cleanliness and hygiene of areas within the mining camp and administration offices.  Depending where the mine site is located you might be required to obtain your own accommodation in a mining town near the location. If the mine site is remote it will often be a fifo roster or dido ( drive in drive out). Rosters vary a lot depending on the individual mine site. Mining Rosters are getting more family friendly for example 8 days on 6 days off. 2 weeks on 1 week off. If you are not interested in FIFO, have children, or have a partner strongly consider a residential position. You will also often need professional experience in a relevant position prior to applying for such a position. Cleaning contractors want people that are professional in this area and are going to stay with them long term and are less likely to use this role to obtain a dump truck job or other positions within the industry.

Mining Kitchen jobs

Kitchen jobs normally involve working in food preparation areas, in the mining camps large mess hall or cafeteria style dining hall.  Employees in this particular position must have a good understanding of cleanliness and hygiene necessary, in a large dining area.  Some employers require individuals attempting to gain a kitchen job to have a food handler’s certificate. Very much similar conditions as the above description as cleaning jobs.

Mining Jobs for Women

More and more women are now working in the mining industry. Gone are the old days when it was known as a male only industry. Women are getting jobs in the nearly all areas and some areas they even excell than the males. In 2009, there were even some mining companies specifically wanting to hire women as they recognised them as better workers. Typical unskilled jobs for women wanting to enter are, Lab assistants, sample preparer, driller offsiders, kitchen and cleaning positions, admin positions, geologist assistant, field assistant and the many driving positions available.

General Requirements that Mining Companies/Contractors ask for to work in Western Australia Mines

- Senior First Aid Certificate - Recommended

- Marcsta Induction - Some of the large companies are not requiring this, as they provide their own full induction.

- HR licence becoming more important.

-Sometimes forklift Licence is handy

- Police Clearance. ( Australian) Either National or for the specific state you want to work in.