1. Project director/ drilling operations director – up to $400,000

Project Directors and Drilling Operations Directors are among the highest-paid positions in mining, with annual salaries of more than $400,000.

A Project Director provides strategic leadership to a mining project in different stages from concept and feasibility to construction and operation. A Drilling Operations Director is responsible for the overall planning, direction and execution of drilling operations for a mining organisation.

2. Project Controls and Site Managers – up to $350,000

Project Controls Managers and Site General Managers are some of the highest paid managerial positions in mining, with salaries up to $350,000 per year.

The average salary for a mine manager is between $200,000 and $280,000. Technical services managers and drilling operations managers are also key positions in the core mining industry, with salaries in the same range.

3. Engineers – up to $240,000

Mining engineers are some of the highest-paid professionals in the mining industry. A Principal Mine Planning Engineer can earn up to $240,000 a year. Other senior-level mining engineering positions such as geo technical engineers, mining engineers, drill and blast engineers, and materials handling engineers have average annual salaries ranging from $150,000 to $230,000.

The mining industry also employs civil, mechanical, electrical, and process engineers. The annual average salaries for these positions range from $70,000 to $180,000.

4. Geologists – up to $230,000

The job role of geologist is essential to any mining operation and the annual pay range for geologists starts from $50,000 for a Graduate Geologist, who can grow through levels up to a Chief Geologist earning $230,000.

Mines employ two categories of geologists: Mine Geologists, who ensure that mining occurs in right places and that good sampling is carried out; and Exploration Geologists, who are responsible for resource discovery and evaluation. The annual average salary of a senior level mine/exploration geologist ranges from $90,000 to $160,000.

5. Metallurgists – up to $220,000

Metallurgists are among the five highest-paid employee groups, with salaries reaching up to $220,000 per year. A graduate metallurgist earns between $50,000 and $90,000 annually, while a senior metallurgist typically earns between $90,000 and $160,000 per year.

The metallurgists are employed in the processing sites of mining organizations. With the years of relevant experience, a metallurgist could be promoted to the positions of Process Engineer and Process Manager. Many mining companies employ a Principal Metallurgist to spearhead research and development in the field.

6. Geophysicists – up to $200,000

Geophysicists are the sixth highest paid employees in the mining industry. A Senior Geophysicist working for mining projects earns up to $200,000 per year.

The work of a geophysicist is vital to many industries, including mining, oil and gas exploration, civil engineering and construction.

As a geophysicist, you will be responsible for conducting surveys to locate minerals or ground water, as well as detect, monitor and predict seismic, magnetic, electrical and thermal activity in a given earth body. The work of a geophysicist is vital to many industries, including mining, oil and gas exploration, civil engineering and construction.

7. Occupational health safety and environmental professionals – up to $190,000

Top level occupational health safety (OHS) and environmental professionals earn an annual salary of up to $190,000. An OHS officer earns an annual salary of between $50,000 and $115,000 while the average annual salary of an environmental officer is between $60,000 and $115,000.

Environmental superintendents and coordinators earn between $80,000 and $190,000 per year. Few mining organisations also employ Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) managers to take care of the health, safety and environmental aspects of employees engaged in mining operations.

8. Mine supervisors / mill superintendents – up to $168,000

The average annual salary for Mine Supervisors (operations/maintenance) and Mill Superintendents is $168,000, making them the eighth highest earners in mining.

Supervisors for underground or open pit mining operations earn between $70,000 and $165,000 annually. Workshop supervisors for mobile plant surface maintenance and underground mobile plant maintenance supervisors earn between $75,000 and $150,000 per year. A Mill Superintendent at the processing site earns between $100,000 and $168,000 per year.

9. Surveyors – up to $165,000

Surveyors play an important role in maintaining a proper mine plan for mining organisations by updating surface layouts and keeping a record of underground workings. They can earn an annual salary of up to $165,000.

An entry-level mine surveyor can expect to earn an annual salary of between $55,000 and $130,000, while a senior or chief surveyor can expect to earn an annual salary of between $80,000 and more than $160,000.

10. Operators / technicians / miners – $150,000 to $165,000

The tenth highest-paid mining employees are generally those who work in operations, including mill operators, excavator operators, dump truck operators and bogger operators. Technicians, such as geological technicians, pit technicians and instrumentation technicians, as well as heavy duty (HD) fitters, auto electricians, boiler makers and welders, are also paid relatively well in the mining industry. Drillers and underground miners typically round out the list of the top 10 highest-paid mining employees.

Jumbo operators in Australia can earn up to $165,000 per year, which is significantly higher than what mill operators in the rest of the world earn (whose salaries max out at $111,000 per year). The annual salaries of technicians, electricians and fitters range between $50,000 and $150,000. Underground miners usually earn more than $150,000 per year; while surface miners tend to earn between $50,000 and $85,000 annually.