So you wanna work in mining?
There are still many mining enterprises in business throughout the UK, so if you’re interested in a career underground, overground, or open-cast, read on….

Yeah man, we dig it
In spite of mass-closure during the 1980s, mining still survives as an industry. As well as coal, coke and anthracite, other minerals and metal being extracted from holes in the ground include slate, chalk, copper, gold and limestone.

Why do we dig it?
Humans have been digging materials out of the ground since at least 38,000 BC. We use them for a wide variety of things: Gypsum is used extensively in the building industry. Ochre is becoming increasingly popular as an alternative to chemical-based paints. Potash and limestone are both extensively used in the production of fertilisers. And so on…

Who does the digging?
All mining in the UK is now in private hands. The companies involved in this sector range from large corporates such as Mcalpine, to small family concerns such as the Wright family who run Clearwell Caves, and the Greaves family who run the Llechwedd Slate Mines.

So who works in the mining industry?
Modern mining techniques - be they deep, quarry, open, or strip – are machine intensive, and thus the need for manual labourers has greatly diminished. Continuing technological advances and very tight profit margins mean that your chances of actually working at the coal face are very limited. However, for anyone considering mining engineering as a trade, the prospects are far greater.

What’s a mining engineer?
Mining Engineers are the people who design and manage modes of extraction in mining. This involves everything from determining the best instruments to employ, through health and safety practices, to assessing environmental impact.

Sounds complicated!
Well, it is. However, if you’ve got a sound interest in engineering and science, and if you’re looking for a challenging, well paid job, which could take you all over the world, you ought to consider a degree in Mining Engineering.

Show us your certificates
There are 10 courses in Mining Engineering throughout the UK. Details can be obtained from UCaS. (See Links for web address). To be considered, you’ll need GCSEs in Maths, English and a science (Grades a-C), as well as 16-18 points from your a levels, including passes in two science subjects.

Future prospects
A mining engineer can look forward to a prosperous and challenging career. The greatest advantage in qualifying in this field is that the skills base you acquire at degree level will be applicable across all fields of mining, making you employable across a number of industries.