Rinehart’s Hancock weighs $3.3 billion iron ore mine project
Hancock acquired a 51% interest in the Mt Bevan project from Legacy Iron Ore Ltd. and Hawthorn Resources.
Thanks to nzsucks for summoning his/her inner skeptic when reading about the mining jobs boom in Australia.
While stories abound of 20-something lads earning up to $200,000 a year operating mining equipment in remote towns, nzsucks did some research and discovered the following, which is posted on the popular Internet news-site Reddit (login required):
Mining blogger Jack Caldwell notes that his most popular post last year was titled “Mining truck driver wants job: do you have the right opportunity for Australia?” According to Caldwell, “since its first publication about four years ago, the posting about truck drivers on mines in Australia has been read by more than 10,000 people. It still gets between 20 and 40 readers per day.”
MINING.com posted a story in the fall from The Courier-Mail that stated the total mining workforce in Australia is tippped to more than double in the next 20 years. What’s more, the Minerals Council of Australia estimates that for every worker employed directly by mining, a further three workers are employed in mining-related roles such as mechanics and janitorial staff.
8 Comments
Rellum
Long hours, 8 days with 6 days off. Are you kiddingThat is a long weekend every week.
Pkhomkhai
Its money for jam. The bit about remote control trucks is BS. In fact its remote control trains that are being proposed.
Rellum,. I agree, having a 6 day off fornight is nothing to complain about.
This while most of the rest of the world is trying to find a job.
John Woollams
I see this post is very old. I am sorry I did not read it and reply then.
The remotely operated trucks is not BS. Komatsu have been developing this technology for a long time. They have been trialled by Rio in WA and there is a fleet on order and will be in operation within 2 years.
Underground block caving mines already have remote control loaders and haulers in the block caving operations. These are Sandvik systems. I have worked in the development and the implementation of the sandvik systems
Mate it is real and it is the reality of the future.
You also dont get 6 days off per fortnight. There is travel on 2 of those days and aside from that the roster and hours means that you work 7 hours per day every day of the year. No overtime. Imagine what you would earn in a normal job in town if you could get those hours.
Hobby62
This mining and energy boom is all a crock , I have applied for hundreds of jobs with mountains of experience and will send my resume to anybody who doubts. Its all a publicity stunt by a failing government coming up for election to talk up high employment prospects to save themselves . Wake up everybody and smell the roses ! but beware of the dung There grown in .
RB
Further to my previous post, I receive offers of employment on a regular basis. Below, is a copy of one such job offer I received only yesterday, so that puts paid to the comment made by Hobby62 who claims the mining boom is a crock and it’s difficult to get a job. Perhaps he has a skeleton in his closet or doesn’t have the ‘mountains of experience’ he claims?????
“We are currently seeking the skills of experienced Truckies for a 2n1
FIFO role in the Pilbara.
Applicants must have 2 years proven experience on 777 or 785 Trucks, 777
watercarts, Grader experience would be an advantage. HR Licence,
White/Blue card or willing to obtain. Must be able to pass PEM Medical.
These roles are ongoing, rates start at $39-$43hr, with room to advance
your skills and pay rates.
If this sounds like you then please contact me on the below number or
reply to this email.”
patrick prince
hi y made my heavy equipment operator cours and y will love to work in australia, y am from canada y have many competence card and y will have my explosive general permit in a few days y d`ont take drugs or alchol either, no kids and no wife and y am in cood physical condition y talk french and english, y am ready to go anywhere anytime please leave me a message! patrick prince my email is ([email protected])
RB
The reality of the situation is this:
You may be offered a job on a 2 weeks on, 1 week off roster. The 8 days on, 6 days off roster are not that prevalent and more difficult to secure.
You must have some experience (6 months minimum) before being considered eligible for any role, and yes – there are training programs available through privately owned operator training companies, some of whom assist with employment. These training programs typically cost around $3000 – $5000 but that’s a modest investment considering the potential gross income of A$100,000 per year.
The hours are long – usually 12 hours plus any travel to/from camp to site. Not all sites offer ‘good’ machines – some have trucks in operation with excessively high chassis hours (40,000+) and are therefore not particularly nice to spend long hours in. The more modern machines are usually owned/operated by the bigger companies, however they are more selective when hiring staff and tend to favour ‘all-rounders’ (multi-skilled operators).
You are well fed, provided with clothing, accommodation and therefore save a considerable expense you would otherwise incur if working from ‘home’ on a daily basis (food is expensive).
At the end of the day, you can opt to stay in your ‘city based’ job and earn $60,000+ working a 9-5 job and get 1.5 days off a week. My preference is to further my career in mining, work 8/6, save a considerable amount of my income and enjoy my time off with family on a regular basis.
As they say, you only get out, what you put in!
Harry
I had a interview for the Pilbara in 1999 they offered only $60K when I were on $100K with other jobs around Sydney offering much the same. Seems the overseas employment is to drop those wages further