Will “Exploration Engineer” be Automated?

Core Skills & Abilities

• Devise solutions to problems of land reclamation and water and air pollution, such as methods of storing excavated soil and returning exhausted mine sites to natural states.

• Select or develop mineral location, extraction, and production methods, based on factors such as safety, cost, and deposit characteristics.

• Evaluate data to develop new mining products, equipment, or processes.

• Conduct or direct mining experiments to test or prove research findings.

• Examine maps, deposits, drilling locations, or mines to determine the location, size, accessibility, contents, value, and potential profitability of mineral, oil, and gas deposits.

• Implement and coordinate mine safety programs, including the design and maintenance of protective and rescue equipment and safety devices.

• Design, implement, and monitor the development of mines, facilities, systems, or equipment.

• Monitor mine production rates to assess operational effectiveness.

• Select locations and plan underground or surface mining operations, specifying processes, labor usage, and equipment that will result in safe, economical, and environmentally sound extraction of minerals and ores.

• Design mining and mineral treatment equipment and machinery in collaboration with other engineering specialists.

• Test air to detect toxic gases and recommend measures to remove them, such as installation of ventilation shafts.

• Supervise, train, and evaluate technicians, technologists, survey personnel, engineers, scientists or other mine personnel.

• Lay out, direct, and supervise mine construction operations, such as the construction of shafts and tunnels.

• Inspect mining areas for unsafe structures, equipment, and working conditions.

• Prepare technical reports for use by mining, engineering, and management personnel.

• Design, develop, and implement computer applications for use in mining operations such as mine design, modeling, or mapping or for monitoring mine conditions.

• Prepare schedules, reports, and estimates of the costs involved in developing and operating mines.

• Select or devise materials-handling methods and equipment to transport ore, waste materials, and mineral products efficiently and economically.