Miner

A Miner extracts ore, coal, or other minerals from underground or open-cut mines using drilling, blasting, and heavy machinery. Operates in confined or remote environments, strictly adheres to safety procedures, and supports geological sampling and mine maintenance. Provides essential raw materials (minerals, coal, metals) critical for manufacturing, energy production, and infrastructure development, sustaining global industries and economies.

A Miner earns a median of $65,000 per year in the US, typically ranging from $45,000 to $90,000.

To become a Miner, vocational training, certifications, or an associate's degree in mining technology, heavy equipment operation, or a related field is typically required. MSHA certification.

Miner roles tend to suit people who are highly conscientious — precise, organised and strong on follow-through (Conscientiousness 75/100) and steady under pressure — deadlines and setbacks do not rattle them easily (Emotional Stability 70/100). The traits that matter most in the role are Disciplined, Resilient, Practical and Vigilant. Strictly adheres to safety protocols and operational procedures, ensuring consistency and reliability in a high-risk environment. On interests, Miner maps to a RIA Holland Code profile — individuals who enjoy hands-on work with machinery, operating in rugged environments, and strictly following safety procedures, often with an interest in understanding technical systems, tend to excel in this role.

A Miner role is usually a strong fit for these reasons. Strong Realistic alignment: the role heavily involves operating heavy machinery and performing physical tasks in rugged environments. High Conscientiousness is rewarded through strict adherence to safety protocols and operational procedures, which are critical. The role demands resilience and calm under pressure in challenging and sometimes hazardous conditions.

Miner roles come with trade-offs worth weighing up. The work environment can be physically demanding, confined, remote, and often involves shift work including nights and weekends. Strict adherence to rules and procedures is paramount, leaving little room for individual improvisation or deviation.

Work as a Miner is mostly mixed-based with onsite arrangements common, highly structured, with set processes and deadlines and low exposure to clients or stakeholders. Around 84% of the week is focused deep work.

Core skills for a Miner include Heavy Equipment Operation, Mine Safety Protocols, Drilling & Blasting, Ground Support Installation, Basic Equipment Maintenance and Teamwork & Communication.

Common entry routes into Miner roles include Mine Laborer, Heavy Equipment Operator Entry and Driller Assistant.

From a Miner role, common next steps include Senior Miner, Mine Foreman and Mining Supervisor; lateral moves include Heavy Equipment Trainer.

The outlook for Miner roles is currently rated stable. Demand is steady. This is an established role with consistent hiring across sectors.

Traitstack rates automation risk for Miner roles at 19 out of 100, which is low. Human miners will continue to perform complex physical operations and ensure safety in dynamic environments, with AI potentially assisting in predictive maintenance and operational optimization. AI is most likely to take on optimizing drilling and blasting patterns based on geological data, predictive analysis for equipment maintenance and failure prevention and automating the collection and basic analysis of rock and mineral samples. Operating heavy machinery like drills, loaders, and continuous miners, conducting drilling, blasting, and excavation activities safely and inspecting work areas for hazards and maintaining ground stability stay with people. Less direct physical labor, more oversight of advanced machinery. That score measures how much of the work could change, not the likelihood the job disappears. It is Traitstack's current view, revisited as AI capability moves.