FIFO Underground Mining Jobs

Underground mining is its own trade with its own ladder. People start as nippers or service crew, doing the support work in the headings, then move onto boggers, trucks, charge-up, and eventually production drills and jumbos. The pay climbs with each step. Because the skills are learned on the job, underground is one of the few parts of mining where genuine entry level roles are advertised.

Where the work is

Olympic Dam in South Australia is the largest underground mine in the country and BHP has listed entry level underground miners there on a 7/7 roster, with training provided. The Goldfields of WA around Kalgoorlie and Leonora have dozens of underground gold and nickel mines, most run by contractors. Queensland has the underground coal mines of the Bowen Basin, which have a separate set of rules and tickets.

What employers ask for

For entry level, a manual driver's licence, a clean police check, a good medical and a willingness to work twelve hour shifts underground. For operator roles, the RII units for the machine and logged hours. Underground coal needs the Standard 11 plus the underground modules and a coal board medical.

Blasting crews are on the drill and blast page. South Australian flights are on the Adelaide page.