According to people in this career, the main tasks are...
| Task | Importance |
|---|---|
| Prepare technical reports for use by mining, engineering, and management personnel. | 87% |
| Inspect mining areas for unsafe structures, equipment, and working conditions. | 81% |
| Test air to detect toxic gases and recommend measures to remove them, such as installation of ventilation shafts. | 81% |
| Select or develop mineral location, extraction, and production methods, based on factors such as safety, cost, and deposit characteristics. | 79% |
| 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. | 79% |
| Implement and coordinate mine safety programs, including the design and maintenance of protective and rescue equipment and safety devices. | 77% |
| 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. | 76% |
| Prepare schedules, reports, and estimates of the costs involved in developing and operating mines. | 76% |
| Lay out, direct, and supervise mine construction operations, such as the construction of shafts and tunnels. | 75% |
| Monitor mine production rates to assess operational effectiveness. | 75% |
| Supervise, train, and evaluate technicians, technologists, survey personnel, engineers, scientists or other mine personnel. | 75% |
| Examine maps, deposits, drilling locations, or mines to determine the location, size, accessibility, contents, value, and potential profitability of mineral, oil, and gas deposits. | 74% |
| Design, develop, and implement computer applications for use in mining operations such as mine design, modeling, or mapping or for monitoring mine conditions. | 74% |
| Design, implement, and monitor the development of mines, facilities, systems, or equipment. | 73% |
| Select or devise materials-handling methods and equipment to transport ore, waste materials, and mineral products efficiently and economically. | 72% |
| Evaluate data to develop new mining products, equipment, or processes. | 67% |
| Design mining and mineral treatment equipment and machinery in collaboration with other engineering specialists. | 59% |
| Conduct or direct mining experiments to test or prove research findings. | 58% |
