I THINK MINING

   We have previously blogged about US coal mine wages.  Now it is time to turn our attention to US coal mine salaries.  Specifically what do those middle of the road, conservative folk like engineers, scientists, and secretaries make.  You know them; they are the folk who believe they are underpaid.  Let us find out if that is true by looking at selected salaries from CostMines‘ new 2008 Survey Results, U.S. Coal Mine Salaries, Wages, and Benefits report. 

    Here are annual salaries in $1,000s for some coal mine jobs.  The first number is for Union Mines, the second for Non-Union Mines.

1. Mine Manager = 130/118
2. Mine Superintendent = 125/95
3. Mine Foreman = 81/78
4. Shift Boss = 98/76
5. Mine Engineer = 76/74
6. Mine Geologist = 67/58
7. Chemist = 76/58
8. Accountant = 77/73
9. Secretary = 33/38

Interesting how those in management positions earn a lot more on union mines than on non-union mines.  Note that there is little difference in pay for engineers and accountants on union as compared to non-union mines.  And the secretary on a union mine earns less than on a non-union mine.   These difference do not support a theory that union mines make more and hence pay more.  The only rational explanation is that it is more difficult to manage union mines than non-union mines.  Or at least that fewer people want those jobs.

Here are some salaries for underground versus surface coal mines.

1. Mine Manager = 122/123
2. Mine Superintendent = 126/99
3. Mine Foreman = 82/78
4. Shift Boss = NA/82
5. Mine Engineer = 76/74
6. Mine Geologist = 71/59
7. Chemist = 70/75
8. Accountant = 94/69
9. Secretary = 33/37

Clearly better to work for an underground coal mine than for a surface coal mine—-that is unless you are in management or the secretary.  Strange trends for which I have no explanation.  As for the difference for accountants, now that is very strange.  

I won’t bore you with the numbers, but believe me, people earn a lot more at coal mines in the southwest than elsewhere.  Just one example: an engineering technician in the northwestern region earns $40K, in the eastern region $48K, and in the southwestern region $60K.  That is a big spread and similar to what occurs in other job categories.

Averages are funny things.  Not everybody can earn more than the average.  So at least fifty percent of the readers of this posting are going to feel they are underpaid.  Hence let me note a few salary ranges for union mines ( in $1000 units):

1. General Manager = 115 to 200
2. Prep Plant Superintendent = 94 to 130
3. Surveyor = 54 to 65
4. Personnel Manager = 80 to 114
5. Environmental Coordinator = 70 to 108
6. Warehouse Clerk = 30 to 53

Those environmental coordinators sure are doing well.   So too some warehouse clerks.  

    Of course what really counts is what everybody else on the mine is getting by comparison with yourself.   Randomly picking one mine in the Northwestern region that has about 300 employees and produces about five million short tons of coal per year, here is their salary scale (in $1000 units):

1. General Manager = 128
2. Prep Plant Super = 109
3. Mine Manager = 97
4. Mine Super = 97
5. Mine Foreman = 94
6. Chief Engineer = 93
7. Personnel Manager = 89
8. Mine Engineer = 83
9. Safety Coordinator = 82
10. Shift Boss = 78
11. Environmental Coordinator = 75
12. Purchasing Agent = 74
13. Surveyor = 64
14. Accountant = 57
15. Administrative Assistant = 29.

    So there you have it.  These numbers are but a smattering of the huge volume of numbers in the new CostMine report.  To get it you will have to buy it or persuade your personnel department to by it and make it available to you.  Afterall those personnel managers earn upwards of $114,000 a year,  Surely they can do something for you for that amount of money.  Even if they would rather you did not know that they earn a lot more than you do.