From CostMine is the U.S. Metal & Industrial Mineral Mine Salaries, Wages & Benefits 2008 Survey. Here are some averages for metal and industrial mineral mines in the United States. (the first number is the hourly base wage for small surface mines; the second number is that hourly base wage for large mines.)
- Electrician = 21.46/24.05
- Mechanic = 19.82/22.63
- Driller = 17.45/22.77
- Laborer – 14.75/17.21
To repeat here are comparable wages for small and large coal mines in the U.S.:
- Electrician: = $24.06/25.80
- Mechanic = $21.97/25.9
- Helper = $15.75/22.61
- Laborer = $18.58/21.49
Clearly coal miners are far better paid than surface metal and industrial miner miners. Is the same true for underground metal mines? Here are some numbers, again the first for small mine and the second for large mines:
- Electrician: = $24.38/23.18
- Mechanic = $19.64/21.88
- Miner = $23.56/22.69
- Underground Laborer = $15.67/21.95
Seems the differences in wages in surface and underground metal mines is not that big, and that coal miners earn more regardless of whether you are in a surface or underground metal mine.
Let us compare wages in the metal mine and industrial mineral mines:(the first for metal mines, the second for industrial minerals mines.)
- Electrician: = $25.07/21.91
- Mechanic = $24.10/20.46
- Driller = $23.24/18.31
- Laborer = $18.4/14.92
A big difference between metal mines and industrial minerals mines. These numbers also point out the problem of averaging wages in metal and industrial mineral mines—they are different animals. For these number show that metal mine miners are better paid than coal mine miners—maybe? Certainly true for precious metal mine miners. Let us summarize the numbers for the famous electrician:
- Precious metal mine = $26.40
- Copper Mine = $22.63
- Other metal Mine = $24.96
- Industrial mineral surface mine = $21.91
- Industrial mineral underground mine = $24.67
- Surface coal mine = $25.63
- Underground coal mine = $23.55
- Limestone mine = $21.60
- Aggregate quarry = $16.97
Looks like the choice is a precious metal (gold) mine or a surface coal mine. Not a big difference, but enough to pay for a new GM truck.
I notice that the total cost of benefits as a percentage of wages in 36.5 % for small metal mines and 40.51% for large metal mines. Miners at union mines get a benefits package that is about 40 to 47 percent of their base wage. Miners at non-union mines get benefits of between 31 and 37 % of their wages.
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As we noted before, the issue is how much everybody else gets paid. So I pick at random a silver, lead, and zinc mine in Idaho. Here are some of their wages:
- Hoistman – Double Drum = $15.91
- Miner = $14.41
- Truck Driver = $ 14.03
- Mill Leadman = $16.56
- Crusher Operator = $13.49
- Master Electrician = $18.64
- Mechanic, Apprentice Class 2 = $14.03
- Janitor = $13.49
This must be one of those non-union places in a nice part of Idaho. Which left me wondering where all those high-paid electricians are. An unscientific survey shows they come from Texas, Utah, and Washington. Oh and some of those Californian quarries. 
Hello,
I am an Industrial Instrument Mechanic in a unionized mine in Thompson Manitoba Canada. We have a fully integrated mine from underground, open pit to finished product. I realize that your wages are in US$.
At our mine a laborer earns $22.00 per hour
In maintenance, Electrician $33.00 p/hr
Instrumentation $34.00 p/hr
Underground miner (production) $27.00 p/hr (plus production bonus)
These wages are very representative of what Canadians are paid in the mining industry. Is there any reason for the great discrepancy in wages. It seems to me that people going miles underground, risking their lives, just so people can have all their shiny new toys should be treated better.
Thanks,
Riz Fazal