CostMine in the new Canadian Mine Salaries, Wages & Benefit 2009 lists the salaries of those working in the Canadian mining industry in mid 2009. I am always surprised how low they seem by comparison with the salaries of those folk I know in the industry: engineers on the oil sands mines and in consulting companies in Vancouver. Maybe you just have to face it: if you really want to increase your salary in the Canadian mining industry in Canada, you have to work the oil sands or the consultants.
Here are a few of the salaries listed by CostMine for genuine miners working the mines of Canada (all numbers are thousands of dollars per year):
- General Manager = 170
- Mine Manager = 129
- Mine Superintendant = 105
- Senior Engineer = 107
- Mine Engineer = 91
- Metallurgist = 83
- Mine Geologist = 82
- Environmental Coordinator = 84
- Accountant = 85
- Secretary = 48
These are of course averages. The salaries vary considerably from east to west, from surface to underground mine, and by type of commodity mined. For example, the upper salaries at western mines are as follows:
- General Manager = 225
- Mine Manager = 155
- Senior Engineer = 146
- Secretary = 58
Those working on surface mines earn more than those working on underground mines. Here are the ranges for some job classifications–and I note the significant variations from the bottom to the top of the salary scale:
- General Manager = 120 to 235
- Mine Engineer = 62 to 141
- Mine Geologist = 55 to 93
- Environmental Coordinator = 72 to 114
- Accountant = 75 to 95
- Secretary = 30 to 58
With some 34 mines reporting in to the survey, there is considerably more information in the survey than I could (or should) report here. I recommend you access the original via your human resource officer or professional organization to assess the reasonableness of your salary. Or if you are vastly off the scale (above or below) let me or the folk at CostMine know.
Still surprised to see surface people make more than the undeground folk. Having worked at both as a Mine Geologist I can tell you the underground can be more challenging. That’s not to say they don’t deserve it, just an observation.
Are the salaries mentioned here reprehensive of those engineers that work in camp environments on rotating shifts, i.e. 1 week in, 1 week out?
I am a junior engineer with 3 years of applicable experience (including working in oil field camps). I am negotiating with a mining company now for a remote location in British Columbia. I am surprised at how low the numbers seem to be as after travel is factored in it is possible to earn much more money doing a 9-5 job in a city.
Thanks,
Mark