I THINK MINING

Here from the new CostMine 2012 Survey of African Mine Salaries are some figures for those working on mines in the Democratic Republic of the Congo — the first set of numbers are the range of salaries, the second is the average, and the third is the number of years of experience of those reporting salaries. 

Artisan                              21,600–30,000              24,900

Plant Supervisor           96,000–145,000          114,200           7–20

Surveyors                    132,000–160,000          144,000           5–10

Laboratory Manager    54,000–72,000            63,000            5–10

Exploration Geologist 34,020–60,000             49,300            1–15

Engineer                          108,000–168,000        133,200           5–20

Exploration Manager   120,000–200,000        158,500        20–25

I know not what to comment other than to note this also from the Survey:

The end of the war in 1999 led to a resurgence of the mining industry, which accounts for most of the DRC’s exports.  Diamonds, copper, and cobalt are the dominant minerals. Artisanal and small-scale miners accounted for most of the Congolese output of diamond, gold, niobium, tantalum, tin, and tungsten. These miners also played a significant role in the country’s cobalt mine production.  It is estimated that 2 million people work as artisanal miners across the country.