For those considering a career change, evaluating their future in another industry, or just looking for somewhere to start, a mining career offers opportunities for good wages, valuable skill development, and long-term security. Mineral mining employees receive well-above average compensation, and U.S. mining companies proudly uphold the world’s leading labor and safety standards.
The average U.S. metal miner makes $110,000 per year.
For comparison, the median household income for an American Family in 2022 was, $74,580.
And the benefits of increased domestic mining careers go beyond the individual. Mining produces so much value that a single mining job creates at least 2.5 jobs in other sectors. Local mining projects support communities through donations and philanthropy, in addition to economic growth.
Many people have a narrow conception of mining as a career. In reality, the industry employs a broad array of expertise from geologists, engineers and mechanics, to lawyers, computer programmers, security personnel, accountants, electricians, environmental specialists, and many more. Mining offers career paths to fit a wide variety of skills and interests.
The country still shows a concerning drop in people entering mining careers.
A 2023 report from the Center for Strategic & International Studies found that over half of the domestic mining workforce – about 221,000 jobs – will require replacement by 2029 due to retirement. At the same time, only 327 mining and mineral engineering degrees were awarded in 2020 in the United States, a net drop of 39 percent since 2016, according to the report.
At the same time, mineral demand is projected to soar.
S&P Global reported in 2022 that the world will need more copper in the next 12 years than in the last 120. Also, U.S. consumption of lithium, cobalt, and nickel would be 23 times greater by 2035 compared to 2021, S&P Global found in 2023.
All of these minerals and more are crucial for developing the United States’ national defense and advanced energy technologies. If we don’t fill these jobs, it will mean forsaking control of our country’s supply chains and its future to geopolitical rivals like China, which dominates global mineral production, controlling the imports on which our industries rely.
We need legislation to help fulfill these mineral jobs. Luckily, it’s on the way.
The Mining Schools Act of 2023 would create a $10 million grant program that mining schools and public four-year schools can use to support recruitment, research and more through 2031. The bill received Senate approval, but we urge the House to follow suit and pass this measure, which would uplift American workers and promote our economic security.
“By supporting the next generation of miners, the Mining Schools Act is a direct investment in secure U.S. supply chains, American ingenuity, and high-paying, community-supporting jobs for the future,” said Rich Nolan, NMA president and CEO.
Learn more about mineral jobs at MINExpo
If you’re curious to learn more about where you might fit in the mining industry, there is no better place than MINExpo, the world’s largest mining show, from Sept. 24-26 in Las Vegas. The biggest industry leaders in mining will meet to explore all that mining has to offer. Be sure to tune in to NMA’s MINExpo livestream to share in the excitement from home.
This article was published by: Kate Harris
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