Overview
EMPLOYED
314,500
PART-TIME SHARE
5%
WORKFORCE SHARE
2.1%
FEMALE SHARE
20%
MEDIAN WEEKLY EARNINGS
$2,832
MEDIAN AGE
42
Mining is a small employing industry. Around 2.1% of workers have their main job in this industry.
Mining covers the exploration and extraction of minerals, oil and gas. Activities in the Mining industry include:
- mining preparation work
- underground or open cut mining
- dredging
- quarrying
- well operations or evaporation pans.
Most jobs are in Western Australia and Queensland. Employment is mainly in regional or remote locations like Pilbara and Gladstone.
Median earnings are $2,832 per week, higher than all industries median earnings of $1,741.
Details
On this page
Employment
Employment in the Mining industry grew over the 20 years to February 2026.
The number of workers grew by 2,200 (or 0.7%) over the last year.
| Quarterly employment, Mining | Employment |
|---|---|
| 123700 | |
| 127000 | |
| 130300 | |
| 133500 | |
| 136800 | |
| 140200 | |
| 143700 | |
| 147400 | |
| 151300 | |
| 155400 | |
| 159600 | |
| 164000 | |
| 168500 | |
| 173300 | |
| 178500 | |
| 184000 | |
| 189900 | |
| 196100 | |
| 202600 | |
| 209300 | |
| 216000 | |
| 222600 | |
| 229000 | |
| 235000 | |
| 240300 | |
| 244900 | |
| 248500 | |
| 251100 | |
| 252700 | |
| 253300 | |
| 253100 | |
| 252000 | |
| 250200 | |
| 247900 | |
| 245200 | |
| 242400 | |
| 239600 | |
| 237200 | |
| 235100 | |
| 233400 | |
| 232300 | |
| 231800 | |
| 231900 | |
| 232600 | |
| 233900 | |
| 235700 | |
| 238000 | |
| 240700 | |
| 243700 | |
| 246900 | |
| 250300 | |
| 253700 | |
| 257000 | |
| 260300 | |
| 263700 | |
| 267000 | |
| 270400 | |
| 273800 | |
| 277300 | |
| 280900 | |
| 284500 | |
| 288000 | |
| 291400 | |
| 294700 | |
| 297600 | |
| 300300 | |
| 302600 | |
| 304600 | |
| 306400 | |
| 307800 | |
| 308900 | |
| 309800 | |
| 310400 | |
| 310900 | |
| 311400 | |
| 311800 | |
| 312300 | |
| 312700 | |
| 313200 | |
| 313800 | |
| 314500 |
Sectors
Metal Ore Mining is the largest sector in the Mining industry, employing 134,100 workers.
| Employment by industry sectors | Employment |
|---|---|
| Metal Ore Mining | 134100 |
| Other Mining Support Services | 51600 |
| Coal Mining | 45900 |
| Exploration | 25700 |
| Oil and Gas Extraction | 24100 |
| Other Non-Metallic Mineral Mining and Quarrying | 9500 |
| Construction Material Mining | 5200 |
Occupations
Drillers, Miners and Shot Firers is the largest employing occupation in the Mining industry.
The 10 largest employing occupations are shown below.
Some occupations are common across a number of industries.
Largest employing occupations
| ANZSCO Code | Occupation title |
|---|---|
| 7122 | Drillers, Miners and Shot Firers |
| 3232 | Metal Fitters and Machinists |
| 3129 | Other Building and Engineering Technicians |
| 3411 | Electricians |
| 7331 | Truck Drivers |
| 2336 | Mining Engineers |
| 1335 | Production Managers |
| 2344 | Geologists, Geophysicists and Hydrogeologists |
| 7212 | Earthmoving Plant Operators |
| 3223 | Structural Steel and Welding Trades Workers |
Data Downloads
Industry data
This file contains data for all 19 industries to make comparing industry data easy. Information available includes:
- industry overview
- industry employment (20-year time series)
- industry sector employment
- top employing occupations by industry.