21330 Mining engineers

What this occupation covers

Mining engineers plan, design, organize and supervise the development of mines, mine facilities, systems and equipment; and prepare and supervise the extraction of metallic or non-metallic minerals and ores from underground or surface mines. They are employed by mining companies, consulting engineering companies, manufacturers, government and in educational and research institutions.

Official main duties

The NOC profile lists 10 main duties for this code.

• Conduct preliminary surveys and studies of ore, mineral or coal deposits to assess the economic and environmental feasibility of potential mining operations
• Determine the appropriate means of safely and efficiently mining deposits
• Determine and advise on appropriate drilling and blasting methods for mining, construction or demolition
• Design shafts, ventilation systems, mine services, haulage systems and supporting structures
• Design, develop and implement computer applications such as for mine design, mine modelling, mapping or for monitoring mine conditions
• Plan and design or select mining equipment and machinery and mineral treatment machinery and equipment in collaboration with other engineering specialists
• Plan, organize and supervise the development of mines and mine structures and the operation and maintenance of mines
• Prepare operations and project estimates, schedules and reports
• Implement and coordinate mine safety programs
• Supervise and co-ordinate the work of technicians, technologists, survey personnel, and other engineers and scientists.

Do not copy these lines into your reference letter. The letter has to describe what you actually did, in your employer’s words. DUTYPROOF flags wording lifted from the NOC as something to review, and an officer reading a letter that mirrors the NOC reads it the same way.

What DUTYPROOF screens for

This is DUTYPROOF’s screening threshold, not IRCC’s decision. For this NOC, screening requires at least 2 of its 10 official duties to be evidenced in your own words, plus the required letter elements. IRCC asks that you performed the actions in the occupation’s lead statement and a substantial number of its main duties — so treat the duty coverage as the number that matters, not the badge.

Codes this one is confused with

The NOC profile names these itself. Choosing the wrong code of a look-alike pair is the most common way genuine work experience fails to establish eligibility.

• 20010 Engineering managers
• 21331 Geological engineers
• 21102 Geoscientists and oceanographers
• 21322 Metallurgical and materials engineers
• 80010 Managers in natural resources production and fishing
• 21332 Petroleum engineers

Excluded from this code

• Engineering managers (See 20010 Engineering managers)
• Geological engineers (See 21331 Geological engineers)
• Geoscientists and oceanographers (See 21102 Geoscientists and oceanographers)
• Metallurgical and materials engineers (See 21322 Metallurgical and materials engineers)
• Mine manager (See 80010 Managers in natural resources production and fishing)
• Petroleum engineers (See 21332 Petroleum engineers)

Job titles filed under this code

A title on this list does not by itself put your experience in this code — the duties in your letter decide that.

consulting mining engineer · mine design engineer · mine development engineer · mine layout engineer · mine planning engineer · mine production engineer · mine safety engineer · mine ventilation engineer · mineral dressing engineer · mineral engineer · mines exploration engineer · mining engineer

Employment requirements

• A bachelor's degree in mining engineering or in a related engineering discipline is required.
• A master's degree or doctorate in a related engineering discipline may be required.
• Licensing by a provincial or territorial association of professional engineers is required to approve engineering drawings and reports and to practise as a Professional Engineer (P.Eng.).
• Engineers are eligible for registration following graduation from an accredited educational program, and after three or four years of supervised work experience in engineering and passing a professional practice examination.