Profession surface mine plant operator

Surface mine plant operators control heavy-duty equipment such as excavators and dump trucks, often involving a high level of spatial awareness, to excavate, load and transport ore, raw mineral including sand, stone and clay and overburden at quarries and surface mines.

Would you like to know what kind of career and professions suit you best? Take our free Holland code career test and find out.

Personality Type

  • Realistic / Conventional
  • Realistic / Enterprising

Knowledge

  • Excavation techniques

    The methods to remove rock and soil, used in an excavation site and the associated risks.

  • Mechanics

    Theoretical and practical applications of the science studying the action of displacements and forces on physical bodies to the development of machinery and mechanical devices.

  • Impact of geological factors on mining operations

    Be aware of the impact of geological factors, such as faults and rock movements, on mining operations.

Skills

  • Deal with pressure from unexpected circumstances

    Strive to achieve objectives despite the pressures arising from unexpected factors outside of your control.

  • Perform minor repairs to equipment

    Conduct routine maintenance on equipment. Recognise and identify minor defects in equipment and make repairs if appropriate.

  • Troubleshoot

    Identify operating problems, decide what to do about it and report accordingly.

  • Operate mining tools

    Operate and maintain a wide range of hand-held and powered mining tools and equipment.

  • Communicate mine equipment information

    Communicate transparently and efficiently with mine production management and machine operators. Pass on any relevant information such as outages, efficiency and productivity of the equipment.

  • Address problems critically

    Identify the strengths and weaknesses of various abstract, rational concepts, such as issues, opinions, and approaches related to a specific problematic situation in order to formulate solutions and alternative methods of tackling the situation.

  • Make independent operating decisions

    Make immediate operating decisions as necessary without reference to others, taking into account the circumstances and any relevant procedures and legislation. Determine alone which option is the best for a particular situation.

  • Inspect heavy surface mining equipment

    Inspect heavy-duty surface mining machinery and equipment. Identify and report defects and abnormalities.

  • React to events in time-critical environments

    Monitor the situation around you and anticipate. Be ready to take quick and appropriate action in case of unexpected events.

  • Conduct inter-shift communication

    Communicate relevant information about the conditions in the workplace, progress, events, and potential problems to the workers in the next shift.

Optional knowledge and skills

operate dragline operate front loader ensure compliance with safety legislation operate dump truck drive vehicles operate bulldozer operate spreader operate bucket wheel excavator operate tractor operate shotcreter operate excavator

Common job titles

  • Heavy equipment operator
  • Transloader operator
  • Traveling transloader operator
  • Operator iv - hotmix
  • Sr. mine trainer (irc22545)
  • Track equipment operator
  • Chief metallurgist
  • Quarry operator
  • Plant and pit driver
  • Equipment operator (non-dot)