Underground Miners
Job description
These individuals build, install, maintain, and repair the structures and fixtures that are critical for the operation of mines. They extract minerals using various machines (e.g. drills) and evaluate geological formations. They install air and water pipes. They work in underground mines.
Environment
- Equipment, machinery, tools
- Hazardous chemical
- Nontoxic dust
- Humidity
- Uncontrolled ambient temperature
- Hazardous workplaces
- Noise
- Falling objects
- Vibration
Main tasks
- Cut down coal, rock, or ore from the working face.
- Construct underpasses, tunnels, and shafts.
- Place explosive charges, set fuses, and detonate explosives.
- Load ore and transport it to the smokestacks.
- Detach unstable blocks from the walls and ceiling.
- Inspect mine shafts.
- Operate winches that transport personnel, equipment, and materials.
- Draft reports.
- Ensure that safety standards are met.
Advancement and mobility
- There is mobility in companies operating certain types of mining operations.
- Experience leads to supervisory positions.
Training and requirements
Formation
Most training programs are offered in French only.
Secondary
Sometimes required
- Experience as a Mine Labourer or Mine Worker is usually required.
- A Blaster’s certificate may be required.
- Company permit or certificate is often required.
- Training in first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) may be required.
Main skills and characteristics
Skills
- Monitoring operations
- Critical thought
- Active listening
- Operations and control
- Data collection
- Result evaluation
- Oral expression
- Social perception
- Quality control analysis
- Coordination
- Troubleshooting
- Equipment maintenance
- Time management
- Judgment and decision-making
- Repair
Abilities
- Control accuracy
- Limb coordination
- Awareness of issues
- Hand-arm stability
- Reaction time
- Speed control
- Depth perception
- Hearing sensitivity
- Oral comprehension
- Manual dexterity
- Deductive reasoning
- Near vision
- Static muscle power
- Inductive reasoning
- Speech recognition
- Response orientation
- Distance vision
- Auditory attention
- Classification
- Core strength
- Information organization
- Perception speed
- Physical flexibility in extension
- Speech clarity
- Digital dexterity
- Verbal skills
Knowledge and attributes
- Capacity to work under pressure
- Focussed on results
- Capacity to adapt
- Capacity to work in a team
- Knowledge of production and treatment
- Tolerance to stress
- Respect standards and regulations
- Assiduity and punctuality
- Sense of observation
- Timeliness
Interests
- Work manually
- Develop and exploit natural resources
- Exercer une activité sportive ou physique
Personality profiles (RIASEC)
- Realistic
- People with this profile prefer carrying out concrete tasks and being physically involved in what they do.
- Conventional
- People with this profile prefer specific, well-defined tasks. They like to respect the order of things and follow established rules.
- Enterprising
- People with this profile prefer having responsibilities, influencing others and responding to challenges.
Appellation d’emploi liée (à traduire)
Underground production and development miners (CNP 83100)
Skill type
Natural resources, agriculture and related production
Last update: January 29, 2026
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