Mechanical Engineering in Mines

Introduction
The life of a mechanical engineer is full of excitement. Every day brings new challenges and
obstacles to overcome.

Very few people know what mechanical engineers do. Some say they design, while others say
they invent. While these are both true, mechanical engineers do much more. In the mining
industry, mechanical engineers play a very important role. This report will refer to mining, while
also talking about mechanical engineering in general. I hope to show college students that are
indecisive about what degree to pursue, the benefits of becoming a mechanical engineer.

Mechanical engineering has been a very important part of our growing society. Without these
engineers, we would not be where we are today. Thanks to them, we now have everything from
space shuttle vehicles, aircrafts of all sizes and shapes, automobiles, turbines, pumps, power
plants, and factories.(What Does a Mechanical Engineer Do?, 2014). To be a part of creating
something new and see the benefits of your creation is a feeling of satisfaction that keeps
engineers doing what they do.

Methodology
I had the opportunity to interview a Control Engineer for Freeport-McMoRan, a world-renown
mining firm. During our interview, we talked about the responsibilities of the mechanical
engineers in the mine. I also found many web-based articles about mechanical engineers and
their roles in the mines. Many of these articles where written by engineers themselves, They
wrote about their experiences and the benefits of having this career. By searching the web and
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statistical reports, I found information about salaries and the types of environments mechanical
engineers work in.

Discussion
Work environment
As an engineer in a mine, you will work mostly in two different environments. In the office, you
will usually work with reports and data. You will design and construct machines, equipment
and systems that are specifically for mining. (Mechanical Engineers and their roles in mining
industry, 2014) To do this you use software called CAD (Computer Aided Design). In CAD,
you get to create whole machines piece by piece and run tests to see what type of impacts and
forces the materials can handle. You will also be in charge of the business side of things. You
might take part in the accountabilities of costs and needs of materials, or communicate with
suppliers for the needed equipment. (Mechanical Engineers and their roles in mining industry,
2014) That is where reports and number crunching comes in handy. Engineers are responsible
for the safety of all machine workers. To insure their safety, you will be responsible in
watching over safety standards to ensure all materials, supplies and equipment will pass quality
control. (Mechanical Engineers and their roles in mining industry, 2014) In the field though,
is where you get your hands dirty. You will evaluate installed digging machineries and monitor
mining processes. (Mechanical Engineers and their roles in mining industry, 2014) To
evaluate the machines you will need to work with them. You will be part of the process,
thinking of ways to improve the machines to make them work better, faster, and more cost
efficient.

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Social Aspects
Mechanical engineers need to communicate with both machine workers and with supervisors.
These types of communication are very different from each other. In order to communicate with
the machine workers, you will be out in the field side by side asking them questions and taking
notes. The machine workers and you will get to know each other very well. Communicating
with your bosses is a little different. You might know your boss, but he will be more interested
in the business side of things. He will want to make sure you are getting your job done properly
and on time. Mechanical engineers have many meetings. They have team meetings to talk about
possible improvement opportunities, and meetings with supervisors about budgets and
scheduling. I have mostly mentioned face-to-face interactions, but electronic communication or
emails also occupy much of an engineers day. They need to communicate with suppliers, and
will receive most data by email correspondence. Conversation is a very important part of
making sure that the mine functions as it should.

Safety Issues
As I am sure many know, mining jobs can be rugged and even sometimes dangerous. Depending
on the type of mine, you will be concerned about different safety factors. In a coalmine, you will
work in caves. Caves bring their own safety factors. You need to worry about having possible
cave-ins. In addition, because you are surrounded by black coal, you need to worry about a
disease called black lung disease. Black lung disease is caused by breathing the coal fumes.
However, in open-pit mines you have different safety hazards to worry about. In open pit mines,
you work outside in the sun. You need to worry about UV ray damage to the skin. You might
also need to be cautious of landslides that might occur due to the great depths of the pits. While

Mechanical Engineering in Mines

these safety hazards are specific to the type of mine in which you work, there are safety hazards
that relate to every mine. As a mechanical engineer, you will work with large machines. These
machines, if not careful, can cause lots of harm. You might also be required to lift heavy items,
making it important to watch your body. Safety is an important part of every mine. They do
their best to insure your safety.

Dress Code
Part of staying safe is dressing appropriately. On a day-to-day basis, most engineers will wear
long jeans and steel tip workers boots. They will wear either short sleeve polos or sometimes a
long sleeve shirt to prevent sun damage to their skin. While in the field, you are required to wear
a reflective vest and hardhat at all times. It is more relaxed in the office. There you can take off
the vest and hardhat and sit at your desk to work on the computer. You might have meetings that
require you to dress up a little nicer when dealing with outside contractors. Otherwise, for most
meetings within the mine, your day-to-day clothing is appropriate.

Advancements
There are many positions in the mines that a mechanical engineer can have. Most engineers
starting out will receive the title Engineer Technicians. This is normally the first years after
graduation with a Bachelors Degree. You will mostly be receiving instruction from a
supervisor about what to do and write up reports to present. (Level Guides, Position
Descriptions and Global Grades,) If you show that you are capable of the challenges placed
before you, you can work to become a first level leader. This involves performing more
complicated work, but you are still under the supervision of a supervisor. (Level Guides,

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Position Descriptions and Global Grades,) Between the three and five year mark, you receive
the title Senior Engineer. By this time, you should have a good understanding of the
fundamental concepts and procedures that are required of engineering. In other words, you are
finally a professional engineer. You should have received your ME certification around this time
that will allow you to make decisions without supervision. You usually work with minimum
Supervision, conferring with a superior on unusual matters. (Level Guides, Position
Descriptions and Global Grades,) You could receive help from the engineer technicians on
different projects. Most assignments you receive will be broad in nature, requiring originality
and ingenuity. (Level Guides, Position Descriptions and Global Grades,) By the five-year
mark if desired, you can become a lead. The lead plans, conducts and supervises assignments.
(Level Guides, Position Descriptions and Global Grades,) They are in charge of assigning tasks
and reviewing progress with management. (Level Guides, Position Descriptions and Global
Grades,) By eight years, you are considered part of upper-middle management. You will plan
and conduct assignments, generally involving the larger and more important projects. (Level
Guides, Position Descriptions and Global Grades,) You will evaluate progress and results and
recommend major changes in procedures. (Level Guides, Position Descriptions and Global
Grades,) Ten years or more and you should be higher management. You will be managing
complete projects, and consulting outside organizations. To be able to advance this fast in a
well-paying environment has it benefits.

Compensation
Mining companies look for experience when it comes to hiring. It is easier for them to pay a
senior engineer with experience, than to train a new engineer. Nevertheless, if you can get your

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foot in the door, mechanical engineers are paid well for what they do. With your first job, your
income will put you far past your peers who received degrees in other fields. (How much
does a mechanical engineer earn?, 2014) The income you receive depends largely on what
size company you work for and what industry you are in. (How much does a mechanical
engineer earn?, 2014) Most mechanical engineers start out in the $50,000 - $60,000 range in
the U.S. (How much does a mechanical engineer earn?, 2014) Remember this all depends on
your field and company that you work for. Within the first few years, you can quickly rise to
$80,000- $90,000 range as your career progresses. (How much does a mechanical engineer
earn?, 2014) Most companies know how valuable mechanical engineers are to the core of
their business of creating value. (How much does a mechanical engineer earn?, 2014)
Therefore, they pay competitive prices. By the time you are a Senior Engineer and an important
part to the company you could be earning $100,000-$125,000. (How much does a mechanical
engineer earn?, 2014) If you decide to go more along the management route, the salary keeps
growing from there depending on how high up you want to go. These salaries do not include any
retirement plans, or end of the year bonuses. In an international company located in Peru, the
end of the year bonus is on average 15 times the monthly salary (personal communication,
September 15, 2014), making it for a first year engineer around $62,500-$75,000 in addition to
your regular salary. This is a total of around $113,000 if working internationally. Mechanical
engineers receive a decent salary for the benefits that they bring to the company.

Conclusion
In conclusion, mechanical engineering is a good career choice for all open-minded math and
science geeks. Mechanical engineering is hard work, but it also brings many benefits. If this

Mechanical Engineering in Mines

report sounded interesting, I would suggest looking into a degree in Mechanical Engineering.
The world needs us if we are to keep evolving. If you have more questions please call me at
(816) 269-1849 or email me at mdaamodt@gmail.com.