Plant Operator

Operators running the mobile plant that digs, pushes and loads material on a mine: excavators, dozers, graders, loaders, and the all-rounders who move between them.

What it involves: Loading trucks at the face with an excavator or shovel, dozing benches and dumps, grading haul roads, and ancillary work such as water carts and rockbreakers. All-rounder and multi-skilled roles rotate across several machines. Haul truck driving has its own page.

Typical requirements: Ads usually ask for hours on the specific machine, plus any licence or ticket your country requires for it. All-rounder roles favour people already competent on several machines; trainee operator programs are the usual way in without hours.

See typical pay for this role →

New to this pathway? See how to get your first mining job →

41 live plant operator roles