minerals surveyor (geology,geography,survaying,aprentership)

Minerals surveyor : Job description

Minerals surveyors are concerned with the use, value, management and exploration of mineral deposits, as well as the mapping and recording of the extent of mineral extraction. They prepare initial surveys to determine the economic viability of a potential site and support planning applications, taking possible environmental effects, such as air and water pollution, into account.

Mineral surveyors are involved with a huge variety of operations including working with mines, quarries, peat workings, mineral processing plants, onshore oil and gas installations, methane extraction sites, mine water treatment plants, brickworks, concrete and cement works, waste transfer stations, recycling centers, and waste incinerators.

Minerals surveyors manage and develop quarries and mines, carrying out detailed surveys to enable valuations of the mineral content. They also work on landfill and waste management sites, and ensure all workings are safe and negotiate legal contracts to establish rights to work in a mine.

Typical work activities

Typical work activities include:

• carrying out initial surveys, risk assessments and environmental impact assessments on potential sites to assess whether plans are workable;
• providing advice on developing and managing mineral sites safely and within regulations;
• exploring, mapping and developing sites for mineral extraction;
• researching land and tax records to establish site ownership;
• dealing with ownership rights and negotiating contracts to buy, lease or simply to provide access onto sites;
• undertaking exploration work, such as taking samples and recording results;
• providing valuations of mineral deposits;
• providing advice on how best to restore the landscape after extraction is complete;
• meeting with members of the public and providing information and advice to them as required;
• liaising with local authorities and preparing planning applications for clients;
• managing areas, such as mining sites, for owners;
• predicting the environmental effects and impacts of mining, including air pollution and destruction of the landscape;
• providing taxation advice, agreeing taxation levels on mineral assets and adjusting taxation agreements as required;
• creating strategies for the re-use of previous development sites;
• developing pollution licences;
• charting surface areas using global positioning systems (GPS), building accurate 3-D models using digital imaging and specialist CAD (computer-aided design) software to map the structure of a site;
• providing advice on how waste material should be disposed of.

Minerals surveyor : Salary and conditions

Range of typical starting salaries: £20,000 - £25,000 (salary data collected Aug 09).

• Range of typical salaries for those with experience and/or qualifications: £25,000 - £35,000 (salary data collected Aug 09).
• Range of typical salaries at senior level: £35,000 - £50,000+. (salary data collected Aug 09).
• Salaries vary considerably according to the location, sector and size of the employing organisation, with salaries normally higher in London. Local authority salaries are comparable and may include a final salary pension scheme.
• The working week is usually 35 - 45 hours, but may include early starts or late finishes. Some weekend working may be necessary to meet deadlines. Surveyors in the public sector will work similar hours, although flexi-time is generally available.
• The work is both office-based and conducted on site. Site visits and inspections are conducted outside in all weathers.
• Underground mine workings can be dark, damp, and cramped at times. Surface workings can be dirty and are exposed to the weather. Mining equipment can also be noisy.
• Safety regulations in mine workings must be strictly observed so hard hats, protective clothing and equipment must be used when on site.
• Self-employment and freelance work are possible but not widespread.
• Women are under-represented in the general surveying profession (currently only 11% of UK members are female, although 30% of student members are female (Feb 09)). In response to this, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) has set up the ‘Raising the Ratio’ task force to try to encourage more women to enter the profession.
• According to the 2008 2008 RICS and MacDonald & Company Salary and Benefits Survey , women’s salaries remain significantly less than their male counterparts, although the earnings gap has continued to narrow with women now earning 22% less than men, compared with 29% in 2005.
• Opportunities exist throughout the UK and abroad, essentially where minerals are found.
• The dress code tends to be conservative for meetings, and it is expected that surveyors will be smartly dressed even when visiting sites, although more appropriate clothing will be worn during underground mining inspections, for example.
• A reasonable level of fitness and mobility is required as the work can be physically demanding. Site inspections may involve climbing down into excavated areas or mine workings.
• There may be considerable travel within a working day, although absence from home overnight is uncommon. A company car is not usually offered, but mileage for site visits may be payable