Mining Workforces in the Regions
This month our Mining Research Bulletin covers:
- Trends and patterns in the regional Mining workforces across Australia.
- Working hour trends across the regional and metropolitan areas in the Mining workforces across Australia.
- The distribution of the workforce by degrees of remoteness.
Falling regional workforces
Australia’s mining industry workforce continues to concentrate in Western Australia (WA) and Queensland (QLD) but has shifted in favour of their capitals (Figure(s) 1a & 1b). From 2019 to 2024, the proportion of the national mining workforce based in WA increased to 46.88% (+1.34%). However, the proportion of the mining workforce in WA based in the regions decreased to 22.61% (-3.89%).1 WA’s metal ore mining sector,2 saw a decrease in the share of the state’s workforce based in the regions to 21.02% (-8.35%).
QLD also saw an increase in its share of the national workforce grow to 29.34% (1.58%). However, the share of the state’s workforce based in the regions decreased to 65.78% (-12.89%), as the workforce shifted in favour of Brisbane. The increase in the size of the workforce based in Brisbane was driven by an increase in various mining sectors. The share of the coal mining workforce based in Brisbane increased to 22.35% (+13.23%). The share of the exploration and other mining support services sector based in Brisbane also saw an increase to 40.15% (+17.8%). The oil and gas extraction sector saw an increase in the share of its workforce based in Brisbane to 9.03% (+1.46%).
Growing regional workforces
The states with the largest remaining shares of the workforce in 2024, New South Wales (NSW) with 12.21%, Victoria (VIC) with 5.94%, and South Australia (SA) with 3.47%, saw a growth in their regional workforces, at the expense of the metropolitan workforces. This growth was more pronounced in the sectors with the largest workforces in each of the states. Sydney’s proportion of the state’s coal mining workforce fell to 11.61% (-6.45%).3 Adelaide’s proportion of the state’s metal ore mining workforce fell to 39.29% (-12.06%). 4
Employment Trends by Remoteness
From 2018 to 2024, the proportion of the mining workforce in areas designated as Inner Regional Australia fluctuated,5 going from the high of 27.03% in 2019 to the low of 19.57% in 2022.6 The proportion of the workforce based in the capital cities increased to 55.17% (+5.45%). The proportion of the mining workforce in areas designated Outer Regional Australia fell to 15.16% (-6.84%) in 2024.
Areas designated as Remote Regional Australia tend to have a fluctuating proportion of the mining workforce ranging from 4.12% to 9.51%, peaking in 2021 and dropping in 2022. Overall, the capital cities are witnessing upward trends, while Outer Regional Australia shows a decline followed by a slight recovery. Remote regions, on average, face workforce attraction, retention, and recruitment challenges due to the remote nature of these locations and the limited social amenities available.7
Gender ratios in the automotive industry, state and regionally
The mining industry’s female-to-male ratio has steadily fallen over the last decade.8 In Perth, the number of female employees to 100 male employees increased to 22 (+1) from 2018 to 2024. In Brisbane, the ratio fell to 30 (-3). However, the regions in both states saw an increase in the ratios. In regional WA, the ratio rose to 18 (+8), and in regional QLD, the ratio rose to 24 (+14).
The number of female workers to 100 male workers (ratio) increased across NSW, SA, and VIC from 2018 to 2024. NSW saw the ratio increase to 24 (+15). SA saw the ratio increase to 18 (+18) and VIC saw the ratio increase to 33 (+17).
Who works the most?
An increasing number of employees in the regions are working more than 45 hours per week (Figure(s) 4a & 4b).9 In the oil and gas extraction sector, a steady 46% of the workforce in the capitals was working over the 45-hour threshold.10 Whereas, the proportion of Coal and Metal Ore Mining workers in regional areas who worked more than 45 hours per week increased to 53.92% (+3.52%) and 73.70% (+12.23%), respectively.
60% of the workers employed in exploration and other mining support services in the regions worked in excess of the 45-hour threshold. The proportion of workers working more than 45 hours per week fell for workers employed in the regions in the oil and gas extraction sector, and the non-metallic mineral mining and quarrying sector. On average, most mining subdivisions in the regions saw an increase in the ratio of workers working overtime to those not working overtime (Figure(s) 5a & 5b). As working hours for workers in the coal mining sector increased in the regions, the proportion of those working part-time also increased to 4.58% (+1%). This could indicate that the higher working hours were being worked by a smaller pool of full-time workers, compared to workers based in the capitals.
Australian research on coal miners who worked more than 40 hours per week has established links between this and physical illnesses like hypertension and gastrointestinal problems, alongside increased use of medications like stimulants, sleeping tablets, and antidepressants.11Employees working in regional areas (who may not have a family unit in the regions) can be more isolated from family and social contacts; this can lead to increased use of such medications, alcohol, and perhaps, predictably, adverse effects on their mental health.12
A work shift in the mines is typically 12 to 12.5 hours long within a 24-hour period, with multiple back-to-back shifts making up one ‘swing’, which is then followed by a rest and relaxation (R&R) period.13 For example, a mine worker may work a swing of 7 shifts on, then 7 shifts off, which could be described as a 7:7 roster; or similarly, 1 week on, 1 week off, which could be described as a 1:1 roster.14 This rostering system leads to higher weekly average working hours for workers employed in the mining industry.
Conclusion
Our data and research highlight shifts in Australia's mining industry. From 2019 to 2024, the mining workforce has become increasingly concentrated in WA and QLD, particularly in their capital cities, driven by the Metal Ore Mining and Coal sectors. Gender ratios have also changed in the industry, with more women now being employed as a proportion of the workforce. This was particularly pronounced in the regions compared to the capitals.
Around two-thirds of regional mining workers are working increased hours, while most of those based in the capitals have lower working hours, in some cases below their regional counterparts. These trends underscore the growing concentration of both the industry and its sectors’ workforces in two states and their capitals, while also noting the challenges those based in regional areas may face. However, further research is needed to better understand these trends and their potential, longer-term implications.
1 Likely reflecting the home or residential addresses of Fly-in Fly-out (FIFO) workers; ABS, “Australian Labour Market Statistics – Fly-in Fly-Out FIFO Workers,” July 2013.
2 which accounts for over half of its workforce and its iron ore output (IBISWorld, and Ryan Tan. "Mining." November 2024).
3 In NSW, the shift may have been driven by the presence of Coal Mining in regional areas, as reporting by Coal Services Pty Ltd revealed that the Hunter region, the state's largest coal mining area, recorded 14,589 roles in the sector in 2023 – the second-highest level since 2014; NSW Mining, “NSW coal mining delivers highest number of jobs in over a decade”, 26 March 2023.
4 Limited data resolution is a factor for results like this, where values are rounded, and trends are variable.
5 Data resolution limits our ability to break down state-level data by degrees of remoteness.
6 Remoteness areas are categories of remoteness as defined by the ABS based on the Accessibility/Remoteness Index of Australia (ARIA+) which classifies remoteness in terms of access along the road network from populated localities to five categories of Service Centres based on population size. Some examples are as follows: Inner Regional: Murwillumbah (just south of Gold Coast); Outer Regional: Mount Gambier in SA and Devonport in Tasmania; Remote: Wadeye, NT; Very Remote: Bourke in north-western NSW.
7 Minor changes in proportion of the workforce across regional categories may occur due to the re-categorisation of designations.
8 AUSMASA, “Research Bulletin - March,” 2025.
9 The Fair Work Act prescribes that a standard workweek for full-time employees must not exceed 38 hours on average plus ‘reasonable’ overtime (Commonwealth of Australia. Fair Work Act (2009) p II-II div 1. 2009). 45 hours is an attempt to accurately identify reasonable overtime.
10 Noting that as FIFO are often captured as metro workers due to residential address and also work in 12-hour shifts.
11 Peetz, D., Murray, G. and Muurlink, O. “Work and hours amongst mining and energy workers: Australian Coal and Energy Survey First Phase Report.” 2012.
13 MYNR Community, “Mining Insights: Shifts, Swings and Rosters”, January 2024.
About the author
Dr Aneeq Sarwar
Dr Aneeq Sarwar is Senior Manager, Workforce Planning and Policy at AUSMASA, overseeing our research, workforce planning, and policy functions. Aneeq is an experienced research leader who has managed quantitative and qualitative research projects across industry, academia, and government. He is widely published with various national and international bodies and is passionate about using data insights to drive decision-making that benefits society and communities. Aneeq helps drive policy, research and decision-making by leveraging stakeholder consultations.