Mining Research Bulletin - November 2025 | Mining and Automotive Skills Alliance

Mining Bulletin

Planning for success – adapting to transitions in the Mining industry

This month, the Research Bulletin covers:

the transitioning nature of the Mining industry and Mine assets
how skills demand changes based on these transitions
how the Mining industry can adapt to this change and act like an enable for positive change
planning for success

The Mining industry, like any other industry, is subject to economy and industry-wide seasonal and perennial trends related to automation, digitalisation, Net Zero, AI, technological and demographic changes. However, the Mining industry is unique in its life stages of mines. Mines are not only significant assets for the industry, but also the nexus of their economic and employment activity, making them integral to the socio-economic fabric of co-located communities. As such, workforce planning, training, and skills delivery need to align with the life stages of a mine. Such planning is further complicated by the industry’s shift towards critical minerals away from Coal, under the direction of various federal initiatives and policies supporting the Net Zero transition.

A lack of planning and coordination regarding these life stages can have unintended consequences for both the industry and the relevant regional communities. Such as unemployment, skills, policy gaps, and even region-specific economic downturns due to the absence of a transition plan. Because mines are significant employers, other region-specific industries are not able to adequately absorb the volume of displaced skills. Unemployment resulting from a lack of planning leads to an underutilisation of skills in the labour market, compromising productivity outcomes. This is a particularly acute challenge in tight and constrained labour markets with continued skills shortages. On the other hand, aligning skills and employment programs to account for the transitional nature of a mine’s life stages can help mitigate many of these challenges. Planning needs to be collaborative, build community resilience, and enable skills transfers/upskill. This level of planning requires buy-in from industry, communities, unions, and various levels of government.

A mine’s life stages are relatively consistent (exploration, discovery, development, production, and closure), but the length and nature of each stage are contingent upon the mine's content, environmental circumstances, the workforce's skill levels and the technology available at the time.

Building Community Resilience

Building strong community resilience is vital to ensuring that mining's positive social and economic impacts are responsible and should continue long after mining operations have ended or transitioned. Mines are located in the vicinity of mineral deposits and their associated veins, often in regional, remote, and rural areas. Mining corporations service such locations by a combination of methods, at times relying on Fly-In-Fly-Out (FIFO). At other times, depending on the nature of the deposit and the region, regional communities (which may already exist) can develop around the mine to support its workforce. Such communities provide local skills resources and develop a support ecosystem around the mine. Providing housing for employees, schools and healthcare for their families, and a sense of community. As the life of the mine comes to an end, or as a mine transitions through various stages of its life, the employment volume and wages of the mine can affect the health and well-being of the community. Flourishing commodity prices attract a surge of new workers, coinciding with a boom in regional spending and economic growth. Similarly, a reduction in employment levels can mean that workers might leave the region, thus adversely affecting the community's economy.

For instance, mines entering the care and maintenance stage of their life cycle impact employees, households, families, communities and local government.¹ From a social perspective, well-planned mine closure and transition processes should reinforce local social and cultural capital, fostering a resilient and sustainable post-mining future. This requires the strategic repurposing of infrastructure and the development of alternative economic pathways to support long-term community wellbeing and livelihoods.² Housing, food security and schooling can be disproportionately affected by workforce transitions; it is therefore essential that closure planning actively addresses these areas through inclusive community and Indigenous engagement.

Throughout its life, a mine will require varying combinations of skills, although there is considerable overlap; the volume of each skill can vary significantly at times (Figure 1). In 2021, the top occupations related to a mine’s operation stage were Miners, Fitters, and Truck Drivers. As the mine transitioned to the closure stage, however, the key roles shifted to Fitters, Electricians, and Maintenance Planners.³ Large-scale mines may require a varying workforce size to manage different tasks such as extraction, maintenance, logistics, and administrative duties.⁴

Figure 1: Comparison of key occupations required between the operation stage and closure

_{Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, “Australian Census Population and Housing, 2021, TableBuilder”, 2021}

A second layer of complexity is introduced to workforce planning and policy for the Mining industry as it transitions between various commodities. Although mining activity is largely agnostic, as various mineral mines will employ the same skills (Drillers, Miners, Shot Firers, Mining Engineers). There are nuances to the work that each of these occupations performs, and the quantities of skills needed to be employed by the mine (Figure 2).

By 2035, around 90% of the National Electricity Market's coal fleet is expected to have withdrawn from the grid, resulting in an impact on the existing coal mining workforce and underscoring the need for redeployment of skills.⁵ The transition to renewable energy will require a significant expansion in the production of critical minerals and metals, such as Lithium, Copper, Manganese and rare earth elements.

The handling and refining of Coal and critical minerals differ technically, shaped by the nuanced geological variations between the two. Coal mining involves large-scale mechanical extraction, the operation of equipment and the physical handling of bulk materials. It focuses on mass production and the continuous movement of raw material from the pit to the processing plant.⁶ Whereas, critical mineral mining activity is influenced by the increasing integration of automation, data analytics and environmentally responsible extraction practices due to the intricate extraction and processing of these materials.⁷

The top occupations for Coal and critical mineral mining are relatively similar, with 8 out of 10 occupations being the same in both industries. Globally, around one million (990,200) Coal mine jobs are expected to no longer exist by 2050, which includes three-quarters of Australia's Coal workforce.⁸

Figure 2: Comparison of key occupations between coal mining and critical minerals 2021

_{Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, “Australian Census Population and Housing, 2021, TableBuilder”, 2021}

_{Note: the critical mineral doesn’t have its own ANZSIC classifications. The graph for the critical mineral includes INDP 4-digit of: Bauxite Mining, Copper Ore Mining, Mineral Sand Mining, Nickel Ore Mining, Silver-Lead-Zinc Ore Mining, Other Metal Ore Mining, Gravel and Sand Quarrying, Other Construction Material Mining, and Other Non-Metallic Mineral Mining and Quarrying. These may include mining activities that are not classified as critical minerals.}

As the industry adapts to various Net Zero initiatives and phases Coal out in favour of critical minerals, many roles will find straightforward transition opportunities, some roles will require on-the-job upskill, particularly those around diagnostic and analysis, and some will move to other industries, like Civil Construction. However, some workers will not be able to redeploy; this category will consist of those on the verge of retirement, those unwilling to relocate (as mining is region-specific), and those in occupations that don’t have identical skill demands across minerals.

Technological advancements in the industry

Over 77% of mining jobs are expected to incorporate new technical elements, which will result in a 23% increase in productivity over the next five years.⁹ Long-term benefits from technological advancements include improving safety for workers on-site and reducing operating costs to support the extension of a mine's life cycle.¹⁰ While many current mining occupations are likely to be impacted by automation and augmentation, there will also be opportunities for the current workforce to be directed to higher-value tasks.¹¹ New pathways need to be explored for those less willing to undertake considerable upskilling into alternative jobs.

A significant decline in demand is projected for several of the mining sector’s largest occupations, with the number of truck drivers and welders/flame cutters expected to fall by more than 10% by 2028. Occupations such as mining engineers, metallurgists, geologists, and geophysicists are less susceptible to automation (Figure 3).

Figure 3: Net demand change for top 10 mining jobs, 2018-2028

_{Source: CISCO, “Future of Australian Jobs Report”, 2019.}

Table 1: Role Shifts and Required Skills

_{Source: Day Job Recruitment, “AI in Australian Mining: Jobs Lost or Jobs Shifted?”, 24 July 2025.}

How can mining companies support this transition?

The industry has expressed the need for formal recognition of employees' work history to document their skills and competencies as they transition into new roles. There is currently no obligation for Mining employers to provide a letter of competency or separation, resulting in irregularities in workforce transitions and putting workers at risk of losing valuable evidence of their experience and qualifications. This is also an example of how the industry can ensure employment stability for employees.

Examples of how mining companies and organisations are easing this transition are as follows:

Queensland Future Skills (QFS) is delivering training for autonomous technologies in Queensland's open-cut mines, focusing on preparing the workforce for Industry 4.0 and upskilling the workforce.¹² They are offering new qualifications, micro-credentials and skill sets. A key program is the Certificate II in Autonomous Technologies (10935NAT), which provides foundational knowledge in programming languages such as Python and supporting frameworks required for autonomous environments, including innovative thinking and networking.¹³
Muja Workforce Transition Program by Synergy Energy, Western Australia's (WA) largest energy retailer and generator, has created an employee-focused program. The program focuses on providing personalised transition plans for those impacted by coal mine closures through individually tailored support. Synergy's plan involves support services, resources and pathways that include reskilling, opportunities outside of Synergy and retirement options.¹⁴
As the Argyle Diamond Mine in WA prepared for closure, Rio Tinto launched the Life After Argyle program to support the transition of its workforce. The initiative focuses on reskilling, redeployment and emotional support. It recognises the personal impact of mine closures.¹⁵ The program helps workers move into new roles or industries with nationally recognised qualifications. The program is delivered in two phases:
- Phase 1: Exploration & Planning – One-on-one career consultations identified goals, training needs, and suitable pathways.
- Phase 2: Delivery & Completion – Training plans were implemented with ongoing support, enrolment management, and progress tracking.
The WA Government launched the Just Transition Working Group in 2019. This group works together to make sure the people most impacted by the changes are considered. With the announcement that the town’s remaining coal-fired power stations will be retired, the State Government announced a $547.4 million Collie Transition Package to support future jobs in the region - bringing State Government investment in Collie to more than $662 million.¹⁶
Research related to Redeployment into other industries undertaken within the Greater Whitsunday region identifies that flexible workforce pathways will ensure the ongoing economic growth and prosperity of the region. Within the Greater Whitsunday region, there is already a perceived flow of workforces between mining and construction industries, as well as skills package alignment between the two industries.¹⁷ The following job roles have been identified as feasible for consideration in a transferable skills pathway from mining. The project explored the transfer skills into civil construction, focusing on job roles in mining that will experience early adoption in technological innovation (Table 2).

Table 2: Key job roles in the mining industry and skills areas covered in core units of competency

_{Source: Greater Whitsunday Alliance, “A model for harnessing transferable skills”, 2022.}

Workforce planning to ensure post mine success for communities and workers is essential to ensuring the mitigation of any adverse impacts as a result of transitioning industries, whether through the life of a mine or between minerals. However, any forward planning is complicated due to the interaction of various economic trends and federal initiatives that affect the Mining industry. Such planning is only possible in collaboration with communities, employers, and governments. There are significant productivity outcomes that can be unlocked by planning. Workforce succession plans and continuity help employers retain intellectual property (IP) and organisational memory. In addition to benefits from specialisation, there are also benefits resulting from the experience gained over the course of a career. It can also help avoid urgent retrenchment costs, repetitive recruitment costs, and help employers retain their social licence.¹⁸ The importance of such planning will only grow as the Mining industry continues to respond to federal and global Net Zero adjacent initiatives.

The way forward

People, skills and partnerships

Establish formal recognition frameworks across skills used by jobs in different mine life stages to record transferable skills
Support upskilling in new technologies
Enable a culture of lifelong learning by innovating pathways and upskill opportunities, such as micro skills and micro credentials

For industry

Incentive mining companies to participate in workforce transition programs and support systems for their employees
Support a culture of lifelong learning by supporting continuous upskill programs
Visibility for communities and regions to enable forward planning
Commitment to support regional and economic transition activities, where possible, to enable post-mine success for both workers and communities
Collaborate with communities, governments, and employees to undertake region and commodity-specific planning for post-mine futures
Ensure training and pathway programs are accessible and attracting a diverse cohort

Research

Case studies and research exploring career transitions across sub-industries within the Mining sector. For example, the qualifications and upskilling pathways are necessary for workers shifting from Coal mining to the critical minerals industry.
Research to map transferable skills and occupations between Coal and critical mineral mining
Research to investigate new and emerging skills needed by the critical minerals industry
Research to investigate strategic challenges for the critical minerals industry

Government

Enable and support forward planning for post mine futures
Align policies and incentives that enable Coal to critical mineral transitions for industry and skills
Align training pathways under the accredited ecosystem to enable the deployment and development of transferable skills
Align incentive mechanisms that encourage positive outcomes to support Net Zero priorities

1 CSRM, “The Social Aspects of Mine Closure,” 2018.

2 CSRM, “The Social Aspects of Mine Closure,” 2018.

3 Australian Bureau of Statistics, “Australian Census Population and Housing, 2021, TableBuilder”, 2021

4 AUSMASA, “Insights for tomorrow”, 2025.

5 Australian Energy Council, “Just Transition: Case Studies Highlight Work Underway,” 2024.

6 CA Mining, “The Transferable Skills from Mining to Renewable Energy - ca Mining - Mining Recruitment Jobs,” September 25, 2024.

7 CA Mining, “The Transferable Skills from Mining to Renewable Energy - ca Mining - Mining Recruitment Jobs,” September 25, 2024.

8 7 News, “Three-Quarters of Aussie Jobs in This Industry to Be Scrapped: ‘Inevitable,’” October 10, 2023.

9 Mining Technology, “How technology is changing Australian mining jobs”, 2019.

10 Greater Whitsunday Alliance, “Future Employment Blueprint”, 2020.

11 Greater Whitsunday Alliance, “Future Employment Blueprint”, 2020.

12 TAFE Queensland, “Queensland Future Skills Partnership,” 2019.