careernav.

Leading Companies & Markets

Within Australia, there are many businesses that employ geologists because of our huge mineral resources.  The notable larger businesses are household names - BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto, although there are many consultancies and related companies. Other prominent publically listed resource companies include Fortescue Metals for iron ore, Pan Aust for copper and gold, Atlas Iron for iron ore and Newcrest Mining for gold.

The market for Geologists is active and demand is strong. This demand is expected to remain high and continue as the search and exploration for additional mineral reserves and resources becomes more urgent. 

Environment & Culture

As an industry geologist you spend much of your time outdoors, whether in a mining environment or in the bush exploring for new resources. This generates a great deal of camaraderie with fellow workers. In this environment you will also find that you are one of the few ‘professional’ employees in a company.

You may find yourself surrounded by tradesmen and labourers who operate machinery in a mine, assist you in the field doing exploration and operate the drill rigs essential to any exploration program. It is a labour-intensive career path, and so the culture is very different to that of a typical office. You will most likely live, eat, sleep and drink with your co-workers, and will definitely be called ‘rock-licker’ from time to time! You find these diverse roles in universities, government and private research organisations within Australia and around the world.