Mobile Plant Operators

Are you fascinated by open pit mining vehicles and heavy machinery that move and load earth and other materials? There are several Mobile Plant Operator roles you can explore in open pit mining.

Open Pit Mobile Plant Operators are responsible for operating heavy machinery to dig, transfer and load soil, rock, debris, and rubble from one place to another at open pit mine sites.

“It’s quite daunting at first knowing how big the trucks and loading units are… Within a couple of months, it’s like driving your own car, or easier driving your own car,” said Maritza, Northern Star Resources Truck Operator and Trainer.

Activities

Mobile Plant Operators prepare, position and test plants for operation, and select, fit and remove attachments that operate the controls.

• Haul or Dump Truck Operators transport raw material from one area to another.
• Loader Operators scoop up heavy debris with its hydraulic front bucket and then load that into a dump truck to be hauled away.
• Grader Operators create straight, flat sections of earth leveling parcels of ground for further construction and creating dirt pathways for other machinery needed at the construction site.
• Excavator Operators excavate, break, drill, level, compact, gouge out, move, load and spread earth, rock, rubble, soil and other materials.
• Bulldozer Operators clear out, level, and move materials including earth, rock, rubble and soil.

Work Environment

Mobile Plant Operators work predominantly outdoors, wearing appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), using their hands to handle, control or feel objects, and coordinating with other teams face-to-face to implement logistical plans.

Knowledge

It is important for Mobile Plant Operators to have a basic understanding in machines, tools, building and construction, public safety, and strategic planning.

Skills

Skills required include controlling equipment or systems, operation monitoring, coordination with others, equipment maintenance and fixing machines or systems.

Specialisations

Loader Operator

• Bobcat Operator – A multi-purpose construction vehicle that is a smaller version of a front-end loader, with a one-person caged control.
• Front-end Loader Operator – A type of tractor that is normally wheeled and uses a wide square tilting bucket on the end of movable arms to lift and move material around.

Excavator Operator

• Hydraulic Rockbreaker Operator – Operate a powerful pounding hammer that is fitted to an excavator for demolishing concrete structures or rocks.
• Trench Digging Machine Operator – Excavation machine employing a wheel fitted with rim buckets, or with a boom or ladder on which an endless chain of buckets or scrapers revolves.

Bulldozer Operator

• Scraper Operator (Earthmoving) – Scrapers have the power, traction, and speed for reliable output in a variety of earthmoving applications.

Prerequisites

To secure work as a Mobile Plant Operator, you need to have some high school education, with a diploma or the following certifications.

Haul Truck Operator

• Certificate II in Surface Extraction Operations
• Certificate III in Surface Extraction Operations

Grader Operator

• Certificate II in Civil Construction Plant Operations

Excavator Operator

• Certificate II in Civil Construction Plant Operations

Bulldozer Operator

• Certificate III in Civil Construction Plant Operations

Are you fascinated by big vehicles and heavy machinery that travel underground to move and load earth and other materials? There are several Mobile Plant Operator roles you could explore in underground mining.

Underground Mining Mobile Plant Operators operate heavy machinery that dig, transfer and load soil, rock, debris and rubble from one place to another on-site.

“I worked at the underground Vivien gold mine just outside of Leinster. It was extremely enjoyable… I worked as a Nipper helping out the Jumbo Operators,” said Ramelius Resources Vacation Student program participant and Engineering student Eoghan McCallion.

Activities

Mobile Plant Operators prepare, position and test plants for operation, and select, fit and remove attachments that operate the controls.

• Bogger Operators operate Boggers or load, haul, dump (LHD) loaders which are similar to conventional front end loaders but developed for the toughest of hard rock mining applications.
• Jumbo Operators operate drilling jumbo rigs which consist of one, two or three rock drill carriages, sometimes a platform, where a miner loads the holes with explosives and clear the face of the tunnel.
• Nippers work alongside the Underground Drillers but also partake in ad hoc tasks such as delivery, pick up and transport of mining equipment and personnel within the underground mine.

Work Environment

Mobile Plant Operators work predominantly outdoors, wearing appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), using their hands to handle, control or feel objects, and coordinating with other teams face-to-face to implement logistical plans.

Knowledge

It is important for Mobile Plant Operators to have a basic understanding in machines, tools, building and construction, public safety and strategic planning.

Skills

Skills that Mobile Plant Operators need to perform their tasks include controlling equipment or systems, operation monitoring, coordination with others, equipment maintenance and fixing machines or systems.

Specialisations

• Bogger Operator – Bog all development and production headings, load trucks and maintain road works within operations.
• Jumbo Operator – responsible for the operation of a single and/or double boom jumbo drilling rig.
• Nippers – work alongside Underground Drillers and partake in ad-hoc tasks such as delivery, pick-up and transport of mining equipment and personnel within the underground mine.
• Service Crew – maintain and repair services and equipment used in underground operations.
• Charge Up – charge development and production headings within underground operations.

Prerequisites

You can secure work as an Underground Mobile Plant Operator without formal qualifications, however a Certificate III or IV in Underground Mining may be useful.

• Certificate II in Underground Metalliferous Mining
• Certificate III in Underground Metalliferous Mining
• Certificate IV in Underground Metalliferous Mining