A study put out by Deloitte last year revealed that nearly 50% of mining engineers will reach retirement age within the next decade. The average age of a US mine worker is 46.
British mining also faces a big challenge to meet its needs, according to Rhys Morgan, an engineering and education director at the Royal Academy of Engineering. Some 80% of the 1,250 mining engineers registered with the UK’s Engineering Council are over 50, and 40% are at least 60, he said.
The Deloitte study found that mining employment has fallen 20.4% over the past decade in the United States. In Canada, approximately 80,000 to 120,000 workers will need to be hired by 2030.
The firm highlighted the danger of critical knowledge and skills being lost, when they are needed most, as demand for metals surges for the transition from fossil-fueled to renewable energy, and electrification.
The study also said many jobs are likely to be reshaped by technology…
