If you are searching for a career in the mining industry or are searching for temporary laborers for your mining project, you may have seen the phrase “mining contract labor.” This refers to employees who are hired on a contract basis for a temporary or seasonal need.
Contract labor is popular in shorter-term mining sites or projects or for projects that have more seasonal needs.
WHAT IS MINING CONTRACT LABOR?
Mining contract labor refers to temporary or seasonal mining employment. Many of these contracts last between 3-6 months but may differ depending on the company and need. Many mining contract labor opportunities are managed through a third party, who helps recruit, screen, and place contract miners in job positions. This third party may also manage payroll, benefits, and HR duties for its contracted employees.
WHAT DO CONTRACT MINERS DO?
A contract miner’s job duties depend on which position they were hired for. Some contract mining jobs include skilled labor and may require certain certifications, while others may include less-skilled duties, such as washing equipment, helping to deliver parts or move supplies, etc.
In most cases, a contract miner will work on a project site with other contract or permanent mining professionals.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF CONTRACT MINING LABOR?
Whether you are searching for employment in the mining industry or are a company looking for mining labor, there are many benefits to choosing contract mining labor.
FOR A COMPANY:
For mining companies, there are many benefits to contract mining labor.
- Better Labor Distribution. For projects that cannot justify a permanent, full-time hire, contract mining labor helps to fill in the gaps of labor needs without a permanent commitment. This works well for projects that have fluctuating labor needs or that aren’t expected to last long-term.
- Simplifies Management. Many contract mining labor services manage the details of hiring from recruitment to salary, benefits, and conflict resolution. This means you can concentrate more on the logistics of your project and less on the hiring and personnel management process.
- Supports Seasonality. Many mining projects have seasonal fluctuations. Instead of paying an annual salary to employees that may have less work to complete for you during certain times of the year, contract mining labor helps to support these seasonal fluctuations without long-term commitments.
- Open for Long-Term Employment.There are some scenarios that may start out as a short-term commitment but may result in longer-term opportunities. Most contract mining labor services can support the transition between short-term contract work and long-term employment, if needed.
FOR AN EMPLOYEE:
Many mining employees prefer contract work because it offers more opportunities to gain experience, travel, and network.
- Job Opportunities. Many mining companies regularly have contract mining labor positions open, whereas full-time, permanent positions may open less frequently. By being open to contract opportunities, you have a better opportunity of finding a position—faster.
- Career Advancement. Beginning your mining career with contract labor positions is a great way to get your foot in the door. Contract opportunities are usually easier secure, giving you an opportunity to prove yourself in the mining industry and opening doors for future career opportunities.
- Travel & Experience. Since contract mining laborers work at multiple job sites, they often have the opportunity to travel to work in different states—or even different countries—to gain experience. They can also work with multiple ores and with different teams and job duties.
For mining employees, it can be a great benefit to find a contract labor company that is committed to keeping employees hired long-term. This means they use their internal network of employees to help staff contract positions whenever possible to line up additional jobs after an employee’s contract is set to expire. Learn more about how Rangefront is committed to its employee’s careers here.
EXPLORE JOB OPPORTUNITIES
Would you like to explore mining and Geotech job opportunities? Explore Rangefront’s open job opportunities here.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
BRIAN GOSS
President, Rangefront Mining Services
Brian Goss brings over 20 years of experience in gold and mineral exploration. He is the founder and President of Rangefront, a premier geological services and mining consulting company that caters to a large spectrum of clients in the mining and minerals exploration industries. Brian is also a director of Lithium Corp. (OTCQB: LTUM), an exploration stage company specializing in energy storage minerals and from 2014 to 2017, he fulfilled the role of President and Director of Graphite Corp. (OTCQB: GRPH), an exploration stage that specialized in the development of graphite properties. Prior to founding Rangefront, Brian worked as a staff geologist for Centerra Gold on the REN project, as well as various exploration and development projects in the Western United States and Michigan. Brian Goss holds a Bachelor of Science Degree with a major in Geology from Wayne State University in Michigan.
You may also be interested in...
What Do Mining Consultants Do?
A successful mining project takes careful planning, expertise, and execution. With increasing focus on environmental regulations, corporate responsibility, political pressure, and more, engaging a mining consultant has become a practical solution to navigating the...
What to Look for in a Mining Recruiting Company
As the weather starts to warm, mining companies are beginning to recruit to fill seasonal contract needs. While some mining companies may use direct recruitment efforts, it’s more common for mining and exploration companies to use a recruiting service. WHAT TO LOOK...
Why Choose Rangefront for Your Mining Consulting Services
Rangefront provides a wide range of mining consulting services to help your project succeed. Whether you’re still in early exploration stages or looking to improve the output of your current project, the experts at Rangefront can help. WHY CHOOSE RANGEFRONT AS YOUR...
What are Mineral Reserves & Mineral Resources?
Mineral resources and mineral reserves are crucial data points in a mining company’s operations. In mining and exploration, the terms “Mineral Resource” and “Mineral Reserve” can be confusing—and are often used incorrectly or even interchangeably. Mineral resources...
Direct-Hire vs. Contract Labor: What are the Differences?
Rangefront offers both direct-hire and contract labor services, but what is the difference and how do you know which you need? THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CONTRACT LABOR AND DIRECT-HIRE IN MINING AND GEOLOGY When our clients tell us they need help with recruitment...
What to Know About Reference Materials in Mining Geology
If you are new to the metals industry; whether that be in exploration or production, you have probably come across or used a Certified Reference Material (CRM), also known as a “standard.” Standards are used in a wide variety of applications and for a variety of...
What is an NI 43-101 & What is it Used For?
An NI 43-101 report is a summary for potential investors of scientific and technical information for a mineral exploration, development, or production project. This report is required for listing on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) and TSXV. Intended for the investing...
Steps in the Mining Consulting Process
For such an old industry, mining remains relatively enigmatic to new prospectors or early operations in today's economics. With complex geophysical and geochemical testing, ever-changing regulations and claims, reporting and processes, as well as the complications of...
How Much Does Staking a Mining Claim Cost?
There are several fees associated with staking a mining claim. First, claims associated with a new claim must be paid, including a processing fee and location fee. A maintenance fee must be paid within the first 90 days of staking a claim and annually thereafter. NEW...
FAQs About Mineral Exploration
As stated in our blog “8 Steps of Mineral Exploration,” mineral exploration is the process of seeking concentrated deposits of minerals for the purpose of mining these minerals for economic benefit. In this article, we discuss some of the frequently asked questions...
7 (More) Frequently Asked Questions About Claim Staking
Rangefront Mining Services has been in the mining industry for decades, which means we’ve seen more than our fair share of mining claims. In fact, each year we help our clients renew over 11,000 mining claims. Long story short, we have a lot of experience in claim...
The Role of Soil Sampling in Mineral Exploration
If you’re new to the mining or geology industries, you may have primarily heard of soil sampling for purposes related to engineering, construction, or even gardening. However, soil sampling is an important part of the mineral exploration and mining processes. WHAT IS...