# Mining and Geological Engineers, Including Mining Safety Engineers

US SOC code 17-2151. Markdown version of https://futurehistory.earth/timeline/17-2151

Also called: Mining engineer, Geological engineer, Mine engineer, Mineral engineer, Pit engineer.

## In brief

In May 2025, [BLS](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip) counted **6,080** US mining and geological engineers (including mining safety engineers), with median pay of **$106,220** a year. Of the BLS counts since 2021, the highest was **7,390**, in May 2022. The earliest figure here is [a Census count](https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1940/population-occupation/00312147ch2.pdf) of **303** from 1900, not measured the same way as today's count. The last full technology era for mining and geological engineers: Autonomous haul trucks, 2008 to 2020. Autonomous haulage displaced haul truck operators (a non-engineering occupation) and restructured the engineering role toward system governance.

## What the sources say

### Official outlook

BLS projects employment to grow 3.8% from 2025 to 2035. Source: [BLS Employment Projections 2025-35](https://data.bls.gov/projections/nationalMatrix?queryParams=17-2151&ioType=o).

### AI exposure studies

- **50%** of this job's tasks are exposed to large language models. Not a forecast of job losses. [Eloundou and others, 2023](https://github.com/openai/GPTs-are-GPTs/blob/main/data/occ_level.csv)

Data as of BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025-35. BLS publishes these counts as yearly survey snapshots and cautions against reading them as a precise trend.

## Mining and Geological Engineers, Including Mining Safety Engineers employment and pay by year

- On record since: 1864
- Latest US employment: 6,080 (May 2025). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 [2]
- Latest US median pay: $106,220 (May 2025). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 [8]
- Outlook: +3.8% by 2035. Source: BLS Employment Projections 2025-35 [26]

### In other countries

The latest figure each country's statistics agency publishes for this job. Each uses its own occupation definition, survey basis and currency, so the numbers are not directly comparable with each other or with the US figures.

- **Canada** (NOC 21330)
  - Employment, 2020: 6,975. Source: Statistics Canada Census 2021 [6]. Statistics Canada Census of Population 2021: number of persons with employment income, the EXACT SUM of the cited cells for NOC 21330 + 21331 (this US occupation has no single NOC unit-group equivalent), combined as Mining and geological engineers, Canada, reference year 2020. A recipients basis (anyone with employment income during the year), slightly broader than a point-in-time employed count. A sum of cited cells, not an estimate. Statistics Canada Open Licence.
  - Median pay, 2020: C$131,000. Source: Statistics Canada Census 2021 [12]. Statistics Canada Census of Population 2021 (Table 98-10-0586): median employment income for NOC 21330 Mining engineers, the dominant constituent of the combined Mining and geological engineers (NOC 21330 + 21331), Canada, reference year 2020, full-year full-time workers (the basis comparable to the US OEWS full-time median). This is the cited median of the dominant group, not a blend of the constituent medians. Statistics Canada Open Licence.

### All 28 years of cited US data

| Year | US employment | Annual pay (median unless marked) | Source |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1900 | 303 | n/a | Decennial Census 1943 [1] |
| 1910 | 428 | n/a | Decennial Census 1943 [1] |
| 1920 | 572 | n/a | Decennial Census 1943 [1] |
| 1930 | 534 | n/a | Decennial Census 1943 [1] |
| 1990 | n/a | $44,000 (estimate) | Est., BLS Monthly Labor Review [7] |
| 2003 | 4,730 | $62,520 | BLS OEWS May 2003 [2] |
| 2004 | 5,050 | $64,690 | BLS OEWS May 2004 [2] |
| 2005 | 5,680 | $70,070 | BLS OEWS May 2005 [2] |
| 2006 | 6,810 | $72,160 | BLS OEWS May 2006 [2] |
| 2007 | 7,150 | $74,330 | BLS OEWS May 2007 [2] |
| 2008 | 6,900 | $75,960 | BLS OEWS May 2008 [2] |
| 2009 | 6,310 | $79,440 | BLS OEWS May 2009 [2] |
| 2010 | 6,270 | $82,870 | BLS OEWS February 2012 (employment) [3]; BLS OEWS May 2010 (pay) [8] |
| 2011 | 6,630 | $84,300 | BLS OEWS May 2011 [2] |
| 2012 | 7,640 | $84,320 | BLS OEWS May 2012 [2] |
| 2013 | 7,990 | $86,870 | BLS OEWS May 2013 [2] |
| 2014 | 8,200 | $90,160 | BLS OEWS May 2014 [2] |
| 2015 | 8,000 | $94,040 | BLS OEWS May 2015 [2] |
| 2016 | 6,940 | $93,720 | BLS OEWS May 2016 [2] |
| 2017 | 6,150 | $94,240 | BLS OEWS May 2017 [2] |
| 2018 | 5,780 | $92,250 | BLS OEWS May 2018 [2] |
| 2019 | 6,280 | $91,160 | BLS OEWS May 2019 [2] |
| 2020 | 6,270 | $93,800 | BLS OEWS May 2020 [2] |
| 2021 | 7,370 | $97,090 | BLS OEWS May 2021 [2] |
| 2022 | 7,390 | $97,490 | BLS OEWS May 2022 [2] |
| 2023 | 7,040 | $100,640 | BLS OEWS May 2023 [2] |
| 2024 | 6,770 | $101,020 | BLS OEWS May 2024 [2] |
| 2025 | 6,080 | $106,220 | BLS OEWS May 2025 [2] |

## Sources (95)

### Employment series

1. [US Census Bureau / Census Bureau 1943 publication "Comparative Occupation Statistics, 1870-1940" (Part II, 1870-1930 comparable series)](https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1940/population-occupation/00312147ch2.pdf), US Census Bureau
2. BLS OEWS, national cross-industry estimates (flat file), Bureau of Labor Statistics. Editions: [2003](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm03nat.zip), [2004](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm04nat.zip), [2005](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm05nat.zip), [2006](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm06nat.zip), [2007](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm07nat.zip), [2008](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm08nat.zip), [2009](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm09nat.zip), [2011](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm11nat.zip), [2012](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm12nat.zip), [2013](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm13nat.zip), [2014](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm14nat.zip), [2015](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm15nat.zip), [2016](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm16nat.zip), [2017](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm17nat.zip), [2018](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm18nat.zip), [2019](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm19nat.zip), [2020](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm20nat.zip), [2021](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm21nat.zip), [2022](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm22nat.zip), [2023](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm23nat.zip), [2024](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm24nat.zip), [2025](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip)
3. [BLS OES Highlights -- Architecture and Engineering Occupations (February 2012): mining and geological engineers (6,270) listed among A&E occupations](https://www.bls.gov/opub/btn/archive/architecture-and-engineering-occupations.pdf), Bureau of Labor Statistics
4. [Statistics Canada, Census of Population 2006, Table 97-563-XCB2006069 (Wage and salary statistics by occupation, NOC-S 2006), income reference year 2005](https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2006/dp-pd/tbt/Rp-eng.cfm?LANG=E&PID=96285), Statistics Canada
5. [Statistics Canada, Census of Population 2016, Table 98-400-X2016356 (Occupation by employment income statistics, NOC 2016), income reference year 2015](https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/en/catalogue/98-400-X2016356), Statistics Canada
6. [Statistics Canada, Census of Population 2021, Table 98-10-0586 (Employment income statistics by occupation unit group, NOC 2021), income reference year 2020](https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=9810058601), Statistics Canada

### Wage series

7. [BLS Monthly Labor Review -- "White-collar pay in goods-producing industries, March 1990" (engineering professional salary reference)](https://www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/1990/12/rpt1full.pdf), Bureau of Labor Statistics
8. BLS OEWS, national cross-industry estimates (flat file), Bureau of Labor Statistics. Editions: [2003](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm03nat.zip), [2004](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm04nat.zip), [2005](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm05nat.zip), [2006](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm06nat.zip), [2007](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm07nat.zip), [2008](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm08nat.zip), [2009](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm09nat.zip), [2010](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm10nat.zip), [2011](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm11nat.zip), [2012](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm12nat.zip), [2013](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm13nat.zip), [2014](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm14nat.zip), [2015](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm15nat.zip), [2016](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm16nat.zip), [2017](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm17nat.zip), [2018](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm18nat.zip), [2019](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm19nat.zip), [2020](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm20nat.zip), [2021](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm21nat.zip), [2022](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm22nat.zip), [2023](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm23nat.zip), [2025](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip)
9. [BLS OEWS May 2024, national cross-industry estimates (flat file)](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm24nat.zip), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
10. [Statistics Canada, Census of Population 2006, Table 97-563-XCB2006069 (Wage and salary statistics by occupation, NOC-S 2006), income reference year 2005](https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2006/dp-pd/tbt/Rp-eng.cfm?LANG=E&PID=96285), Statistics Canada
11. [Statistics Canada, Census of Population 2016, Table 98-400-X2016356 (Occupation by employment income statistics, NOC 2016), income reference year 2015](https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/en/catalogue/98-400-X2016356), Statistics Canada
12. [Statistics Canada, Census of Population 2021, Table 98-10-0586 (Employment income statistics by occupation unit group, NOC 2021), income reference year 2020](https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=9810058601), Statistics Canada

### Tool eras

13. [Columbia University Earth and Environmental Engineering -- History of the School of Mines (founded November 15, 1864 by Thomas Egleston Jr.)](https://www.eee.columbia.edu/earth/about/history), Columbia University
14. [AIME -- "AIME's Founding 1871 -- Did You Know?" (22 engineers in Wilkes-Barre, PA, 1871)](https://aimehq.org/about-us/news/aimes-founding-1871-did-you-know), American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical, and Petroleum Engineers
15. [Records of the US Bureau of Mines (NARA RG 70): Bureau established 1910 following Monongah and Cherry Mine disasters; mine engineering safety accountability formalized](https://www.archives.gov/research/guide-fed-records/groups/070.html), National Archives and Records Administration
16. [AIME history -- membership exceeded 5,000 by 1915; 1871-1915 institutional development of the mining engineering profession](https://aimehq.org/about-us/history), American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical, and Petroleum Engineers
17. [E&MJ -- "Tracking 150 Years of Mining Engineering" (Engineering and Mining Journal: 150-year history of the mining engineering profession)](https://www.e-mj.com/features/tracking-150-years-of-mining-engineering/), Engineering and Mining Journal
18. [Maptek Vulcan -- historical note on Lerchs-Grossmann 1965 pit optimization algorithm as the foundation of modern open-pit design software](https://www.maptek.com/products/vulcan/), Maptek
19. [MSHA -- Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977 (Public Law 95-164): MSHA establishment, 30 CFR Part 56/57/75 accountability for mine engineers](https://www.msha.gov/), Mine Safety and Health Administration
20. [Deswik -- Mine planning software history: evolution from hand drafting to CAD-based mine design in the 1980s-1990s](https://www.deswik.com/), Deswik
21. [Seequent -- Leapfrog Geo: implicit 3D geological modelling software (first released 2004); ML-assisted vein interpretation; production use at Newmont, Barrick, Anglo American](https://www.seequent.com/products-solutions/leapfrog-geo/), Seequent
22. [Rio Tinto -- Autonomous Haulage System: 130+ autonomous trucks at Pilbara iron-ore operations; 15% productivity improvement; near-zero lost-time incidents](https://www.riotinto.com/en/operations/australia/pilbara/autonomous-technology), Rio Tinto
23. [Komatsu -- FrontRunner AHS: autonomous haulage system deployed at BHP, Fortescue, and Anglo American; 5,000+ autonomous hauls/day at scale](https://www.komatsu.com/en-us/technology/smart-mining/loading-and-haulage/autonomous-haulage-system), Komatsu
24. [KoBold Metals -- ML-driven copper, cobalt, and nickel exploration: $350M+ capital; BHP partnership for Zambia copper discovery 2023](https://koboldmetals.com/), KoBold Metals
25. [Propeller Aero -- Drone-based pit surveying and stockpile measurement: automated volume calculations replacing 2-3 day field campaigns with daily accuracy](https://www.propelleraero.com/industry/mining/), Propeller Aero

### Forecasts and exposure studies

26. [BLS Employment Projections 2025-35, National Employment Matrix: 17-2151 Mining and geological engineers, including mining safety engineers (2025: 6.2 thousand; 2035: 6.4 thousand; +3.8%)](https://data.bls.gov/projections/nationalMatrix?queryParams=17-2151&ioType=o), Bureau of Labor Statistics
27. [Eloundou, Manning, Mishkin & Rock (2023), "GPTs are GPTs", occupation-level exposure data occ\_level.csv (O\*NET-SOC 17-2151.00, human-rated β 0.5)](https://github.com/openai/GPTs-are-GPTs/blob/main/data/occ_level.csv), OpenAI

### Historical notes

28. [Columbia University EEE -- History of the School of Mines: founded November 15, 1864 by Thomas Egleston Jr. and Francis Laurens Vinton](https://www.eee.columbia.edu/earth/about/history), Columbia University
29. [AIME -- "AIME's Founding 1871 -- Did You Know?": 22 engineers, Wilkes-Barre PA, February 16, 1871](https://aimehq.org/about-us/news/aimes-founding-1871-did-you-know), American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical, and Petroleum Engineers
30. [National Archives -- Records of the US Bureau of Mines (RG 70): Bureau established 1910 following Monongah and Cherry Mine disasters](https://www.archives.gov/research/guide-fed-records/groups/070.html), National Archives and Records Administration
31. [MSHA -- Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977 (Public Law 95-164) and 30 CFR Part 56/57/75 accountability framework](https://www.msha.gov/), Mine Safety and Health Administration
32. [KoBold Metals -- ML-driven exploration: Zambia copper discovery 2023 with BHP partnership; $350M+ capital raised](https://koboldmetals.com/), KoBold Metals

### Predecessors & successors

33. [Columbia University EEE -- History of the School of Mines: context for pre-1864 self-taught mine agent tradition in US mining](https://www.eee.columbia.edu/earth/about/history), Columbia University
34. [NPS -- 19th Century Copper Mining: immigrant mining tradition in Upper Peninsula copper operations, 1840s-1880s](https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/19th-century-copper-mining.htm), National Park Service
35. [Princeton University Library Manuscripts -- Surveying American Mineral Resources in the Early 1880s: USGS mineral survey origins](https://manuscripts.blogs.princeton.edu/2014/01/22/surveying-american-mineral-resources-in-the-early-1880s/), Princeton University Library
36. [BLS OOH -- Architectural and Engineering Managers: $162,220 median (2024); mining digital-transformation program leadership pathway](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/architectural-and-engineering-managers.htm), Bureau of Labor Statistics
37. [BLS OOH -- Geoscientists: 5% growth projected 2024-2034; critical-minerals exploration pathway](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/life-physical-and-social-science/geoscientists.htm), Bureau of Labor Statistics
38. [BLS OOH -- Environmental Engineers: 6% projected growth 2024-2034; mine closure and tailings management pathway](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/environmental-engineers.htm), Bureau of Labor Statistics

### Present-day analysis

- [O\*NET 30.3 — Mining and Geological Engineers (17-2151.00): tasks, knowledge, technology skills](https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/17-2151.00), accessed 2026-05-24
- [BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook — Mining and Geological Engineers: 5% growth 2024–2034, $103,960 median annual wage (May 2024)](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/mining-and-geological-engineers.htm), accessed 2026-05-24
- [Eloundou et al. 2024 — GPTs are GPTs (Science): occupational LLM exposure framework](https://arxiv.org/abs/2303.10130), accessed 2026-05-24
- [U.S. Department of Energy — Critical Materials Assessment 2023: 50 mineral commodities at supply-chain risk; domestic mining engineering demand drivers](https://www.energy.gov/sites/default/files/2023-07/doe-critical-material-assessment_07312023.pdf), accessed 2026-05-24
- [Rio Tinto — Autonomous Haulage System: 130+ autonomous trucks at Pilbara iron-ore operations; 15% productivity improvement; near-zero lost-time incidents](https://www.riotinto.com/en/operations/australia/pilbara/autonomous-technology), accessed 2026-05-24
- [Komatsu — FrontRunner AHS: autonomous haulage system deployed at BHP, Fortescue, and Anglo American operations; 5,000+ hauls/day at scale](https://www.komatsu.com/en-us/technology/smart-mining/loading-and-haulage/autonomous-haulage-system), accessed 2026-05-24
- [KoBold Metals — ML-driven copper, cobalt, and nickel exploration platform; $350M+ capital raised; Zambia copper discovery 2023 announced with BHP partnership](https://koboldmetals.com/), accessed 2026-05-24
- [Seequent — Leapfrog Geo: implicit 3D geological modelling software with ML-assisted vein and ore body interpretation; widely used at Newmont, Barrick, Anglo American](https://www.seequent.com/products-solutions/leapfrog-geo/), accessed 2026-05-24
- [Deswik — Deswik.CAD and AI-assisted mine scheduling: optimized open-pit and underground production scheduling; 2024–2025 AI scheduling module launch](https://www.deswik.com/), accessed 2026-05-24
- [Propeller Aero — Drone-based pit surveying and stockpile measurement: automated volume calculations replacing 2–3 day field campaigns with daily accuracy](https://www.propelleraero.com/industry/mining/), accessed 2026-05-24
- [Maptek — Vulcan Geological Modelling: implicit modelling, ML-assisted grade estimation, and open-pit design optimization for mining engineers](https://www.maptek.com/products/vulcan/), accessed 2026-05-24
- [Rocscience — Slide3 3D slope stability analysis and RS3 rock mechanics FEM: geotechnical software for open-pit slope design and underground support assessment](https://www.rocscience.com/), accessed 2026-05-24
- [MSHA — Mine Safety and Health Administration: engineer accountability for ground-control plans, ventilation surveys, and safety documentation under 30 CFR Parts 56/57/75](https://www.msha.gov/), accessed 2026-05-24
- [SparkCognition — Darwin AI for predictive maintenance in mining: autonomous anomaly detection on crusher, conveyor, and hoist systems](https://www.sparkcognition.com/products/darwin/), accessed 2026-05-24
- [Goldspot Discoveries (acquired by Eldorado Gold 2024) — ML drill targeting: 30–50% drill-hole reduction in gold exploration programs using AI geophysical and geochemical targeting](https://www.alsglobal.com/en/geoanalytics), accessed 2026-05-24

How to read these figures: https://futurehistory.earth/methodology. Every figure links to its own source; gaps stay gaps.