Minerals surveyor: Job description

Minerals surveyors are concerned with the use, value, management and exploration of mineral deposits, as well as the mapping and recording of the extent of mineral extraction. They prepare initial surveys to determine the economic viability of a potential site and support planning applications, taking possible environmental effects, such as air and water pollution, into account.

Mineral surveyors are involved with a huge variety of operations including working with mines, quarries, peat workings, mineral processing plants, onshore oil and gas installations, methane extraction sites, mine water treatment plants, brickworks, concrete and cement works, waste transfer stations, recycling centres, and waste incinerators.

Minerals surveyors manage and develop quarries and mines, carrying out detailed surveys to enable valuations of the mineral content. They also work on landfill and waste management sites, and ensure all workings are safe and negotiate legal contracts to establish rights to work in a mine.

Typical work activities

As a mineral surveyor, your activities could include:

• carrying out initial surveys, risk assessments and environmental impact assessments on potential sites to assess whether plans are workable;
• providing advice on developing and managing mineral sites safely and within regulations;
• exploring, mapping and developing sites for mineral extraction;
• charting surface areas using global positioning systems (GPS), building accurate 3D models using digital imaging and specialist CAD (computer-aided design) software to map the structure of a site;
• researching land and tax records to establish site ownership;
• dealing with ownership rights and negotiating contracts to buy, lease or simply to provide access onto sites;
• undertaking exploration work, such as taking samples and recording results;
• providing valuations of mineral deposits;
• providing advice on how best to restore the landscape after extraction is complete;
• meeting with members of the public and providing information and advice to them as required;
• liaising with local authorities and preparing planning applications for clients;
• managing areas, such as mining sites, for owners;
• predicting the environmental effects and impacts of mining, including air pollution and destruction of the landscape;
• creating strategies for the re-use of previous development sites;
• developing pollution licences;
• providing advice on how waste material should be disposed of.