Mining Industry Award [MA000011]

Who the Mining Award covers

The Mining Award covers employers in the mining industry and their employees who fit within the classifications of the award.

The mining industry means extracting the following materials from the earth:

  • any metals, minerals or ores
  • phosphates and gemstones
  • mineral sands
  • uranium and other radioactive substances.

Extracting the material can be by any manner or method including exploration, prospecting and development. It also covers land clearing, preparatory work and rehabilitation during the life of the mine.

It also means:

  • processing, smelting and refining the metals, minerals, ores or substances that are listed above
  • transporting, handling and loading any of the metals, minerals, ores or substances that are listed above, on a:
    • mining lease or tenement, or
    • by the mine operator, a related company or a business mainly engaged by the mine operator to do such work, using the plant or infrastructure (including rail and/or ports) of the mine operator or a related company
  • servicing, maintaining (including mechanical, electrical, fabricating or engineering) or repairing of plant and equipment used in any of these activities, when it is done by employees who are mainly employed to do this kind of work on an ongoing basis at a location where mining work is performed.
  • businesses who provide temporary labourers whose work is linked to the mining industry and who work at a location where mining work is performed.

The Mining Award covers employees working in the following mining industry streams:

  • services employees including:
    • labouring
    • assisting work crews and tradespersons
    • operating plant and equipment (including mobile plant)
    • maintenance work on plant, equipment or buildings
    • performance of general plant, stores, workshop, warehouse ,packaging, and marine interface tasks,
    • resource assessment (including prospecting, drilling and exploration);
    • preparing and cleaning equipment and materials;
    • laboratory assistants (without qualifications)
    • on site catering cleaning and security.
  • surface mining and haulage employees including:
    • open cut mining activities (including labouring, sampling, spotting)
    • operating all forms of mining industry plant and equipment (including mobile plant)
    • operating equipment used in the transportation handling and loading (or discharge) of ores, metals, minerals and/or product (including rail activities)
    • all tasks associated with drilling and blasting.
  • processing employees including:
    • operating and adjusting all plant equipment (and associated control panels) used in mining industry production, processing, smelting and refining operations
    • issuing clearances and permits as required.
  • underground mine employees including:
    • underground mining activities (including labouring, sampling, drilling, blasting, mine ventilation, ground control and shaft activities);
    • operation and maintenance of underground mining plant and equipment (including mobile plant).
  • maintenance trades employees.

Check the award for full information on who is covered and the classification descriptions.

Source reference: Mining Industry Award [MA000011] clause 4 and schedule A

Who the Mining Award doesn’t cover

The Mining Award doesn’t cover employers in the following industries:

  • aluminium
  • brown coal mining
  • salt
  • oil, gas and hydrocarbons
  • quarrying of stone, crushed stone, sand and gravel, and land reclamation (including dredging)
  • security services (unless employed by a mine operator or a related company)
  • steel making
  • melting and smelting metals covered by the Manufacturing Award
  • prospecting and resource assessment for potential mine development (not on a mining lease or tenement)
  • catering, accommodation, cleaning and incidental services (unless employed by a mine operator or a related company).

The Mining Award doesn’t cover the following occupations:

  • people working in head offices or town offices
  • information technology professionals
  • professional engineers
  • geologists
  • scientists
  • clerical or administrative employees.

The Mining Award doesn’t cover employers for work covered by:

  • the Black Coal Award
  • the Manufacturing Award (except where that work is mining industry work which is defined above).

Check the award for full information on coverage and classifications.

Source reference: Mining Industry Award [MA000011] clause 4 and schedule A

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