For decades, the mining industry has celebrated those who ‘think outside the box’ — the innovators, problem solvers, and pioneers who challenge convention.
But as today marks International Youth Day (12 August), perhaps the conversation has shifted. Today’s emerging workforce is not simply thinking outside the same box; they are operating the industry from an entirely different one.
This message rings true as Aurbis Resources (CSE:AURR) CEO Johan Lambrechts tells Mining.com.au “I don’t call it ‘thinking outside the box’, I just think [the younger generation’s] box is very different from ours”.
“The new skills brought by the youngsters are inherent to how close to technology they grew up,” Lambrechts explains.
“They’ve had a tablet in their laps since they had the strength to grip it, and I’ve seen toddlers operate a mobile phone better than I can. The youth bring skills learnt from birth.
“They will think about which robot they could use to check a stope … we think about what contraption we could build to keep us safe while walking in ourselves. The next generation has a new next-gen box that is better aligned with the furniture. We need to give them room to exploit that connection.”
The challenge now is ensuring more young people choose mining in the first place.
According to the Minerals Council of Australia (MCA), apprentices and trainees made up nearly 4.5% of the mining workforce over the past 15 years, representing almost 11,000 individuals in training.
However, Australia’s mining sector is expected to require almost 24,500 additional workers this year alone, making the attraction and development of younger talent increasingly important.
Speaking to Mining.com.au, Future Metals (ASX:FME) CEO Keith Bowes says, from a junior explorer and developer perspective, an ageing workforce constrains the ability to operate and deliver.
“Experienced field geologists, drillers, surveyors, and engineers are already scarce, and juniors find themselves competing for the same limited pool as the major producers,” Bowes explains.
At the same time, data from Mining and Automotive Skills Alliance (AUSMASA) shows enrolments and completions in mining engineering degrees have declined sharply between 2014 and 2023.
The steepest drop occurred between 2014 and 2018, when enrolments fell from 2,420 to 770, representing a 68% decline. Similarly, completions declined by 65% during the same period.
The awareness gap
Beyond enrolments and uncompleted degrees, a lot of the younger generations are unaware that the mining sector even exists, which contributes to the declining figures.
As previously reported, nearly 50% of young Australians are unaware of the opportunities to forge a career in the mining industry outside of traditional jobs.
A 2024 report by AUSMASA found that less than a fifth of Australia’s youth speak with their parents or teachers about working in mining. The report also highlighted that 24% of young people were interested in mining jobs such as a data scientist, while 23% chose lawyer, 21% business analysis, 10% truck driver, and 7% miner.
Athena Gold (CSE:ATHA) CEO Koby Kushner says one of the biggest challenges for the industry is visibility.
“Mining just isn’t baked into our culture like other industries are — look at agriculture: most people don’t grow up on farms, but know all about it,” Kushner explains to this news service.
“On Thanksgiving we give thanks for the food on the table, but no thanks for the metal used in our forks. And sadly, there are no popular nursery songs about Old MacDonald having a mine.”
The Association of Mining and Exploration Companies (AMEC) CEO Warren Pearce expands on this belief, as he explains that many believe that mining careers are limited to working on a remote mine site.
“The industry offers opportunities across technology, environmental science, finance, communications, engineering, government relations, and many other fields,” Pearce says.
Atlas Salt (TSX-V:SALT) CEO Nolan Peterson says outdated perceptions also continue to discourage young people from joining the sector.
“I think that it is true to an extent that mining can be a dirty industry — that’s undeniable. But that ignores all the advancements that have been made globally to create cleaner and greener mines,” Peterson notes.
Aurbis CEO Lambrechts expands on this statement, saying the industry has been shrouded in negative perceptions for some time.
“It is more likely that a young person will oppose mining because of what they read or see on social media than support it because of the real, tangible, and irreplaceable impact mining has on our way of life,” Lambrechts says.
Kushner believes this is largely an industry awareness issue rather than an education system problem.
“Beyond asking the big companies and industry advocates to invest more in awareness campaigns and fund more school field trips, we need to enforce spreading awareness by those who create the end products of mining,” he says.
Former environmental technician for Metro Mining (ASX:MMI), Chase Mason, says another misconception is that mining is only a temporary career.
“A common phrase you hear is ‘yeah I’m eager to start, do it for a couple of years, then leave’,” Mason explains.
“But to those people I think are wrong and here’s why: mining will challenge you in more ways than numerous other industries you can think of. So, if you want interesting, exciting, and unique problems to solve, mining is your gateway.”
Built for technology
While awareness remains a hurdle, younger generations possess a natural advantage that aligns closely with where mining is heading.
Raised in an era defined by rapid technological change, climate consciousness, AI, and global connectivity, younger professionals are entering the resources sector with perspectives that differ fundamentally from those of previous generations.
Mason says that young people play an important role in mining for the future.
“Us graduates bring new hands-on experience with technology and systems thinking,” Mason explains.
“Many of us have had a phone or some sort of technology before we could even structure an email. And through maturity we’ve developed the innate ability to learn how technology is used and thus can be implemented.”
From a lab perspective, Metro Mining’s Ben Tunsted adds that young people bring fresh ideas, adaptability, and a natural familiarity with new technologies.
“Modern-day mining is much more diverse and technologically advanced than many people realise, with careers involving automation, data, and digital systems alongside traditional operational roles,” Tunsted explains.
Impact Minerals (ASX:IPT) Managing Director Mike Jones echoes a similar statement, describing graduates as having fresh perspectives on the role of mining and social responsibility, alongside being “tech-savvy”.
“We’re looking for people comfortable with data, automation, and ESG [environmental, social, and governance] thinking, and who are hungry to keep learning as the goalposts continue to move at an ever-increasing pace,” Jones tells Mining.com.au.
“Automation is coming, but so are the jobs managing all the new technology.”
That digital fluency is already reshaping exploration. Where geologists once spent months manually analysing geological maps, drilling records, and geophysical surveys, AI can now process millions of data points in a fraction of the time.
Rather than replacing geologists, AI is enabling them to focus on interpreting results and making better strategic decisions.
Machine learning and AI have provided significant boosts for mine planning, beneficiation, and other operations across major miners in recent years. White & Case LLP uses the example of BHP Group (ASX:BHP) utilising Microsoft’s (NASDAQ:MSFT) Azure Machine Learning to increase copper recovery at the Escondida mine in Chile.
Deep-tech mining startup Plotlogic also uses AI technologies to scan terrain in real-time, enabling greater accuracy in the extraction of critical minerals. These tools are already used by many mining giants including BHP, Vale SA (NYSE:VALE), South32 (ASX:S32), and Pilbara Minerals (ASX:PLS).
For younger geologists entering the industry, using machine learning software or 3D geological modelling platforms can feel as natural as previous generations using paper maps.
“Companies need people who are computer literate — able to quickly learn new software and integrate it into their workflow,” Athena Gold CEO Kushner says.
“These are skills that weren’t a prerequisite for the older folks when they graduated from school.”
Building the next generation
Looking ahead, industry executives believe younger professionals will play an increasingly central role in making mining more efficient, more sustainable, and more technologically advanced.
Future Metals CEO Keith Bowes explains that at his company, the plan is to provide graduates and early-career personnel direct exposure on its programs, working alongside experienced employees or consultants who can mentor them.
“The expectation is that they would be able to help the sector become more efficient, lower impact and make advances in areas like process technology,” Bowes says.
Athena CEO Kushner explains that he is not afraid to hire younger professionals and put them in senior management positions if they are qualified for the job.
“At both Libra Energy Materials (CSE:LIBR) and Athena Gold, we invest in young entrepreneurs and give them a platform to help them craft the careers they want,” Kushner says.
“Sometimes I like to expose our team members to other facets of the business, often having our technical team sit in on investor pitches, or being with me in the deal room, before heading back to site for field work. People aren’t always aware of the skills they have until they try it out and it creates unique experiences that they wouldn’t otherwise receive by working at larger mining companies.”
Meanwhile, Impact Minerals is investing in the future generation of workers by hiring graduates and conducting an ongoing program of summer vacation work.
“I was lucky enough to get work in my second year at university in Canada and that was a formative part of my decision to get into the mining industry,” Impact Managing Director Jones says.
Scottie Resources (TSX-V:SCOT) Director Brad Rourke tells this news service that in a decade, he hopes to see the industry naturally evolve to include new automated technologies in mines — improving safety and increasing technical requirements of people to service the equipment.
“At Scottie we are at the development stage, and are working with our younger workers and local hires to identify where they could best add value and help build out their skill sets,” Rourke says.
Metro Mining is another company that is investing in the future, as Mason explains that his department, manager, and peers were quick to accommodate his needs, while continuously extending him further.
“Metro strongly believes their greatest asset is their people,” Mason notes.
“When you are employed by Metro, you are taken under the wing of all departments. You are exposed to a multitude of facets of the industry, from production to finance. Despite my new position, my team was forthcoming with as much as I can handle, and for a future professional, this was great.”
Mining’s future will not simply depend on attracting the next generation; it will depend on trusting younger professionals to redefine how the industry thinks.
Perhaps the sector’s greatest innovation won’t come from thinking outside the box at all. It will come from recognising that the next generation has brought an entirely new box with them.
Write to Aaliyah Rogan at Mining.com.au
Images: Mining.com.au, Modern Mining & Technology Sudbury, Metro Mining, & QMEA
