Suicide is the leading cause of death for working-age Australians, and the mining sector is among the hardest hit.
According to Lifeline Australia, an average of nine Australians die by suicide each day. While there is no precise figure, estimates suggest more than 54,000 Australians attempt suicide each year.
More alarming is that 75% of those who die from suicide are men aged between 40 and 59 – representing a large portion of mining’s age demographic – and over 85 years.
These statistics hit particularly hard in mining – a male-dominated workforce – where suicide rates are 80% higher than the national average, according to MATES in Mining.
Long shifts, isolation, job insecurity, and stigma around speaking up all compound the risk of suicide in mining.
Work Safe Australia says the introduction of digitalisation and AI in various forms throughout a workplace may decrease the exposure to physical risks, but can introduce more psychosocial hazards to job roles, as previously reported.
This is largely because of the decreased interpersonal interactions and the intensification of work.
Psychosocial refers to the combined effect that psychological factors and the social environment have on a person’s physical and mental health. This covers things like work-related harassment or bullying, work pressure, workplace violence and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI).
For an industry that prides itself on safety, these figures reveal somewhat of a blindspot that can no longer be ignored.
Asking the hard questions
As R U OK? Day (11 September) shines a spotlight on mental health across the nation, the question becomes urgent for mining: how can a sector built on strength confront its most vulnerable truth?
Posed in 2009 by Gavin Larkin, the simple yet powerful question – Are you ok? – has evolved into a national movement encouraging Australians to connect, check in, and start conversations that could essentially save lives.
In mining, however, the challenges are especially acute. As Mining.com.au previously reported last year in honour of R U OK? Day, the nature of mining work can trigger a range of mental health issues. Some of these issues include anxiety, stress, depression, and mental fatigue.
Research by the Breakthrough Mental Health Research Foundation, shows that the mining sector loses an estimated $460 million in productivity annually due to mental health issues.
About 30% of mining workers report high or very high levels of psychological distress, making them roughly two and a half times more likely to experience depression or anxiety.
Speaking to Mining.com.au, MATES in Mining National Manager Amanda Braddock says a report compiled by the organisation found that across the board some of the main issues experienced by individuals in the sector centred around relationship and family.
“There are all different things obviously, but the other two issues are employment and financial,” she says.
“Employment issues could be anything from a case of bullying at work but it might also be concerned about people thinking what is next for me or a site might be transitioning. That creates a bit of distress as we would expect amongst people.
“And financial issues are probably no surprise for anyone, given the current state of our economy.”
Another research survey, conducted by Life in Mind, gained an understanding of the attitude towards suicide, help-seeking, and help-offering of those working in the fly-in-fly-out (FIFO) industry.
Of the 138 participants, 96 (70%) identified as having lived with or is currently living with experience of suicide.
Analysis revealed four key themes related to participants attitude towards suicide, including fear of negative consequences for employment, lack of trust, perceived inability to respond to suicidal disclosure, and fear of negative reactions.
Life of Mind says these findings highlight the reluctance of FIFO workers to disclose suicidal thoughts and behaviours to organisational leaders and colleagues due to concerns of confidentiality, rejection, and negative impacts on employment.
More than just a workplace issue
The mental health struggles of mining and FIFO workers echo broader community challenges, but the conditions of the industry can magnify them.
Frontline Mental Health co-founder Matt Newlands (pictured left) draws parallels from his own experiences of working rotating rosters to understand the challenges mining workers experience.
“I know the challenges that can come with inconsistencies, maybe in availability to attend family things, missing Christmases and birthdays, high workloads and long work days – these types of similarities across industries is where I am able to draw on my experience which helps build trust and credibility,” Newlands tells Mining.com.au.
Braddock agrees with this statement, however, she points out that what the broader community experiences, mining workers face it in sometimes tougher environments.
“Not only the actual job difficulties themselves, but the extended absence from family and friends and social support as well – that compounds all of those issues,” she says.
Are you ok?
Braddock says the industry-based suicide prevention organisation loves the message behind the R U OK? awareness campaign, because “at the end of the day it’s about a conversation”.
“While these national awareness days are important at MATES, we believe everyday should be R U OK? Day, and not limited to one day per year,” Braddock tells this news service.
Through MATES’ programs, Braddock says the feedback is “overwhelmingly” positive, as it has given people the confidence, ability, and skills to talk openly about what has traditionally been a difficult subject.
“People say if I hadn’t gone through that workshop I would have just thought, that person is in a bad mood or that’s not my business,” she says.
“Those skills from our workshops gave them permission to have a conversation, which ultimately led to somebody seeking support and getting support.
“Who knows what could have been if that person was never a part of that conversation.”
MATES in Mining runs an initiative across the same week as R U OK? Day and National Suicide Prevention Day called Fly the Flag week. Sites are able to register to fly the flag for their mates, stop and have conversations about mental health and importantly be given the opportunity to acknowledge and thank the Connector and ASIST volunteers onsite.
Newlands, who is also an ambassador for the R U OK? Organisation, says an important aspect for the awareness campaign over the last couple of years has been highlighting the message is ask “are you ok” any day.
“How can we remind ourselves of the importance of having these really meaningful and often difficult conversations and understand the impact – what are we learning in 2025 as the best approach so that we can do this and feel confident to do this for 364 other days of the year,” he says.
The mining sector has long championed physical safety, but true safety must extend to the unseen injuries of the mind. R U OK? Day serves as a reminder that checking in with a mate, a colleague, or a family member can make all the difference.
Lifeline: 13 11 14, lifeline.org.au
Headspace: 1800 650 890, headspace.org.au
Beyond Blue: 1300 224 635, beyondblue.org.au
SANE Support line and Forums: 1800 187 263, saneforums.org
Write to Aaliyah Rogan at Mining.com.au
Images: MATES in Mining, Frontline Mental Health, & Mining.com.au
