FIFO mining has been getting a lot of buzz. And with all of this attention, it’s only natural to start thinking about the future of mining in Australia. And that’s exactly what I’ve been researching recently.
So if you’re interested in – or currently involved – in the FIFO industry and keen to know what’s next, you’re in the right place.
This post covers all the key trends and developments you need to know about. Because the more that you know what’s going on, the better you can prepare yourself (aka, know which skills to develop and how to navigate key changes and challenges).
But let’s start with a quick chat on the current state of mining in Australia.
The Current State of Mining In Australia
Mining is an old industry, dating as far back as prehistoric times. But that doesn’t mean the FIFO industry isn’t evolving or keeping with the times – we’ll get into all that later though.
So first, let’s look at why this old industry is not only still important but actually popular.
The Popularity of FIFO Mining
FIFO mining is definitely having a moment. So, for a field that’s known for its long hours and difficult (sometimes dangerous) work, what’s driving this surge in popularity?
Here are a few things putting FIFO mining in the spotlight – not next to OpenAI or the latest Meta announcement, but definitely in the same room:
- An attractive salary
- Social media coverage and hype
- In-demand skill development
- Networking and career growth/development opportunities
- The mining lifestyle can be flexible with long periods of time off
- Opportunities to travel
Recommended: How to Get Started In FIFO Mining
FIFO Mining Today: Sites, Equipment, Scope of Work and Job Roles
FIFO mining sites are worldwide and tend to be located in remote areas – you know, off the grid. So here’s an overview of what to expect on a typical mining site:
- Production work
- Maintenance and operations
- Construction
- Drilling and exploration
- General service
- Shutdown work
- Examples of equipment used
- Wheel loaders
- Mining trucks
- Large earthmoving equipment
- Diggers
- Drills
- Loaders
- Excavators
- Scope of work
- Building roads and mine site infrastructure
- Drilling and extraction of materials
- Heavy equipment operations
- Fixing equipment
- Truck driving
- Cleaning and services
- Where to find mining sites
- Globally – from Australia (especially around Perth and WA) to Canada or Africa
- Mining sites tend to be in remote and plateau areas
Recommended: Essential FIFO Mining Tickets to Know
The Future of Mining In Australia: Key Trends to Know
Now that we have some context, let’s look forward. These are some of the biggest trends I see shaping the future of mining (in Australia and beyond).
FIFO Technology Advancements
New technologies are making hard work easier, quicker and more efficient. And despite being an older industry, FIFO mining is definitely getting an upgrade too.
Here are some key technology trends shaping the future of mining:
- Robotics. Robotics can help take over hazardous or risky jobs and may revolutionize the industry in the future.
- Automation. Automation can take away many repetitive tasks and streamline operations with autonomous vehicles, drills and other systems.
- Digital twin technology. This technology is great for visualizing scenarios and replicas of mining sites and operations, improving safety, productivity and more.
- Drones. Drones are a low-cost technology improving mining site surveying, 3D mapping and site assessments.
- 3D printing. Imagine being able to quickly replace broken parts on-site; 3D printing could further revolutionize the mining industry, improving operational efficiency and lowering costs.
Sustainability in the FIFO Industry
Sustainability is a key trend in every industry. But in mining, which tends to be more destructive (naturally), this is especially important.
Luckily, there are some exciting ways I see the future of mining adapting to sustainable practices.
Here are some potential sustainable mining trends to keep an eye out for:
- More land rehabilitation
- Shifting away from coal power
- Increased decarbonization efforts
- More use of sustainable innovative technologies
Mining for New Materials
Mining for production materials like lithium and cobalt are expected to increase dramatically – potentially up to 500% by 2050, according to The World Bank.
These materials are a response to increased demand for clean energy technologies (such as wind, solar and energy storage). And materials like lithium are used in rechargeable batteries for mobile phones and other important electronics (such as cameras and laptops).
So, given the demand for these materials, it’s safe to say that mining probably isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.
FIFO Economics
Future economic trends are difficult to fully predict, but the mining industry may experience considerable changes.
For example, if automations and robotics continue to develop and become a key part of mining SOPs (standard operation procedure), more safer, remote positions with lower turnover could be a possibility.
The economics of FIFO mining will likely depend on which technologies end up being adopted and to what scale. But this is one trend worth keeping an eye out for.
And Evolving Workforce
The mining workforce is already changing in many ways. For example, greater representation (such as more women in FIFO mining) is one trend I see continuing to grow. But there could be other workforce changes on the horizon.
One trend shaping is the need for new skills.
While getting certified in high-value tickets (like working at heights) or boosting your soft skills are always great, knowing how to use and leverage new technologies like AI and robotics is something that may truly set you apart in the future. These new technologies are permeating all industries across the globe.
To put it another way, new tech-driven roles like robotics maintenance or digital mining infrastructure could shape the future of mining.
How to Stay Ahead of FIFO Trends and Changes
Despite the trends and signals, it’s impossible to fully predict the future of mining with 100% accuracy. So the smartest thing you can do is simply pay attention and stay in the loop.
Here are some ways I like to stay in the know with FIFO changes:
Follow Industry News
A smart way to stay in the loop is to simply follow the news in your industry. You can explore different leaders, publications, creators and job sites as a good starting point.
But here are some smart (modern) ways to follow FIFO industry news:
- Sign up for industry newsletters
- Set up a Google alert for FIFO keywords and industry news
- Sign up for alerts through job sites (such as SEEK Job Alerts)
- Watch more FIFO content to curate a more customized social media feed
- Instruct ChatGPT Tasks to send you weekly or monthly briefs about any news regarding the mining and FIFO industry.
Explore Job Listings
Job listings are great hints about what’s trending and what employers are looking for right now. To take advantage of these hints, you just need to pay attention and do some more digging (pun intended).
Job listings essentially represent the ideal employee avatar mining companies are currently searching for to fill their positions. And who better to know what’s trending in the industry than the people running the job sites and hiring the workers?
Here are some tips for using job listings as a way to uncover mining industry trends:
- Look for new skills, training or certifications required
- Make a list of new or popular keywords being using
- Look for similar patterns or pattern interrupts (such as new positions or tickets)
- Keep a list of job listings for easy reference (in a spreadsheet, for example)
- Add your collection of job listings to AI (like ChatGPT) and instruct it to summarize the key similarities, responsibilities, role requirements and more
Pay Attention to Macro Trends
Any industry – FIFO mining or otherwise – is often at the mercy of larger, macro trends. So knowing how to zoom out to see the bigger picture is a great way to predict future shifts (and boost understanding of current trends).
Here are some examples of macro trends that could influence the mining industry (both in the short-term and the long-term):
- Sustainability trends and new laws
- New technologies and processes
- Increase globalisation
- Increased digitisation
- Political shifts
Work With a Recruiter
At the end of the day, the best way to stay in the know with the future of FIFO mining is by working directly with a professional in the industry. This is where FIFO recruiters come in.
A FIFO mining recruiter is someone who essentially works on your behalf to help you find, negotiate and land the best FIFO jobs. They have industry connections and understand exactly what mining companies are looking for (both right now and moving forward).
I recommend checking out W1NW1N if you’re interested in working with a recruiter. They’re a full-service recruitment agency with tons of experience. It’s nice knowing someone is in your corner fighting to get you the best pay and the highest-quality FIFO gigs.
