Geologists out of work
Unemployment among geologists and mining engineers is now more than double the national jobless rate.
Research released yesterday by the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy found one in seven geologists was out of work in June, compared with one in 40 in the same period last year.
The annual professional employment survey, conducted across the institute's 14,000 members, revealed geology professionals had the highest level of unemployment at 15.1 per cent.
The national overall jobless rate in July was 6.4 per cent.
The shock figures come as Silver Lake Resources revealed it had been inundated with applications for an exploration role.
Director of exploration and geology Chris Banasik said the Mt Monger gold miner received more than 50 applications for an exploration manager's role advertised last month.
"I was astounded at the quality of people in the market," Mr Banasik said. "We would never have had that many applications two or three years ago.
"In the past we have had applications from across Europe and the subcontinent but all the applicants were Australian, which was a little surprising. At least half the applicants had 20 years' experience and the majority I spoke with have been out of work for 12 or 18 months."
The AusIMM survey attracted 3334 responses and found one in 10 minerals professionals was made redundant in 2013-14.
Unemployment among WA geologists and mining engineers rose to 12.6 per cent, with respondents reporting pressure to work more hours for the same pay (17.5 per cent) and to accept lower pay or conditions for the same job (16.6 per cent).
Half of respondents believed there would be fewer job opportunities in the coming year.
AusIMM president Geoff Sharrock said the research showed the depth of the downturn and the uncertainty faced by workers.
"The impacts of cost-cutting in the minerals sector have been particularly broad, deep and sustained," Mr Sharrock said.
"There are minerals professionals with many years' experience who are struggling to find work. The Australian economy relies on minerals professionals to find and develop the resources that will become the mines of the future."
AusIMM chief executive Michael Catchpole urged State and Federal governments to focus on policies that reduced barriers to investment and cut red tape.
"Every highly skilled minerals professional who leaves the sector or goes overseas to work diminishes the Australian minerals industry's ability to continue to innovate . . . and to sustainably improve productivity," Mr Catchpole said. Tough times 12.6 The percentage of WA geologists and mining engineers out of work.
