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Types of Apprenticeships

Extractives and Mineral Processing Occupations

Everyone depends on the earth's mineral resources. These natural resources must be found, then mined, quarried or dredged from the ground or sea bed and processed to provide the materials and products which are essential to our daily lives. From toothpaste to bricks, many essential products are made from minerals found in the ground.

Extraction takes place at either quarries for sand, gravel and rock; mines for coal, salt and potash and dredging from the sea bed for sand and gravel. Materials from both quarrying and dredging are then processsed to meet the needs of customers. For example, crushed rock can be coated with bitumen at an asphalt plant and then used to make or repair roads, runways, playgrounds, car parks and much more. Crushed rock, sand and gravel can be mixed with cement to produce concrete which is widely used in construction. The construction industry is totally reliant on minerals in order to build homes, hospitals, bridges and roads. Such is the importance of the materials quarried and mined.

The Extractives and Mineral Processing industry is very diverse and can be divided into a number of different sub-sectors.

For example, the industry covers:

Deep coal mines and opencast coal working
Mining and agglomeration of lignite
Extraction and agglomeration of peat
Manufacture of solid fuel
Mining of iron ore, uranium, thorium and other non-ferrous metal ores
Quarrying of ornamental and building stone, limestone, gypsum, chalk and slate
Operation of sand and gravel pits
Mining of clays, kaolin, chemical and fertilizer minerals
Production of salt
Manufacture of cement, lime, plaster, ready-mixed concrete and mortars
Cutting, shaping and finishing of ornamental and building stone
Other mining and quarrying activities

As an Intermediate Level apprentice you work as a Mining Operative, operating mining machines that rips coal, metal and non-metal ores, rock, stone, or sand from the mine face and load it onto conveyors or into shuttle cars. Or you would work as a Mines Environmental Tester, taking measurements to test the environmental conditions in the mine, reporting on findings and initiates appropriate action.

On the Advanced Level Apprenticeship you could be a Mines Maintenance Supervisor, organising the pre-planned maintenance for area under your control, organise staff rotations, ensure all work is carried out in a safe manner consistent with risk assessments, method statements and work permits. You would also deal with emergency breakdowns and unplanned downtime in a safe and efficient manner. Alternatively you could work as a Quarry, Depot or Processing Plant Supervisor, supervising the operation of an Asphalt or Concrete plant, taking actions in the event of breakdown or non compliance with specification; organising staff under your control.

Job Roles

Intermediate Level Apprenticeship