Mining and Geological Engineers, Including Mining Safety Engineers
Machines can already do 39% of this job's tasks. By 2035 that rises to 70%. The job changes before it disappears.
Share of the work machines can do
Worldwide baseline, 2026 to 2050
Mining and Geological Engineers, Including Mining Safety Engineers in 2026: the short answer
- Today: machines can do 39% of this job's tasks, and AI use is already seen in 0% of them.
- Forecast: machines can do half of its tasks by 2030, and 70% by 2035, according to the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit.
- Size: 6,080 people do this job in the United States, on a median pay of $106,220 a year.
- Contact with people: it scores 64% for contact with people.
- Also called: Mine Engineer, Mining Consultant, Mining Engineer, Planning Engineer.
Updated by the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit. These are worldwide baseline figures; the Workforce Starburst shows them for your country. Go deeper: How ready am I? or an executive briefing.
How the work changes, task by task
The tasks that take up most of the day, with the share of each that machines can do in 2026 (dark) and 2035 (pink). Worldwide baseline.
| Task | Share of the day | Machines can do | 2026 to 2035 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prepare technical reports for use by mining, engineering, and management personnel | 11% | 70% to 95% | |
| Inspect mining areas for unsafe structures, equipment, and working conditions | 9% | 30% to 75% | |
| Supervise, train, and evaluate technicians, technologists, survey personnel, engineers, scientists or other mine personnel | 9% | 18% to 42% | |
| Prepare schedules, reports, and estimates of the costs involved in developing and operating mines | 8% | 60% to 90% | |
| Examine maps, deposits, drilling locations, or mines to determine the location, size, accessibility, contents, value, and potential profitability of mineral, oil, and gas deposits | 8% | 55% to 85% | |
| Design, implement, and monitor the development of mines, facilities, systems, or equipment | 8% | 47% to 83% | |
| Select or develop mineral location, extraction, and production methods, based on factors such as safety, cost, and deposit characteristics | 7% | 25% to 55% | |
| Select locations and plan underground or surface mining operations, specifying processes, labor usage, and equipment that will result in safe, economical, and environmentally sound extraction of minerals and ores | 7% | 30% to 62% |
The skills this job runs on
The skills mining and geological engineers, including mining safety engineers use most, most used first.
Safer jobs nearby
Jobs with a similar skill shape where machines can do less of the work by 2035.
- Materials Engineers63% of tasks by 2035 · US median $112,860
- Civil Engineers66% of tasks by 2035 · US median $100,840
- Petroleum Engineers66% of tasks by 2035 · US median $144,910
- Hydrologic Technicians69% of tasks by 2035 · US median $64,790
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Questions
When will machines do half of the tasks of Mining and Geological Engineers, Including Mining Safety Engineers?
Machines can do half of its tasks by 2030. That is the worldwide baseline from the 311 Workforce Starburst, before adjusting for country.
Will AI take the job of mining and geological engineers, including mining safety engineers?
Machines can do 39% of the tasks of mining and geological engineers, including mining safety engineers today and 70% by 2035. The job changes before it disappears: the routine tasks move first.
Sources and citing
Tasks and their share of the day: O*NET 31.0, occupation 17-2151.00 (US Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0). Pay and jobs: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. AI use today: Anthropic Economic Index (CC BY). Scoring and forecast: the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit; after 2035 the figures extend each trend, with lower confidence. Foresight, not advice.
Cite as: 311 Institute (2026). Mining and Geological Engineers, Including Mining Safety Engineers: the outlook to 2050. 311 Workforce Starburst. https://www.311institute.com/jobs/mining-and-geological-engineers-including-mining-safety-engineers/