I had the pleasure to interview a hard-working miner from Sudbury, Ontario, Ryley is a 21-year-old Canadian who actively works in Sudbury and Timmins with Vale S.A. Here are the questions I asked and the insightful answers he gave.
“It can look super different depending on what kind of mining you’re doing, whether it’s above ground or underground, hard rock or minerals, and if you’re a full-fledged miner or mine support. I only have hard rock mining experience. How that’s done these days is by using explosives to create a surplus of rock that can then be transported to be refined and processed. You typically will work 10–12-hour days, starting with a safety meeting and a goal set for the day, which is typically getting more resources mined. A lot of what we do is battling the elements and whatever the earth throws at us, whether it’s building dams, pumping water, creating infrastructure, and creating a suitable/safe environment for mining. Whatever it is you’ll be doing, it’s usually hard but gratifying work.”
“The main positive in the mining industry is the sheer number of jobs it creates. The ore needs people to find it, explode it, transport it, process it, and sell it, and since mines are so big in scale, thousands of jobs are created by a mine being opened. You also get to experience heavy equipment on a very large scale, I’ve seen excavators (shovels) and trucks bigger than houses moving hundreds if not thousands of tons of material in a single day which I find super cool. There is also a form of camaraderie in the mining industry that feels unique. Everyone works just as hard and as long towards a common goal which brings everyone together. Finally, you get to experience massive explosions (especially at an open pit) which never gets old.”
“I plan to stay in the mining industry for as long as physically possible. The main reason, as for any job, is the money, however, it’s very satisfying to see all your hard work come to fruition on such a big scale. There is also a seemingly never-ending hierarchy of positions you can climb up through if you’re good at what you do. So even when your body can no longer take the physicality of mining, you’re usually already moved up and in a less physically demanding position while still supporting the mine just as much.”
“I’ve learned a tremendous amount from when I started my journey as a miner. Even though it’s only been a few short years, you can learn a lot if you’re observant and curious. I’ve learned stuff from how the mining is done to how I can be an asset to any company in this industry. I’ve learned how to operate equipment and respect the environment as much as possible. I’ve learned a lot about the First Nations people of Canada as a lot of the mines is on First Nation land. I’ve learned to work safely in a historically extremely unsafe industry, and one of the most important things I’ve learned is a terrific work ethic; personally working 180-200 hours in just two weeks.”
“I would say living away from home is the hardest part of this industry. I’ve met people who personally enjoy the break from their life at home but I’m sure even for them that’s exaggerated. You miss out on more than you could imagine being gone for a quarter, half, or even three-quarters of the year. While you do create a family at work, it’s always difficult packing up and leaving knowing that you and your family want and need more time together.”
“You can always go get plenty of certifications like your common cores and operating tickets, however, that can only take you so far. You usually always have to start from the bottom and work your way through the “ranks”. Experience is generally always more valuable to a company than certifications. The best way to get your foot in the door is to send out resumes like crazy and apply for the less sought-after jobs in the industry. There are all sorts of entry-level positions like cooks, mine support, and waste management. You can also go to school for something like civil engineering or surveying to help bypass some of the steps, however, extensive post-sec education isn’t for everyone.”
“I came into this industry with very few opinions and expectations. I knew it would be hard work but that it paid well and that’s all. Now that I’ve been in the industry for a few years, I’ve grown very fond of it. I can also see how impactful mining is on a country’s economy. In my eyes, mining runs the world. So much of our everyday lives would be impacted if all mining stopped tomorrow. Whether it’s something simple as salt or something as volatile as uranium, mining supports almost all aspects of modern life.”
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
So as you can see Ryley has learned a lot since joining the mining industry and has a lot of takeaways, positives and negatives but overall it’s an industry he is proud and happy to be in, and you could too! There are plenty of mining opportunities all around Canada, this is the story of one person who took one of those opportunities.
“My name’s Ryley and I’m a 21-year-old Canadian from northern Ontario, I never knew what I wanted to do growing up other than make good money! I dabbled in sports and graduated from business school, I enjoy staying in good shape as well. I’m very outgoing and open-minded which I’ve found to be an asset in today’s world, especially in the Mining industry.”
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