Mine ventilation engineer

Mine ventilation engineers design and manage systems and equipment to ensure fresh air supply and air circulation in underground mines and the timely removal of noxious gases. They co-ordinate ventilation system design with mine management, mine safety engineer and mine planning engineer.

The following job titles also refer to mine ventilation engineer:

ventilation system coordinator
ventilation officer

Bachelor’s degree is generally required to work as mine ventilation engineer. However, this requirement may differ in some countries.

ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:

• the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
• the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
• the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.

Mine ventilation engineer is a Skill level 4 occupation.

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to mine ventilation engineer.

mine health and safety engineer
mine mechanical engineer
mine electrical engineer
mine planning engineer
mine development engineer

These occupations require some skills and knowledge of mine ventilation engineer. They also require other skills and knowledge, but at a higher ISCO skill level, meaning these occupations are accessible from a position of mine ventilation engineer with a significant experience and/or extensive training.

This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of mine ventilation engineer.

Design drawings: Understand design drawings detailing the design of products, tools, and engineering systems.
Mine safety legislation: The laws, regulations and codes of practice relevant to safety in mining operations.
Computational fluid dynamics: The principles of computer-manipulated fluid mechanics, which determines the behaviour of fluids in motion. 

These skills are necessary for the role of mine ventilation engineer.

Use a computer: Utilise computer equipment or digital devices to facilitate quality control, data management, and communication. Follow instructions given by a computer programme, create computer files or documents.
Ensure compliance with safety legislation: Implement safety programmes to comply with national laws and legislation. Ensure that equipment and processes are compliant with safety regulations.
Troubleshoot: Identify operating problems, decide what to do about it and report accordingly.
Manage emergency procedures: React quickly in case of emergency and set planned emergency procedures in motion.
Manage mine ventilation: Monitor, audit and manage the air quality of the mine. Monitor the ventilation equipment. Manage air sampling equipment designed to identify toxic gases, and provide advice and direction on how to remove them, e.g. by installing ventilation fans.
Supervise staff: Oversee the selection, training, performance and motivation of staff.
Prepare technical reports: Prepare technical reports that describe results and processes of scientific or technical research, or assess its progress. These reports help researchers to keep up to date with recent findings.
Use mine planning software: Use specialised software to plan, design and model for mining operations.
Address problems critically: Identify the strengths and weaknesses of various abstract, rational concepts, such as issues, opinions, and approaches related to a specific problematic situation in order to formulate solutions and alternative methods of tackling the situation.
Design ventilation network: Draft ventilation network. Prepare and plan the ventilation layout using specialist software. Design heating or cooling systems as required. Improve efficiency of ventilation network to lower energy consumption.

This knowledge is sometimes, but not always, required for the role of mine ventilation engineer. However, mastering this knowledge allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

Mining engineering: Fields of engineering relevant to mining operations. Principles, techniques, procedures and equipment used in the extraction of minerals.
Geology: Solid earth, rock types, structures and the processes by which they are altered.
Electronics: The functioning of electronic circuit boards, processors, chips, and computer hardware and software, including programming and applications. Apply this knowledge to ensure electronic equipment runs smoothly.
Health and safety hazards underground: The rules and risks affecting health and safety when working underground. 
Electricity: Understand the principles of electricity and electrical power circuits, as well as the associated risks.
Mechanics: Theoretical and practical applications of the science studying the action of displacements and forces on physical bodies to the development of machinery and mechanical devices.

These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of mine ventilation engineer. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

Use technical drawing software: Create technical designs and technical drawings using specialised software.
Monitor mine costs: Monitor total costs of mining activities, projects and required equipment; pursue maximum operational cost efficiency.

2144 – Mechanical engineers

 

 

---

 

 

References

1. Mine ventilation engineer – ESCO