"J. Clarke" wrote in message
...

Always wanted to drive one of those things.

Need to be fit and healthy.

Need to get back in shape--if I can I might just apply for this.

Need to be able to cope with working a
week of 12 hour days followed by a week of 12 hour nights.

Actually that's not too bad for me--sometimes I think I'm a Martian with a
25 hour biological clock.

Need to be
able to do as you are told.

Now that's been a problem for me, but mostly in an office setting where I
was supposed to be a decision maker and others with less information would
overrule me.

It gets *really, really* mind numbingly
boring.

That actually appeals a bit.


If you seriously want to, then I hope you succeed
In fairness, I should relate some of the other side of the coin.

Both mining and construction have been very good to me over the years, the
former driving the latter. Therein lies the problem. Mining is the main
driving force behind our strong economy.
(Basically, Australia is a great big quarry.) Whilst mining is booming, the
construction industry follows suit and the effect flows right through our
economy. It is also our Achilles heel. China has become our most important
customer for iron ore, the big money earner. As a result we are largely
dependant on the Chinese demand for our raw materials for our continued
growth. A slowing down of demand will have dramatic effects on our economy.
Not least because we have little to replace it with. Manufacturing here
struggles because of our tiny population and consequent small labour pool.
Who is going to want to work in a mundane city environment earning minimum
wages when the mining and construction industries are offering three times
the money? If China sneezes, Australia is going to catch a really bad cold.
Then we are really only left with agriculture for any large scale export
earnings.

Secondly, it can be a very tough environment to be in mentally. Newcomers to
the industry can very often find it difficult to assimilate. Aussies are by
nature fairly open gregarious people. When we go mining, there seems to be a
transformation. There are some very aggressive people in mining. Perhaps
because it is a pressure driven environment, it attracts a disproportionate
number of aggressive, competitive types. (Of which I'm probably one.)

Thirdly, there is no job security whatsoever. If a mine has to close,
because of falling prices or the ore-body is exhausted, then everyone loses
their jobs. This happens more frequently with gold and nickel mines, which
results in a flood of experienced miners looking for work at the iron ore
mines. A precarious existance, at times.

I like it because I'm a risk taker. In spite of several of the mines I have
worked on over the years closing down, I've always been lucky enough to find
work. Not so for everyone.

diggerop