Career Prospects

The majority of mining technologists and metallurgists are employed in mining companies belonging to the public sector. These include Coal India Ltd., Hindustan Zinc Ltd Directorate General of Mines Safety, steel plants at Bhilai, Bokaro, Durgapur and Rourkela, Geological Survey of India, National Mineral Development Corporation, Hyderabad, Hindustan Copper Ltd., and Neyveli Lignite Corporation Ltd.

There are also jobs offered in Central and state government offices in the relevant ministries, in teaching institutions, and in research organizations. Candidates are usually appointed as Mine Managers, Ventilation Officers; Safety Officers, Analysts, or Assistant Metallurgists, and rise to senior executive positions.

Promotions are usually on the basis of competency and seniority, the parameters of which are generally laid down by the companies. There are also several private and public sector companies in the manufacture and fabrication of mineral based products like steel, petroleum products, automobiles, aircraft, etc., in plants extracting and processing nickel, tin, copper, zinc, aluminium and brass, and in foundries and rolling mills which also employ professionals from mining and metallurgy.

Self-employment opportunities also exist, as mining engineers and metallurgists with several years of experience can start consultancy services on ways and means of exploring new fields, developing new alloys and funding productive uses of minerals. They can also go into research and- academics.

India is a country rich in mineral resources. A large variety of mineral deposits like coal, copper, manganese, iron ore, oil, etc. are available here. As the demand for mineral products shoots up with the rise in living standards, intensive research for new mineral fields also continues.

However, metals are non-renewable and fast depleting, and we need to use them judiciously. Metallurgists are also employed for treating and managing scrap, which reduces the cost of production and proves beneficial, financially and ecologically.

Exploration of oil and gas, and extraction of mineral deposits from the seabed are relatively newer fields, which augur well for the continued demand for trained professionals in this field.

Engineering.