Drill Operator

About this role

Mine Operations runs the working: drilling, blasting, loading, hauling and the production plan they serve.

Operate the production drill to the marked pattern — depth, angle and spacing as designed, because the blast is only as good as the holes it goes into.

Several posts here are statutory under the Mines Act 1952 and the applicable regulations — Mine Manager, Overman, Mining Mate, Blaster, Winding Engine Driver — and cannot be held without the certificate of competency. That is not a preference; it is the law, and it is why the postings state it plainly rather than burying it. The monsoon decides half the year at most of our sites.

Primary responsibilities

• Operate the drill to the marked pattern, to the depth, angle and spacing on the design
• Carry out pre-start checks and report defects before starting rather than after a failure
• Manage bits, rods and the compressor, and change consumables correctly
• Control dust with the suppression system fitted, and use the respiratory protection issued
• Keep accurate drilling records for each hole, since the blast design depends on them
• Work safely near the bench edge, which is where a drill rig is most exposed

Skills required

Day to day this role works with Drilling, Machine Operation and Maintenance.

• Two or more years operating drills at a mine
• Able to do first-line maintenance on the rig
• Two or more years operating drill rigs at a mine or quarry
• Drilling to a marked pattern at the specified depth, angle and spacing
• Pre-start inspection and defect reporting before starting