Any geologists on here?
#1
Thread Starter
Just Joined
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 13

Hi,
New to the forum! Glad to be here.
My story, is that I have recently received a 2 year working visa through the IEC and will be arriving in Canada early in new year. I am geologist with around 5 years experience, mainly in mining and mineral (gold, iron ore) exploration in Australia.
I am wondering t if anyone has any tips where to start looking for geologist jobs (or even geotech jobs - not fussed, just want to work), or specialised recruiters. I know a lot of the Oil work is in Alberta, but I am unsure if I would be suitable to that due to experience only in hard rock geology....but I am open and willing to try for any roles!
Thanks, if anyone has any ideas it would be appreciated.
New to the forum! Glad to be here.
My story, is that I have recently received a 2 year working visa through the IEC and will be arriving in Canada early in new year. I am geologist with around 5 years experience, mainly in mining and mineral (gold, iron ore) exploration in Australia.
I am wondering t if anyone has any tips where to start looking for geologist jobs (or even geotech jobs - not fussed, just want to work), or specialised recruiters. I know a lot of the Oil work is in Alberta, but I am unsure if I would be suitable to that due to experience only in hard rock geology....but I am open and willing to try for any roles!
Thanks, if anyone has any ideas it would be appreciated.
Last edited by Macca1888; Dec 9th 2014 at 5:17 am.
#2
BE Forum Addict






Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,380
From: British Columbia











I'm not a geologist, but once worked on a GIS team for a mining startup in Vancouver, where I learned that the city has a more mining headquarters than anywhere else. Alberta has the oil economy, but BC may be where you want to be as a hard rock geologist.
This is a good starting point: Mining | VEC
This is one local employer: Goldcorp Inc. - Home
This is a good starting point: Mining | VEC
This is one local employer: Goldcorp Inc. - Home
#3
slanderer of the innocent










Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 6,695
From: Vancouver, BC











lychee is right - BC is big in mining, however mining isn't doing so well at the moment - we're in the bust of the boom/bust cycle. Good luck.
#4
is awesome




Joined: May 2011
Posts: 261
From: Kingston, ON











I'm a geologist. For sure, don't pursue iron ore here. That was the industry I was in and neither myself nor any of my colleagues and contacts are currently working with it. It's in a bust cycle so very doom and gloom and I can't see it changing any time soon. If you want to stay in mining then gold may be your best option (Ontario has quite a few gold mines) or maybe RREs (more limited options). Lychee has offered sound advice about Vancouver and its mining companies. Geotech would also be a good option, I think.
Cat
Cat
#5
Slob










Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 6,345
From: Ottineau











I'm a geologist. For sure, don't pursue iron ore here. That was the industry I was in and neither myself nor any of my colleagues and contacts are currently working with it. It's in a bust cycle so very doom and gloom and I can't see it changing any time soon. If you want to stay in mining then gold may be your best option (Ontario has quite a few gold mines) or maybe RREs (more limited options). Lychee has offered sound advice about Vancouver and its mining companies. Geotech would also be a good option, I think.
Cat
Cat
Mining in Canada is going down the crapper at the moment in some areas. Iron ore is a disaster zone. People are getting out (eg Cliffs). The REE bubble has burst, and Li probably has too. Graphite is quite hot but that won't last.
I'd take slight issue with Vancouver. It's home to lots of juniors (aka shameless stock promoters), most of which should and will go bust.
The action these days seems to be in base and precious metals. Uranium too. Don't ignore the industrial minerals sector. Dull but quite healthy.
#6
i'm not a geologist but what about the diamond mines way up north or am i talking out of me bum lol
I do work for a trucking outfit and we are on build up to the winter roads to those mines.
just thought i would throw this in and see if its of use ????
I do work for a trucking outfit and we are on build up to the winter roads to those mines.
just thought i would throw this in and see if its of use ????
#7
Thread Starter
Just Joined
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 13

Thanks for all the info guys. Cheers for the links Lychee, i'll check them out.
I'm more experienced in the Gold side of things anyway Cat, so would be more inclined to seek roles in that area first off......but i'll see how it goes....I won't be fussy and happy to learn anything new!
Mining/exploration seems to have gone quiet the world over. Hoping it picks up. I'll definitely have a look at the industrial minerals sector too Souvy.
Don't know too much about the diamond mines Juggernaut1064, but will look them up and see how they are going.
I'm more experienced in the Gold side of things anyway Cat, so would be more inclined to seek roles in that area first off......but i'll see how it goes....I won't be fussy and happy to learn anything new!
Mining/exploration seems to have gone quiet the world over. Hoping it picks up. I'll definitely have a look at the industrial minerals sector too Souvy.
Don't know too much about the diamond mines Juggernaut1064, but will look them up and see how they are going.
#8
A few links, hope they are of use.
Mining Canada - Information on Jobs in the Mining Industry
Diamond Mine
Gold Mining Jobs in Canada, North America - CareerMine
done this once for my nephew in the UK when he got his masters in Geology
Mining Canada - Information on Jobs in the Mining Industry
Diamond Mine
Gold Mining Jobs in Canada, North America - CareerMine
done this once for my nephew in the UK when he got his masters in Geology
#9
Forum Regular


Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 96
From: Vancouver, Formerly Toronto and Edinburgh











As of January I'll be working for Hatch Mott MacDonald. I don't know about Canada but Engineering Geologists are heavily in demand in the UK. I imagine the situation won't be that different in Canada. If that interests you and you want to chat more PM me.
#10
Thread Starter
Just Joined
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 13

A few links, hope they are of use.
Mining Canada - Information on Jobs in the Mining Industry
Diamond Mine
Gold Mining Jobs in Canada, North America - CareerMine
done this once for my nephew in the UK when he got his masters in Geology
Mining Canada - Information on Jobs in the Mining Industry
Diamond Mine
Gold Mining Jobs in Canada, North America - CareerMine
done this once for my nephew in the UK when he got his masters in Geology
#11
Thread Starter
Just Joined
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 13

A few links, hope they are of use.
Mining Canada - Information on Jobs in the Mining Industry
Diamond Mine
Gold Mining Jobs in Canada, North America - CareerMine
done this once for my nephew in the UK when he got his masters in Geology
Mining Canada - Information on Jobs in the Mining Industry
Diamond Mine
Gold Mining Jobs in Canada, North America - CareerMine
done this once for my nephew in the UK when he got his masters in Geology
#12
Thread Starter
Just Joined
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 13

I do have an interest in Engineering Geology....but a lack of experience! I've always just worked in Mining and Exploration. Would they be that short staffed that they would take someone on at entry level or without a specific engineering focussed degree/masters?
#13
BE Forum Addict






Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 1,664
From: Ottawa











I used to live in Red Lake in NW Ontario - Goldcorp is the major employer there, with lots of subcontracting out to other companies in the areas of explosives, etc. Also lots of exploration up there over the past few years, as the economic climate for gold was such that it was viable to reopen some of the many closed mines in order to dig deeper.
#14
Slob










Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 6,345
From: Ottineau











Thanks for all the info guys. Cheers for the links Lychee, i'll check them out.
I'm more experienced in the Gold side of things anyway Cat, so would be more inclined to seek roles in that area first off......but i'll see how it goes....I won't be fussy and happy to learn anything new!
Mining/exploration seems to have gone quiet the world over. Hoping it picks up. I'll definitely have a look at the industrial minerals sector too Souvy.
Don't know too much about the diamond mines Juggernaut1064, but will look them up and see how they are going.
I'm more experienced in the Gold side of things anyway Cat, so would be more inclined to seek roles in that area first off......but i'll see how it goes....I won't be fussy and happy to learn anything new!
Mining/exploration seems to have gone quiet the world over. Hoping it picks up. I'll definitely have a look at the industrial minerals sector too Souvy.
Don't know too much about the diamond mines Juggernaut1064, but will look them up and see how they are going.
A good place for you to go, if the timing is right, is the PDAC convention in Toronto (March). I normally go, although I gave it a miss last year.
The exhibitor list may be useful to you.
Investors Exchange
The Investors Exchange is free to attend. The trade show isn't but I don't find it very useful anyway.
Also check out MDN Mines and let me know if it holds any appeal.
#15
Thread Starter
Just Joined
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 13

Canadian Mining Journal and Northern Miner carry job adverts. The financial section of the National Post also has a pretty good section covering mining.
A good place for you to go, if the timing is right, is the PDAC convention in Toronto (March). I normally go, although I gave it a miss last year.
The exhibitor list may be useful to you.
Investors Exchange
The Investors Exchange is free to attend. The trade show isn't but I don't find it very useful anyway.
Also check out MDN Mines and let me know if it holds any appeal.
A good place for you to go, if the timing is right, is the PDAC convention in Toronto (March). I normally go, although I gave it a miss last year.
The exhibitor list may be useful to you.
Investors Exchange
The Investors Exchange is free to attend. The trade show isn't but I don't find it very useful anyway.
Also check out MDN Mines and let me know if it holds any appeal.
The PDAC Convention looks great. I had planned to arrive in March so I will definitely have to fit the Investors Exchange in. Plenty of exhibitors!
Yep, I had heard of MDN Mines (may have seen a job ad recently I think). Definitely holds appeal. As I studied in Western Australia, we had fieldtrips to the nearby Greenbushes mine, looking at the pegmatities, where they were mining tantalum (and lithium from spodumene), so the mineralisation style is not totally foreign!



