Geochemist to mine geologist
A geochemist already meets 40% of what the mine geologist role asks for. The move turns on 7 required skills not yet in the profile.
59.7/ 100
1 How much of what a mine geologist is expected to do is already part of a geochemist’s work. Directional: the figure for the reverse move differs, because moving into a speciality is not the same problem as moving out of one. 2 Every skill the mine geologist role is recorded as needing, required and optional together. What these numbers mean.
Why this move works
A mine geologist role treats 7 of its required skills as things a geochemist already does. You would walk in with these on day one.
- address problems critically
- chemistry
- communicate on minerals issues
- deal with pressure from unexpected circumstances
- geology
- prepare scientific reports
What stands in the way is 7 required skills the profile does not yet cover. Table 3 groups them; Table 4 says which to take first.
Table 2 · What you already bring
Of the 7 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A mine geologist role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a geochemist background worth leading with.
- already held communicate on minerals issues communication, collaboration and creativity
- already held deal with pressure from unexpected circumstances communication, collaboration and creativity
- already held prepare scientific reports communication, collaboration and creativity
- already held geology natural sciences, mathematics and statistics
- already held supervise staff management skills
- already held chemistry natural sciences, mathematics and statistics
All 7 carried skills, including the 7 the mine geologist role treats as required.
Table 3 · What you may need to learn
The 17 missing skills fall into 6 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, numbered in the order worth working in. Areas carrying the most required skills come first, and inside each one the required skills sit above the optional ones. Nothing here is a verdict on you: it is a list of what this particular job asks for that your current one does not.
- still to learn advise on geology for mineral extraction required
- still to learn advise on mining environmental issues required
- still to learn communicate on the environmental impact of mining required
- still to learn provide information on geological characteristics required
- optional, not held advise on mine development optional
- optional, not held advise on mine equipment optional
- optional, not held advise on mine production optional
- optional, not held negotiate land access optional
- still to learn determine characteristics of mineral deposits required
- optional, not held maintain records of mining operations optional
- optional, not held monitor mine production optional
- optional, not held assess operating cost optional
- still to learn plan mine operations required
- optional, not held develop site remediation strategies optional
- still to learn use mine planning software required
- optional, not held logging optional
- optional, not held dimension stone optional
Table 4 · Where to start
The 3 entries a mine geologist role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.
- 01 plan mine operations practise this
- 02 advise on geology for mineral extraction practise this
- 03 advise on mining environmental issues practise this
Each entry opens a course search for that skill. Career Overlap earns nothing from these links.
Appendix · The rest of the record
All 7 skills that carry over
- already held address problems critically skill
- already held chemistry knowledge
- already held communicate on minerals issues skill
- already held deal with pressure from unexpected circumstances skill
- already held geology knowledge
- already held prepare scientific reports skill
- already held supervise staff skill
10 supplementary skills, helpful but not required
- optional, not held advise on mine development optional
- optional, not held advise on mine equipment optional
- optional, not held advise on mine production optional
- optional, not held develop site remediation strategies optional
- optional, not held dimension stone optional
- optional, not held logging optional
- optional, not held maintain records of mining operations optional
- optional, not held monitor mine production optional
- optional, not held negotiate land access optional
- optional, not held assess operating cost optional
16 held skills the mine geologist role does not ask for
- not needed by the target role collect samples skill
- not needed by the target role conduct environmental site assessments skill
- not needed by the target role conduct laboratory chemical research on metals skill
- not needed by the target role create GIS reports skill
- not needed by the target role create thematic maps skill
- not needed by the target role ensure compliance with environmental legislation skill
- not needed by the target role examine geochemical samples skill
- not needed by the target role geographic information systems knowledge
- not needed by the target role liaise with industrial professionals skill
- not needed by the target role manipulate metal skill
- not needed by the target role perform minor repairs to equipment skill
- not needed by the target role perform sample testing skill
- not needed by the target role prepare samples for testing skill
- not needed by the target role test samples for pollutants skill
- not needed by the target role troubleshoot skill
- not needed by the target role types of metal knowledge
2 gaps that are knowledge rather than practice
Knowledge gaps usually close through study. Practical skill gaps usually need something you can point at.
- optional, not held dimension stone optional
- optional, not held logging optional
Common questions about this move
Can a geochemist become a mine geologist?
Yes, and it is a substantial move. A geochemist already covers 40% of what a mine geologist is expected to do: 7 skills carry over, 7 of which the mine geologist role treats as required.
What skills does a geochemist need to become a mine geologist?
7 required skills are missing, plus 10 optional ones. They fall into 6 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, led by communication, collaboration and creativity. The single most important is plan mine operations.
How hard is the move from geochemist to mine geologist?
Its learning distance is 59.7 out of 100, which is the substantial band. That accounts for both how much is missing and how specialised those skills are.
How this record was compiled
Both occupations are taken from ESCO, which lists the skills and knowledge each occupation is expected to have and marks every one required or optional. Nothing here is a prediction about hiring, and nothing here knows that a particular employer wants a particular certificate. Treat Table 3 as a starting point for your own research rather than a syllabus. The full method states what these figures can and cannot tell you.