What Would I Do?

Surface Mining, Quarrying and Construction Drillers operate heavy drilling machines to drill holes in open-pit mines, quarries and at construction sites.

Blasters work mostly in mining and construction. You use materials such as dynamite to open new quarries and mine shafts or to create controlled openings in rock for construction projects.

Oil and gas well drillers operate equipment to drill deep into the earth to extract oil and natural gas.

As a Driller (Surface Mining, Quarrying and Construction) you:

• set up drill rigs at drilling sites
• operate rotary drilling machines to:
  • bore large blast holes in open-pit mine or quarry
  • drill blast holes in rock at road or other construction sites
  • drill holes for building foundations or pilings
• repair and maintain drilling equipment

As a Blaster (Surface Mining, Quarrying and Construction) you:

• examine blast areas to determine amount of explosives needed and where to put them
• place explosives and attach detonators
• oversee the explosion and make sure all explosives are detonated

As an Oil & Gas Well Driller you:

• operate and maintain drilling equipment
• direct the activities of the rig crew and the operation of the rig equipment

Useful Websites