The shortage of Geologists in Gold and Iron Ore is still with us

“Although the news is full of stories about recession and unemployment, the demand for geologists is stronger than in most other business sectors” reports Geology.com, an established US reference site for the profession. They continue to say “salaries and demand for geologists often mirror the price of geological commodities such as fuels, metals and construction materials.”

There is a perpetual need for senior geologists in the growing gold and iron-ore mining sectors, especially in Africa.  Many opportunities are offered to earn large salaries working in early stage programs to evaluate potential exploration areas or in the production environment.  Job roles include creating and managing remote site exploration teams carrying out geochemical and geophysical surveys and overseeing multiple drilling programs.  Companies require experience in working with internal GIS databases and external mineral intelligence and technical data sources.

The role of the geologist in the mineral exploration field, however, is not limited to working exclusively in earth science functions.  They are often expected to apply themselves more broadly in identifying and initiating new business opportunities and dealing with officialdom to get new mineral licenses and other permits. Part of their work can include quality management, setting standards and ensuring compliance to them.  Sometimes geologists are even responsible for safety and health of the workforce (SHEQ) and developing community relationships. Because of this, an ability to write and speak French is an added benefit when negotiating pay.

Vale, the world’s second-biggest mining company by market share, is one of the companies that is expanding. “Our current investment proposal in Africa is to expend more than $12-billion over the next five years, subject to board approval,” Vale Zambia exploration manager Ian Hart told the recent first Zambian International Mining and Energy Conference and Exhibition, in Lusaka.  He said that “the peak year in this programme will be 2012, which should see the company invest $3.3-billion in the continent.”  The UK Financial Times recently estimated that in April 2011, Vale’s investment in Africa totalled $2.5-billion.  The ex-CEO Roger Agnelli noted that Africa was second only to Brazil in terms of iron-ore production potential.  This will no doubt add to the demand for “greenfield” and exploration geologists.

The shortage of geologists is evident when we see some companies sourcing candidates from outside Africa and from their neighbouring states. A leading company exploring in Madagascar for iron-ore and manganese is recruiting young geologists from India.  An MSc or BSc (Hons) or PhD in earth sciences is usually required for this type of job as well as a working knowledge of geo-mining software such as ArcView and data base management.  Because of a shortage of geologists in Liberia and the renewed interest in the exploring their mineral potential, they are looking to hire from Ghana and other African countries.  Not enough geo-scientists are graduating to replace the people retiring from the profession which means that the shortage is likely to continue for some time.         

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