This is a real excerpt from a young man studying geology who I have been trying to convince to stick with mining for a career: (my answers in CAPS)
Michele,
I have some questions about the mining industry. For me, one of the most important factors in choosing a career involves location. I want to live somewhere with outdoor opportunities, not a smoggy city. I don’t want to live in a congested hub like Houston. I wouldn’t mind traveling to remote locations around the world, that sounds cool. Within the U.S., though, are there opportunities for work in small, rural towns? (I think you know what I mean: I love the mountains and don’t want to spend my whole life in a big city).
CARL:
HARDROCK MINES ARE IN REMOTE MOUNTAINOUS REGIONS BECAUSE THE MINERALIZATION COMES FROM MELTED MATERIAL AT DEPTH USUALLY ALONG SUBDUCTED MARGINS AND IS BROUGHT TO THE SURFACE DURING OROGENIC EVENTS. THAT MEANS HARD ROCK MINES ARE USUALLY IN THE MOUNTAINS. SOFT ROCK MINES (COAL, URANIUM) ARE IN BASINS OUT IN THE PLAINS AREAS. THERE AREN’T A LOT OF CITIES BUILT ON SOFT SEDIMENT BASINS OUT IN THE PLAINS SO COAL MINES ARE USUALLY ALSO REMOTE (RELATIVE TO A CITY LOCATION). CORPORATE OFFICES ARE IN BIG CITIES BECAUSE THEY NEED TO BE NEAR INTERNATIONAL AIRPORTS AND HOTELS. SO, IF YOU ARE A MINER YOU WILL LIKELY NOT BE IN A CITY UNTIL YOU BECOME THE MANAGER OR A BIGGER FOOL.
Also, how does it work for people that have spouses and families…?
CARL:
MANY GEOLOGISTS SUFFER BEING SINGLE WAY MUCH LATER INTO THEIR ADULT LIVES. MANY MEET THEIR SPOUSES ON THE JOB. I WAS 40 BEFORE I MET MY HUZBUN AT A MINE AND THAT IS MY FIRST (AND LAST) MARRIAGE.
Do they just get used to being home half the time/ gone half the time?
SOME FAMILIES NEVER GET USED TO IT AND DIVORCE FOR GEOLOGISTS IS COMMON. MOST GEOLOGISTS START TO FEEL STAGNANT IF THEY DON’T GET OUT OF TOWN FOR AT LEAST ONE SEASON EVERY YEAR.
Is this a fairly common thing (for a geologist to have trouble meeting their significant other?)
IT IS HARD FOR A GEO-GUY TO FIND A GIRLFRIEND BECAUSE HIS JOB IS REMOTE AND HE TRAVELS ALL THE TIME AND HE IS SMELLY AND FUZZY. ON THE OTHERHAND, GEO-GALS MEET GUYS ALL THE TIME AND HAVE 10,000 BOYFRIENDS (UNTIL THEY MEET THE RIGHT GUY LIKE I DID.)
Does the significant other ever come along and live where the geologist is working?
SOMETIMES, BUT NOT VERY OFTEN. DEPENDS ON THE DURATION OF JOB. IT’S A LITTLE LIKE BEING MILITARY – IF IT’S A LONG TERM JOB, THEN THE SPOUSE MAY COME ALONG. WIVES AND KIDS MEET OTHER WIVES AND KIDS ONSITE AND HAVE CLUBS AND ORGANIZATIONS AND DINNERS. WHEN YOU MOVE ON YOU MAY LIKELY MEET PEOPLE YOU KNEW PREVIOUSLY FROM OTHER MINES. REALLY REMOTE JOBS (LIKE IN AFRICA) WILL PAY YOU A LOT MORE MONEY WITH BIG FAT BONUSES TO START AND GIVE YOU A HOUSE AND A CAR AND PAY FOR YOUR MOVING EXPENSES. IF IT IS A LONG TERM JOB (1-2 YEARS) THE SPOUSE USUALLY COMES ALONG IN ORDER TO KEEP FROM HAVING TO PAY EXPENSES AT HOME. SPOUSES SOMETIMES TAKE SERVICE-RELATED JOBS IN REMOTE PLACES LIKE OFFICE JOBS OR TEACHING ENGLISH.
Does all of this vary greatly from job to job? Sorry, I’m just trying to get an idea of what to expect should I go this direction into the mining industry. Hope you don’t mind answering some of these questions!
ALL THE OTHER STUDENTS HAD THESE SAME QUESTIONS WHEN I WAS IN SCHOOL AND I HAVE NOTICED AS 20 YEARS SLIPPED BY WHAT SOME OF THE SOLUTIONS WERE. THAT’S WHAT I BASE MY ANSWERS ON.
MICHELE MURRAY
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SO, IF YOU ARE A MINER YOU WILL LIKELY NOT BE IN A CITY UNTIL YOU BECOME THE MANAGER OR A BIGGER FOOL
……like a consultant? hehe
Actually, I stand corrected on multiple points with this article: First, many geos found their spouse online via internet dating. There is a significant ratio of successful marriages this way. Also, though geo-gals have 10,0000 interested parties, they are usually single also, this being a result of probably being just as smelly and fuzzy as the geo guys.
As to being a miner in the city: yep. Big fool. Well paid, but big fool. Um, where is my office? What do I do for a living?
Yeah, us ‘Big fools’ should meet up at starbucks or something….just to get away from the office for a bit.
Carl is lucky to get such insight into the mating habits of geologis explorationis. In summary, from what I have seen, the male geologist tends to marry his college sweetheart, then work in the field a lot for many years, use this experience while sporting facial hair to get an assignment in (insert S. American or SE Asian country here), then dumps the starter N. American wife for a trophy wife from (insert N. American or SE Asian country here). Fortunately, in my case as another type of explorer, I was able to go abroad early in my career and bypass the starter wife for the trophy one (or arguably combined the two).
Dear Mark:
Mating habits is strong language, here. I’m talking about getting a date with someone who might actually want to see you again. I am uncomfortable with the terms “starter wife” and “trophy wife”, as the first one reminds me of needing to make a fire today (cold-rainy out with last year’s firewood all wet) and the second one is an animal head mounted on the wall. These are women, you know, who probably make decisions as to whether or not to see you again based on your charm (or wallet, or car, or house…) and you would likely not be seeing any women a second time if it were not for their assessment of your redeeming qualities.
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