The institute’s 2007 remuneration and employment report, based on a survey of some 2000 professionals in the minerals sector, found there was average wage growth in the minerals industry of 18% since 2005, and an increase in starting salaries.

Over the past two years, the percentage of graduates earning more than $75,000 had doubled to 34%, with the average starting salary $69,000.

Despite the increases in wages, the AusIMM reported that the majority of those surveyed indicated that the work-life balance was the most important factor when considering job options, with only 3.9% indicating that remuneration was the most important factor.

Accordingly, the proportion of respondents working more than 50 hours a week decreased from 64% in 2005 and there has been an increase in traditional Monday-Friday working hours, with a 7.4% reduction in the percentage of respondents who said their work was putting pressure on personal relationships.

Some 66% of respondents agreed that people at their workplace were under more pressure because of the skills shortage, which was a surprising drop from 75% in 2005.

The survey also found that only 48% of respondents agreed that their employer provided sufficient workplace training, a drop of 8.4% from the 2005 results.

And while the survey found that churn or workplace turnover was still high, only one third of respondents indicated that they would change employer in the short term, lower than the findings for 2005.

“According to our survey, employers have responded to the challenge of retaining their professionals with better salaries and shorter working hours and rosters,” AusIMM chief executive Don Larkin said.

“However, significant challenges remain.

“With large numbers of inexperienced staff being recruited and high levels of mobility, an insufficient focus on training and mentoring could have a negative impact.”

The survey also found that women in the mining industry are still earning less as graduates then men and finding it difficult to achieve higher positions – even given allowances made for working hours, with women working eight hours per day compared to men working some 10 hours on average.

Additionally, women generally concentrated around the early-to-intermediate career stages while male respondents were clustered around more senior positions.

The AusIMM flagged lack of accessible child care compatible with work hours a key reason for this issue.

“The remuneration and employment survey gives our members the opportunity to communicate what they see as a priority when deciding whether to leave or stick with a particular role,” Larkin added.

“It also tells us how they see the skills shortage … [and] comparison with the 2005 survey has also provided an insight in how the industry is responding to a period where professional capabilities are stretched,” he said.