r/mining • u/sssulaco • Nov 20 '25
Europe Has anyone had any success relocating away from Australia and working in mining?
More for the engineers, as that’s what I am - I’ve just finished up some travel around Europe (France, England, Scotland), and maybe I’m just depressed after getting home, but I’m trying to think of ways I can uproot my life/wife and spend some time overseas.
Has anyone had any success in doing this? I know there are hardly any (none?) operational mines in these areas, but I can see technical/consulting gigs on LinkedIn etc.
I do have working rights in the UK, and may be able to get them for greater Europe (Irish parent).
Just wondering if anyone has made this move, or looked into it more.
Also, I hear on the grapevine that mining engineers have made the move to finance/banking related roles in London etc. I can’t figure out how these skills translate, but anyone else heard of this?
Cheers all.
5
u/journeyfromone Nov 20 '25
I moved to Latin America (I speak Spanish though) then to the USA. UK is good for Africa FIFO (the UK people I know do this), there’s some mines like Al Mina ion Portugal but I’m guessing you would need Portuguese. The As an engineer you go into finance areas to review investments, you read PFS and FS reports and analyse what you think of them, like jumbo/bogger/truck rates, schedules, what’s realistic, ground support, vent etc. you then give your input to help investors decode where to invest.
5
u/Yyir Nov 20 '25
Northern Europe has mines (Scandinavia) there are also mines in Ireland. You can do FIFO to Africa from Europe and the middle east.
Lots of consulting and banking jobs in London for miners/geos. I work in insurance as a mining specialist.
5
u/yaz834 Nov 20 '25
Canada has a strong mining sector
2
u/dfGobBluth Nov 21 '25
And everywhere i turn in Canadian mining are Australians and South Africans in management positions. So yes you can leave Australia and be successful in mining in Canada.
2
u/Hopeful-Level-4878 Nov 20 '25
Relocated to the USA and did fifo out of west Africa for 18 months. Now doing fifo out of Alaska. As a sparky. It’s possible mate just gotta make it happen.
1
u/BeneficialEducation9 Nov 21 '25
AMPS has opened up shop in North America so there could be opportunity for contract work in the US or Canada through them.
1
u/GeoGreenz Nov 23 '25
Canada, USA both lower 48 and AK (I worked with many Aus folks in the US), Ireland and UK have some mines restarting at the moment, Greece, Finland, Norway, LatAM. I can speak specifically to US in terms of working for an actual mining company and have recently done consulting work in Greece and LatAM. Honestly if I was looking for overseas work for a mining company again I’d be looking at Eldorado Greece. I was at a mine there earlier this year and it was wonderful.
For the banking work, I know some geos that went that route. For some of them it was getting an additional business/finance degree. For others it was just knowing the right folks
1
7
u/CyribdidFerret Nov 20 '25
Yeah did expat FIFO from West Africa and moved to the UK for a shorter flight.
A lot of expat job will fly you from what ever major city you choose.