Extraction Workers, All Other

Mining and drilling sites are already using some automation. For example, a Reuters report says a big Chilean copper mine now runs dozens of driverless haul trucks and automatic drills ^[1]. These trucks have cameras and sensors so they can drive themselves day and night, which helps lower accidents.

Experts note that such “autonomous vehicles” can work in dangerous underground areas with less risk of injury ^[2]. In drilling, newer machines can be run remotely or even work by themselves: one study says “current industrial drilling rigs…can achieve teleoperation and [fully] autonomous” operation, and that “fully autonomous drills are increasingly being deployed for commercial use” ^[3]. At the same time, analysts stress that skilled workers still matter.

Even if machines do the heavy lifting, experienced miners and drillers are needed to handle surprises or hard problems that robots can’t easily solve ^[1].

Whether a mine adopts AI quickly or slowly depends on many factors. The technology exists, but it is expensive, so small operations may not switch over at once. A job like extraction work pays about $24 an hour on average ^[4], so companies compare that cost to the big investment of new equipment.

Remote or high-risk sites may favor automation to keep people safe and productivity high ^[2]. Labor rules and unions also play a role. For example, a miners’ union recently warned that driverless trucks sometimes have accidents, raising safety concerns ^[1].

In many places, leaders say machines should assist humans rather than replace them. Research on mining technology notes that although machines are getting smarter, human expertise is still “irreplaceable” for complex tasks . In short, big companies are testing AI for safety and efficiency, while other mines wait it out.

Overall, change will be gradual. Human workers will still be needed to guide, fix, and work alongside the machines, using judgment and teamwork that AI can’t match 【12†L28-L36 ^[2]ces: News and studies on mining automation, including Reuters and recent engineering reviews ^{[1] [2] [3] [4]} .