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Mineral processing operator

Also called brine maker, cement mixer, blender tender

Mineral processing operators operate a variety of plants and equipment to convert raw materials into marketable products. They provide the appropriate information on the process to the control room.

Will there be jobs?Limited prospects22 jobs to fill by 2035 for every 100 people doing this work today.Stationary plant and machine operatorsWhat does it pay?About averageFrom about €1,000 (Bulgaria) to €5,500 (Denmark) a month, depending on the country.Estimate · Stationary plant and machine operatorsWhat do I need to study?Upper secondary or vocational6 in 10 finished upper secondary or vocational training.Stationary plant and machine operatorsWill AI change it?Very littleLevel 1 of 6. AI could help with only small parts of the tasks.Mineral and stone processing plant operators · ILO

What you'd do

Mineral and stone processing plant operators · ILO
  • Setting up and operating stationary plant and machinery which grind, crush, cut, saw and slice rocks, minerals and stones according to the specifications for the job
  • Positioning blocks and slabs of stone onto machines for sawing, cutting and further working
  • Monitoring and maintaining the flow of unprocessed rocks, minerals and stones from conveyors into machines
  • Operating washing, separating, leaching, precipitating, filtering, extracting and combining equipment to remove waste material and recover minerals
  • Combining mineral ores with solvents to facilitate further processing
  • Separating metal and mineral concentrates from ore and alluvial deposits by thickening, flotation, gravity separation, filtration, and or magnetic and electrostatic separation
  • Observing meters, gauges and control panels, and adjusting valves and controls to ensure the safe and efficient operation of equipment, and detecting malfunctions, and assisting with plant and machinery maintenance and repair
  • Examining processed materials visually or with hands to ensure compliance with established standards and job specifications, and collecting samples for testing in laboratories
  • Recording information about processing completed during shifts, such as quantities, types and dimensions of materials produced
  • Sorting, stacking and moving processed minerals and stone for packaging, further processing or shipping
Operate raw mineral size reduction equipmentOperate raw mineral separation equipmentCollect samplesConduct inter-shift communicationWork ergonomically+ 4 more essential skills
What the work is like
  • On your feet most of the day
  • Some contact with people, mostly with colleagues
  • Some freedom to decide
  • Often more than 40 hours a week
  • Deadlines now and then
  • Some repetitive tasks
US data: based on the O*NET profile of the US job "Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders"

Will there be jobs?

Limited prospects

Fewer jobs than in most work will need filling by 2035.

People working as stationary plant and machine operators in the EU
4.79m4.76m4.7m 201520232035

Solid: measured. Dashed: forecast.

Jobs to fill, 2026–2035
1,125,000 replacing leavers 71,000 jobs disappear
Jobs to fill per 100 people working now
Stationary plant and machine operators22
All jobs29
Right now
1 of 27 countries report a shortage of mineral and stone processing plant operators, 3 a surplus.
Mineral and stone processing plant operators · EURES

What does it pay?

About average

Pay depends a lot on the country: from about €1,000 a month (Bulgaria) to €5,500 (Denmark), before tax.

Pick a country at the top of the page to see typical pay there, for people under 30, and compared with all jobs.

Among plant and machine operators, and assemblers in the EU, women earn 21% less per hour than men. Plant and machine operators, and assemblers · Eurostat

What do I need to study?

Upper secondary or vocational

Upper secondary or vocational training is the usual route.

Highest qualification of stationary plant and machine operators (EU, 2025)
Degree 8%Vocational 53%General secondary 10%Basic schooling 29%

Pick a country at the top of the page to see where to study and the official course finders.

Will AI change it?

Very little

AI could help with only small parts of the tasks.

How exposed is this job? ILO scale
Very low
Low
Some tasks
Moderate
Significant
High

Average task score 0.21 on a scale from 0 (AI can't do it) to 1 (AI could do it fully).

See the score for each of the 10 tasks
Recording information about processing completed during shifts, such as quantities, types and dimensions of materials produced0.46
Examining processed materials visually or with hands to ensure compliance with established standards and job specifications, and collecting samples for testing in laboratories0.30
Observing meters, gauges and control panels, and adjusting valves and controls to ensure the safe and efficient operation of equipment, and detecting malfunctions, and assisting with plant and machinery maintenance and repair0.23
Separating metal and mineral concentrates from ore and alluvial deposits by thickening, flotation, gravity separation, filtration, and or magnetic and electrostatic separation0.20
Monitoring and maintaining the flow of unprocessed rocks, minerals and stones from conveyors into machines0.19
Setting up and operating stationary plant and machinery which grind, crush, cut, saw and slice rocks, minerals and stones according to the specifications for the job0.16
Operating washing, separating, leaching, precipitating, filtering, extracting and combining equipment to remove waste material and recover minerals0.15
Combining mineral ores with solvents to facilitate further processing0.15
Sorting, stacking and moving processed minerals and stone for packaging, further processing or shipping0.13
Positioning blocks and slabs of stone onto machines for sawing, cutting and further working0.11

Based on what AI could technically do when assessed in 2025. It is not a forecast for a future year, and not a forecast of job losses. Scores for mineral and stone processing plant operators. Source: ILO (2025), adapted (credits).