Where are the mining jobs in NSW?
Coal: four regions
The NSW Government’s NSW Coal Industry 2026-50 report gives direct coal mining jobs by region at December 2025, sourced from Coal Services. The total is 23,834 direct jobs across 35 mines that produced in 2025.
| Region | Mines producing in 2025 | Direct coal jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Hunter | 19 | 14,437 |
| Central West | 7 | 3,518 |
| North West | 5 | 3,080 |
| Illawarra | 4 | 2,799 |
The report says about 89% of Hunter coal is exported, the Central West produces thermal coal only, and the Illawarra is the primary metallurgical coal region.
Metals: Cobar, Cadia and Broken Hill
- Copper and gold. NSW Resources lists the world class Cadia district (Cadia East and Ridgeway) among its porphyry copper-gold deposits, and names Cobar-type copper-gold deposits (Peak and CSA) and the Tritton-Girilambone district (Tritton Operations) among other copper sources. See its copper in NSW summary.
- Silver, lead and zinc. The Broken Hill “Line of Lode” is the iconic lead-zinc-silver deposit of NSW, described in NSW Resources’ silver and lead and zinc summaries.
We have no official workforce count for NSW metal mines, so we give none. For how rosters work at remote sites, see our FIFO guide.
Who are the major mining employers in NSW?
These companies state, on their own websites, that they operate in NSW. We checked each site on 8 October 2026. It is a starting list from our company directory, not a ranking and not a list of who is hiring.
| Company | Operations stated on its own site | Careers page |
|---|---|---|
| Whitehaven Coal | Maules Creek, Narrabri, Tarrawonga, Werris Creek, Canyon, Rocglen and Sunnyside mines, listed under NSW on its operations page. | Careers |
| Yancoal | Moolarben (Mudgee), Mount Thorley Warkworth, Hunter Valley Operations and Ashton (Hunter Valley), listed with NSW locations on its operations page. | Careers |
| New Hope Group | Bengalla Mine, near Muswellbrook in New South Wales. | Careers |
Our company data holds head office locations only, so we do not list a site for BHP, Evolution Mining, Glencore, Newmont (head offices: BHP, Melbourne; Evolution Mining, Sydney; Glencore, Baar; Newmont, Denver). We have not verified their NSW operations for this guide. A head office is not a mine site.
What tickets do you need for NSW mining?
- Not Standard 11. That is a Queensland coal standard. See the Standard 11 guide.
- Mine induction. The NSW code of practice on safety management systems says a mine’s safety management system must include induction procedures, and that the operator provides an initial induction and orientation. Ask the mine what it requires before you pay for any course.
- Coal health assessment (Order 45). Coal Services says that from 1 January 2026, prospective and current coal mine workers need an assessment with chest imaging on entry and every 3 years. Details are in its guide to health assessments; our coal board medical guide compares it with Queensland.
For other tickets and licences, browse the tickets and certificates directory, or compare pay with the salary calculator.
How do you apply for a mining job in NSW?
Apply through the employer’s own careers page. These links come from our company data:
- Whitehaven Coal careers
- Yancoal careers
- New Hope Group careers
- Glencore careers
- Evolution Mining careers
- Newmont careers
- BHP careers
With no experience, start with mining jobs with no experience.
Frequently asked questions
Where are the mining jobs in NSW?
Coal is the largest group. The NSW Government's Coal Industry 2026-50 report counts about 23,800 direct coal mining jobs at 35 producing mines, mostly in the Hunter (14,437 jobs). NSW Resources names the Cadia district, Cobar-type copper-gold deposits (Peak and CSA) and Broken Hill among the state's major metal deposits.
How many people work in NSW coal mining?
The NSW Government reports 23,834 direct coal jobs at December 2025, using Coal Services data: Hunter 14,437, Central West 3,518, North West 3,080 and Illawarra 2,799.
Do I need Standard 11 to work in NSW?
No. Standard 11 is a Queensland coal mining standard. NSW mines have their own inductions: the NSW code of practice says a mine's safety management system must include induction procedures and that the operator gives an initial induction. Ask the mine what it requires.
Do I need a health assessment to work at a NSW coal mine?
Yes. Coal Services says that under Order 45, in force from 1 January 2026, every prospective coal mine worker and coal mine worker must have a health assessment, including chest imaging, on entering the NSW coal industry and every 3 years after that. See our coal board medical guide for the Queensland comparison.
Which NSW coal region is thermal and which is metallurgical?
The NSW Government report says the Central West is thermal coal only and the Illawarra is the primary metallurgical coal region. It says about 89% of Hunter coal is exported.
Sources
Last updated 8 October 2026. Facts on this page come from the sources below.
- NSW Government: NSW Coal Industry 2026-50 (PDF)
- NSW Resources: Copper in NSW (PDF)
- NSW Resources: Silver in NSW (PDF)
- NSW Resources: Lead and zinc in NSW (PDF)
- NSW Resources: Code of practice, Safety management systems in mines (April 2026, PDF)
- Coal Services: Guide to health assessments in the NSW coal industry, Order 45 (PDF)
Job counts are direct coal mining jobs reported by the NSW Government, not vacancies. We do not quote vacancy numbers or salaries on this page.
Where to next
- Coal board medical Queensland scheme, with the NSW Order 45 comparison.
- Standard 11 induction A Queensland coal standard, and how NSW differs.
- Mining jobs with no experience Entry roles and how to apply.
- FIFO meaning and rosters Fly-in fly-out and drive-in drive-out work.
- Salary calculator Work out pay from award rates.
- Mining tickets and certificates What employers ask for, with providers.
Not sure where to start?
Take the free career quiz to see which mining roles suit you and which tickets they usually ask for.
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