Figure 7 – Effect of Information Exposure on the Appeal of the Mining Industry 5. Results: Industry Surveys 5.1 Prevalence of Workforce Shortages Industry survey results indicate that workforce shortages are widespread across the mining sector, with 81.3% of respondents reporting that they or their organization have been affected by a talent gap. Qualitative responses suggest that deficits are most pronounced in the technical and experienced roles such as mid-career geologists engineers, and extractive metallurgists. Several respondents also highlighted the closure of geology university departments in Australia, Canada, and across Europe due to declining enrolments, confirming that workforce shortages are not isolated or localized phenomena but are widely experienced across jurisdictions. This reduces the pipeline of graduate and early-career professionals. Importantly, respondents emphasized that workforce shortages are occurring in parallel with increasing project complexity and geographic remoteness. As technical requirements rise and operational environments become more specialized, the productivity impact of missing mid-career expertise becomes more pronounced. Combined with demographic aging and extended training timelines for new entrants, these dynamics reduce the depth of experienced personnel available within organizations, reinforcing the Knowledge Retention Gap. 5.2 Perceived Barries to Entry When asked to identify the primary perceived barriers preventing young people from entering the mining industry, respondents most frequently cited limited educational exposure (44%). This was followed by environmental concerns, remote work, and work-life balance challenges. Few respondents cited perceived lack of technological sophistication as a barrier to entry. 102
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