16 November 2011

How to make $200,000 a year

Become a miner.  The Wall Street Journal explains:
MANDURAH, Australia—One of the fastest-growing costs in the global mining industry are workers like James Dinnison: the 25-year-old high-school dropout from Western Australia makes $200,000 a year running drills in underground mines to extract gold and other minerals.

The heavily tattooed Mr. Dinnison, who started in the mines seven years ago earning $100,000, owns a sky-blue 2009 Chevy Ute, which cost $55,000 before a $16,000 engine enhancement, and a $44,000 custom motorcycle. The price tag on his chihuahua, Dexter, which yaps at his feet: $1,200.
... Mr. Dinnison belongs to a class of nouveau riche rising in remote and mineral-rich parts of the world, such as Western Australia state, where mining companies are investing heavily to develop and expand iron-ore mines. Demand for those willing to work 12-hour days in sometimes dangerous conditions, while living for weeks in dusty small towns, is huge...

Behind this need for mine workers is a construction boom in China and other emerging economies that has ramped up the demand for iron ore, used to make steel, and other metals used in construction, such as copper, typically used for wiring buildings...
More at the link.  By the way, is he a wealthy man now?  Well, not exactly...
Despite having earned roughly US$1 million since he started [7 years ago], he has no savings and doesn't apologize. "The mines are so dull, that when you get back here, everything is stimulation and excitement," he said. "The money I spend supports other businesses because of the [stuff] I blow it on."
People like him are exactly what countries need to boost their economies.

10 comments:

  1. my cousin is a welder in Western Australia. Despite a massive drug habit in the past, and the odd conviction, he has no problems at all finding jobs that pay 100k AU$.

    He also knows how to repair the big mining trucks, but his last job was basically greasing a huge conveyor belt that brings ore to the coast for shipping.

    Savings? What for?

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  2. In this same vein, I highly recommend last friday's Planet Money podcast about Elko, NV:

    http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2011/11/11/142254535/the-friday-podcast-boom-town

    The first part, about two young girls who are going to open up a truck repair shop is pretty inspiring.

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  3. "People like him are exactly what countries need to boost their economies."

    And to destroy them when these individuals hit a place where they must support themselves but have no money with which to do so. Suppose this man is injured by some of the equipment he works with and is disabled. How will he support himself?

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  4. north dakota is having a big boom

    http://pattyinglishms.hubpages.com/hub/Top-10-Hot-Jobs-in-New-Town-Oil-Boom-2010

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  5. My town in Queensland is (among other things) also a large support base for fly in/fly out mine workers. They constitute a significant proportion of my chiropractic patient base.

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  6. Anonymous, he's an Aussie, mate! No dramas... workers' compensation would cover him for any injury for life, plus help him return to work in another capacity if necessary. Also, healthcare is free and available to all. He might even be able to claim a disability pension. He's been taxed at the highest bracket, so fair enough.

    Oh, and it'd be a Holden ute, mate. Bet it's a beauty.

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  7. @anonymous We have universal healthcare, return to work schemes and a disability pension. He'll be fine.

    We actually have a name for the market he represents: cashed up bogans.

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  8. I just CANT BELIEVE the attention Jimmy is getting !!! I dated him for a short few months and found all he did was spend the large majority of his time off his face on drugs sitting at home in his dressing gown, and hanging out with bikies ! Amazing that the press glorify people like him.. and I nearly fell over when I now see he had a tv show about him on National Geographic!!! He should be in jail not famous.. how crazy.

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