The good news: mining added 7,000 jobs in January, compared with an average monthly gain of 2,000 jobs in 2013. Employment of mining and geological engineers is projected to grow 12% from 2012 to 2022.
Having said that, workforce availability is still a significant problem for the domestic mining industry. It is unlikely that there will be sufficient skilled mine labor to satisfy the global demand for minerals over the next 20 years.