A mining engineer designs mines that produce coal, metal ores and gemstones by extracting the minerals from deep inside the earth. When selecting a mine location, they consider such factors as land accessibility, population density, topography and climate. They also ensure that the mine will not contaminate groundwater and other natural resources.

There are many occupations involved in the extraction and processing of minerals. A geological engineer is a type of mining engineer.

Mining is the systematic excavation of mineral deposits, such as metals and radioactive elements. From the perspective of geological science, mining is one of the four main types of mineral exploitation or extraction, the others being natural gas, petroleum and water resource extraction. Mining operations require large volumes of earth to be moved and processed in order to extract minerals and fossil fuels. Mining is accomplished through various methods and processes depending on the type of mineral being mined.