Australian Penthouse

Some of the world’s most dangerous jobs are carried out right here in Australia. Denise Mooney meets the men who risk everything at their 9 to 5

In 2006, the world held its breath as miners Todd Russell and Brant Webb became trapped after part of a mine in Beaconsfield, Tasmania collapsed. About 130,000 Australians work in mining, and it ranks highly among the worlds most dangerous professions. In worldwide comparisons, mining and quarrying had the highest fatality rates in most countries, including Australia.

What Chris Cheal doesn’t know about mining could probably fit on the back of a postage stamp. For 15 years, he has been mining and prospecting opals in Lightning Ridge in outback New South Wales. It’s wild west country, where a bloke can still peg a claim and have a go. Tumbling opal prices have made miners reluctant to sell their gems, so Cheal has been working three 12-hour shifts a week in a coal mine to supplement his income.

You’ve got to know your stuff working with drill rigs, diggers and agitators. Cheal once came a cropper when a hydraulic digger weighing more than a tonne fell on top of him. Luckily, he escaped with just an arm injury. Miners have died and lost limbs in this environment. He says the first time he climbed down an underground shaft was challenging. “It was a weird feeling,” he reveals. “But once I was on the ground, it didn’t worry me. A cave-in would be the worst. We climb down shafts that are up to 90 feet [27m] deep.”

Cheal has since learnt to look after himself while working his claim: “It’s dangerous if you take short cuts. If you do, sooner or later you’re going to get hurt. It’s only a matter of time, and there are no second chances.” Despite the risks, Cheal loves what he does. Coal mining pays well and opal mining could make him rich one day. “It’s pretty exciting because you don’t know what you’re going to come home with.”