I've worked in the mines for years now all over Australia. I won't mention my job title or company, but I have worked underground when a mine has collapsed, had rib(wall) explode over me, seen people loose fingers/feet, watched someone die in front of me as each cpr pump sprayed blood out of 3 holes in the back of his head, had a collegue explode whilst charging up a face (accidental explosives trigger), seen a hook go up someone's nose and rip back out again, had a young guy get run over and killed by a haul truck, had someone hit by a haul train, to name a few.

It's fun at the start but it drains the life out of you. Make sure you get a good town to live in as it really makes a difference, join the union as soon as you can, and as a heavy diesle fitter $150K per year is really the lower limit of what you want to look at. All depends on experience though so you may have to start lower.

Above ground is pretty cruisey, underground is lots more fun, however as an underground fitter you get the dirtiest jobs (crawling under continuous miners in 3 feet of mud)

Not trying to put you off but everyone I meet thinks mining is an awesome way to make money. It can be (i.e. $330,000 per 4.5 months) but if you are only after lots of money prostitution is easier, much more fun, and you don't have to live in the middle of nowhere.

Jim.