NOC 2021 · 94100 · TEER 4
Machine operators, mineral and metal processing
Unit group 94100 of the National Occupational Classification, 2021 Version 1.0.
Caution: Express Entry’s programs draw from TEER 0 to 3, so this group is outside them. Provincial streams and other programs have their own rules.
Check which category draws this code qualifies for
What this group covers
Machine operators in mineral and metal processing operate machinery to process mineral ore and metal. They are employed in mineral ore and metal processing plants such as copper, lead and zinc refineries, uranium processing plants, steel mills, aluminum plants, precious metal refineries and cement processing plants.
Example job titles
As Statistics Canada publishes them. Yours may be worded differently and still belong here.
- alumina clarifier operator
- alumina recovery operator
- aluminum classifier
- aluminum electrolytic tank reconditioner
- aluminum electrolytic tank tender
- aluminum oxide controller
- aluminum pourer - primary metal processing
- aluminum powder maker
- aluminum slurry pump tender
- aluminum stretcher-leveller operator
- aluminum-briquetting equipment operator
- aluminum-casting machine operator - primary metal processing
- amalgamation process tender
- annealer - primary metal processing
- anode caster
- anode caster - primary metal processing
- anode operator
- anode paste plant operator
- anode press operator
- arsenic recovery operator
- asbestos dryer
- asbestos screen tender
- auxiliary equipment operator - primary metal processing
- baghouse operator
- ball mill operator
- bar-straightening machine operator - metal processing
- billet heater
- blast furnace tapper
- blender tender - primary metal and mineral products processing
- brick and tile crusher operator
- brine maker - mineral products processing
- briquetting machine operator
- bulk cement-blender tender
- cadmium control operator - zinc leaching
- cadmium plant operator
- cadmium recoverer
- cadmium zinc leacher
- calciner operator - mineral products processing
- case hardener - primary metal processing
- casting machine operator - primary metal processing
- cathode-stripping machine operator - zinc electrolysis
- cell operator - primary metal and mineral processing
- cement miller
- cement mixer - primary metal and mineral products processing
- cement pumping tender
- cementation equipment operator
- charge control operator
- charging car operator
- charging machine operator - mineral and metal processing
- classifier operator
- coal breaker
- coal screener
- coal separator
- coal washer
- coarse salt equipment operator
- coiler operator - primary metal processing
- coke by-products pump operator - primary metal processing
- coke calciner operator
- coke grinder
- coke oven door operator
- coke oven heater
- coke oven operator
- coke screen tender
- coke-screen and coke-blender tender
- cold steel roller - steel production
- cold steel rolling mill operator
- concrete batch plant operator - cement manufacturing
- condenser setter - primary metal processing
- cone tender
- continuous drossing operator
- cooling bed operator - steel mill
- copper billet piercer
- copper billet piercing mill operator
- copper flotation operator
- copper ore slime treater
- copper-briquetting machine operator
- Cottrell tender
- crane ladle pourer
- crucible pourer
- crusher and blender operator
- crusher setter
- crushing equipment operator
- cryolite recovery equipment operator
- dental amalgam processor
- dewaterer tender - primary metal processing
- dewatering equipment operator
- diamond powder blender
- digester operator - primary metal and mineral processing
- discharge door attendant
- dross treatment operator - zinc melting
- dryer operator - mineral and metal processing
- dust operator
- dust pump operator - slag furnace
- electrolytic cleaner operator - primary metal processing
- electrolytic descaler - primary metal processing
- electrolytic tank maintainer - primary metal and mineral products processing
- electrostatic separator tender - primary metal processing
- extrusion press operator
- finisher - primary metal processing
- flame annealing tender - primary metal processing
- flotation cell tender - primary metal processing
- fluorspar recovery tender
- flux-mixing machine tender - metal processing
- foil-winding machine operator
- foil-winding machine operator - primary metal processing
- fume scrubber operator
- gold recoverer
- granulator operator - phosphate
- grinder and classifier tender
- grinding and flotation tender
- gypsum calciner
- hardener - primary metal processing
- heat-treat furnace operator - primary metal processing
- heavy media separation tender - mineral and metal processing
- hot strip finishing mill tender - primary metal processing
- hot strip roughing mill tender - primary metal processing
- hydrate thickener operator
- indium refiner
- induction machine setter - primary metal processing
- induction machine tender - primary metal processing
- induration attendant - iron ore
- ingot buggy operator
- ingot finishing operator
- ingot header
- iron ore pellet agglomerating attendant
- jumbo casting operator - zinc melting
- kettle charger
- kettle tender - primary metal processing
- ladle operator - primary metal processing
- ladle pourer
- ladle pourer - primary metal processing
- larry car operator
- leaching operator - primary metal processing
- lead and copper refiner
- lead caster - primary metal processing
- lead dust treater
- lead extruder operator - primary metal processing
- lead refiner
- lead wheel operator
- lead-casting machine operator - primary metal processing
- lead-melting furnace tender - metal processing
- lead-melting kettle tender - metal processing
- lead-smelting furnace tender - metal processing
- lead-smelting kettle tender - metal processing
- lime kiln operator
- lime kiln operator - mineral and metal processing
- machine operator - mineral and metal processing
- machine wire drawer
- magnetic separator operator - primary metal processing
- manipulator machine operator - primary metal processing
- metal annealing tender
- metal extrusion press operator - primary metal processing
- metal hardener - primary metal processing
- metal mixer - primary metal processing
- metal mixer operator - primary metal processing
- metal pointer operator - primary metal processing
- metal pourer - metal processing
- metal reclaimer
- mica crusher tender
- mica plate tender
- mica press tender
- mica sheet laminator
- mica sheet salvager
- mica splitter
- mica trimmer
- milling machine operator - mineral and metal processing
- mint precious metal refiner - primary metal processing
- molten metal mixer operator
- molybdenum flotation operator
- molybdenum leaching plant operator
- ore crushing worker
- ore dryer operator
- ore grinding worker
- ore milling worker
- ore screen tender
- ore screener
- ore separator tender - primary metal and mineral products processing
- pan tender
- peat moss dehydrator tender
- pellet press tender - primary metal processing
- pellet segregator - primary metal processing
- pickle line operator - primary metal processing
- pickler operator - primary metal processing
- piercing mill operator - primary metal processing
- pig caster - primary metal processing
- pig iron pourer
- pipe and tube roll setter - primary metal processing
- plate roller - primary metal processing
- plate rolling mill operator - primary metal processing
- pointer operator - primary metal processing
- pot liner - metal processing
- pot tender - primary metal processing
- pourer - metal processing
- precious metal recoverer
- precipitator tender - primary metal processing
- process assistant - zinc pressure leach
- purification operator - zinc oxide leach
- quenching car operator
- reagent tender - primary metal processing
- recovery equipment operator - primary metal and mineral processing
- red mud thickener tender
- reeling machine operator - primary metal processing
- residual metal recoverer
- residue filter operator - zinc oxide leach
- reversing mill operator - primary metal processing
- reversing rolling mill operator - primary metal processing
- rivet heater - primary metal processing
- rock crusher tender - primary metal and mineral products processing
- rod drawer - primary metal processing
- rod mill operator - primary metal processing
- roll setter - primary metal processing
- roll table operator - primary metal processing
- roller - primary metal processing
- roller plate mill - primary metal processing
- roller-leveller operator
- rolling mill guide setter - metal processing
- rolling mill operator - mineral and metal processing
- rolling mill preparer - primary metal processing
- roll-straightener operator - primary metal processing
- rotary kiln operator - primary metal and mineral products processing
- rotary kiln tender - primary metal processing
- roughing mill operator - metal processing
- salt compactor operator
- salt compressor operator
- salt crusher
- salt processor
- salt refiner
- scalehouse operator - zinc melting
- scrap metal remelter - primary metal processing
- scrap metal shredder
- scrap metal shredder operator - primary metal processing
- scrubber operator
- seamless steel billet piercer - primary metal processing
- seamless tube roller - primary metal processing
- sheet roller - primary metal processing
- sheet rolling mill operator - primary metal processing
- sheet rougher - primary metal processing
- sink-float equipment operator - metal processing
- sintering machine operator
- slab caster - steel rolling mill
- slag pelletizer - primary metal processing
- slime recoverer - primary metal processing
- slime recovery operator - primary metal processing
- slime treater - primary metal processing
- slurry equipment operator
- slurry equipment operator - primary metal and mineral products processing
- solution operator - primary metal and mineral processing
- spiral conveyor attendant
- stack dust leach operator - zinc casting
- steel pourer
- steel roller
- steel rougher
- steel straightener operator
- steel treater - primary metal processing
- straightening feeder operator
- straightening machine operator
- stretcher-leveller operator - primary metal processing
- sulphur control operator - zinc pressure leach
- tailings thickener tender - primary metal processing
- tandem roller - primary metal processing
- tank tender
- tank tender - primary metal processing
- tankhouse equipment operator - primary metal processing
- temper mill roller - primary metal processing
- thallium recoverer
- thickener equipment tender - primary metal processing
- tilting table tender - metal processing
- transfer bed operator - primary metal processing
- tube drawer - primary metal processing
- tube rolling mill operator - primary metal processing
- tube straightener operator - primary metal processing
- tubing machine tender - primary metal processing
- uranium classifier operator
- waste treatment operator - metal processing
- water treatment plant operator - primary metal processing
- wet plant recovery equipment tender - primary metal processing
- wire drawer
- wire drawer operator
- wire drawing machine operator
- wire roller operator - primary metal processing
- wire sample former
- wire sheather - primary metal processing
- zinc billet caster
- zinc cell operator
- zinc chloride separator tender
- zinc pressure leach operator
- zinc vapour condenser
What it pays, and where it is hiring
Job Bank publishes a wage estimate and a three-year employment outlook for each occupation, region by region. Both are below as published — where an estimate is missing from the source it is missing here too, because the alternative is inventing one.
Across Canada
$35.00 an hour
Low $22.00, high $50.00
Where it pays most
- Saguenay--Lac-Saint-Jean · Quebec$50.00
- Mauricie · Quebec$49.00
- Côte-Nord · Quebec$48.00
- Nord-du-Québec · Quebec$48.00
- Abitibi-Témiscamingue · Quebec$45.76
Economic regions only. A province’s figure is an average over the regions inside it, so including one would rank a province above its own best region and read as a finding.
By province and territory
| Where | Median hourly | Low to high | Outlook 2025–2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Newfoundland and Labrador | $34.77 | $22.91 – $55.30 | Undetermined |
| Prince Edward Island | Not published | Not published | Undetermined |
| Nova Scotia | $25.96 | $18.11 – $31.15 | Undetermined |
| New Brunswick | $23.67 | $19.86 – $26.44 | Undetermined |
| Quebec | $40.00 | $28.00 – $52.35 | Moderate |
| Ontario | $28.00 | $20.00 – $40.00 | Limited |
| Manitoba | $29.00 | $22.00 – $38.00 | Moderate |
| Saskatchewan | $35.00 | $21.00 – $43.00 | Good |
| Alberta | $36.58 | $24.78 – $49.56 | Limited |
| British Columbia | $38.00 | $29.30 – $46.00 | Very limited |
| Yukon Territory | Not published | Not published | Undetermined |
| Northwest Territories | Not published | Not published | Undetermined |
| Nunavut | Not published | Not published | Undetermined |
By economic region
The 45 economic regions where Job Bank publishes a wage or a rated outlook, of 72.
| Where | Province | Median hourly | Low to high | Outlook 2025–2027 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avalon Peninsula | Newfoundland and Labrador | $38.21 | $28.57 – $51.64 | Undetermined |
| South Coast--Burin Peninsula | Newfoundland and Labrador | $32.58 | $23.78 – $41.30 | Undetermined |
| West Coast--Northern Peninsula--Labrador | Newfoundland and Labrador | $43.73 | $28.66 – $64.64 | Undetermined |
| Campbellton--Miramichi | New Brunswick | $23.70 | $20.89 – $33.48 | Undetermined |
| Bas-Saint-Laurent | Quebec | $37.66 | $23.77 – $45.79 | Moderate |
| Capitale-Nationale | Quebec | $43.71 | $28.02 – $53.87 | Limited |
| Chaudière-Appalaches | Quebec | $34.17 | $22.53 – $36.30 | Moderate |
| Estrie | Quebec | $37.08 | $22.81 – $43.63 | Moderate |
| Centre-du-Québec | Quebec | $40.62 | $25.01 – $47.40 | Moderate |
| Montérégie | Quebec | $37.04 | $28.00 – $38.71 | Moderate |
| Montréal | Quebec | $36.15 | $23.29 – $37.46 | Moderate |
| Laval | Quebec | $35.66 | Not published | Moderate |
| Lanaudière | Quebec | $40.49 | $24.94 – $46.53 | Moderate |
| Laurentides | Quebec | $38.10 | $23.49 – $43.01 | Good |
| Abitibi-Témiscamingue | Quebec | $45.76 | $31.41 – $58.02 | Moderate |
| Mauricie | Quebec | $49.00 | $41.91 – $50.00 | Moderate |
| Saguenay--Lac-Saint-Jean | Quebec | $50.00 | $34.24 – $53.00 | Moderate |
| Côte-Nord | Quebec | $48.00 | $45.00 – $55.75 | Moderate |
| Nord-du-Québec | Quebec | $48.00 | $45.00 – $55.75 | Moderate |
| Ottawa | Ontario | Not published | Not published | Very limited |
| Kingston--Pembroke | Ontario | $31.74 | $22.90 – $40.44 | Limited |
| Muskoka--Kawarthas | Ontario | $28.75 | $21.57 – $37.63 | Undetermined |
| Toronto | Ontario | $26.22 | $19.00 – $35.00 | Very limited |
| Kitchener--Waterloo--Barrie | Ontario | $28.00 | $19.50 – $32.00 | Very limited |
| Hamilton--Niagara Peninsula | Ontario | $29.57 | $23.00 – $36.50 | Limited |
| London | Ontario | $30.54 | $24.39 – $32.75 | Limited |
| Windsor--Sarnia | Ontario | Not published | Not published | Limited |
| Stratford--Bruce Peninsula | Ontario | $30.56 | $24.24 – $39.02 | Limited |
| Northeast | Ontario | $39.60 | $25.00 – $45.79 | Limited |
| Northwest | Ontario | $30.04 | $21.47 – $39.87 | Undetermined |
| Southeast | Manitoba | $28.36 | $23.01 – $34.82 | Undetermined |
| Winnipeg | Manitoba | $26.44 | $21.81 – $33.23 | Undetermined |
| Parklands | Manitoba | $29.56 | $24.35 – $37.57 | Very limited |
| North | Manitoba | Not published | Not published | Very limited |
| Saskatoon--Biggar | Saskatchewan | Not published | Not published | Very good |
| Calgary | Alberta | $36.81 | $26.04 – $49.65 | Limited |
| Banff--Jasper--Rocky Mountain House | Alberta | $39.27 | $25.92 – $50.64 | Undetermined |
| Edmonton | Alberta | $37.60 | $25.49 – $51.25 | Limited |
| Wood Buffalo--Cold Lake | Alberta | $45.62 | $28.31 – $76.70 | Undetermined |
| Vancouver Island and Coast | British Columbia | $34.64 | $24.16 – $40.21 | Undetermined |
| Lower Mainland | British Columbia | $37.76 | $25.13 – $48.73 | Limited |
| Thompson--Okanagan | British Columbia | $40.70 | $30.23 – $58.50 | Undetermined |
| Kootenay | British Columbia | $39.88 | $28.49 – $52.54 | Undetermined |
| North Coast | British Columbia | $42.63 | $31.98 – $56.98 | Limited |
| Nechako | British Columbia | Not published | Not published | Limited |
Job Bank rates employment prospects for each occupation in each economic region from very good to very limited over 2025–2027, and says “undetermined” where it has not got enough to rate. It is an assessment of prospects, not a count of vacancies.
The estimates on this page come from Labour Force Survey (2023-2024) · Small Area Estimation (2024).
Job Bank publishes an estimate for 24,364 of the 44,376 occupation-and-place pairs in this release. The rest are suppressed rather than modelled, and appear here as not published.
Wage estimates from the 2025 Wages release, revised 19 November 2025; employment outlooks from 2025-2027 Employment Outlooks - NOC 2021, released 8 December 2025. Both are updated annually. Estimates for different regions come from different surveys, so comparing two regions is exactly as sound as Job Bank’s own regional comparison and no more.
Source: Statistics Canada — National Occupational Classification 2021 V1.0; Employment and Social Development Canada — Job Bank wages; Employment and Social Development Canada — Job Bank 3-year employment outlooks. Data current as of 13 August 2026. NOC 2021 Version 1.0. The classification is versioned rather than dated — IRCC moved to it in November 2022, and a new version would be a new classification rather than an update.