Building a Great Place to Work: Future Careers in Tyrone

If planning approval is granted, Dalradian’s proposed gold-silver-copper mine will require a workforce with a wide range of skills, experience and backgrounds. From underground mine workers and engineers to environmental specialists, health and safety professionals, administrators and managers, there will be opportunities across many different areas.

There will also be opportunities for people at the beginning of their careers, including trainees, apprentices, interns and summer students.

Investing in local skills

We want to maximise local employment and ensure that people in West Tyrone and across Northern Ireland are well placed to benefit from the opportunities created by the project, while ensuring that our approach to recruitment and employment is consistent with Employment Law in Northern Ireland.

We have committed to a £15 million 3-year training programme, beginning during construction and the first year of operations, to help maximise local employment. This investment will help make future careers accessible to people who may not have previous mining experience. Many of the skills developed in industries such as construction and farming are a great fit for a career in mining.

The project is expected to create around 350 direct jobs, with the majority expected to be filled locally, while supporting around 1,000 jobs across the wider economy.

These will be well-paid, long-term careers. The anticipated average salary for direct employees is around £45,000, which is higher than current average salaries in Fermanagh & Omagh by 68%, Northern Ireland by 56% and the UK by 42%.

That means the benefits of employment could extend well beyond individual employees, helping support families, local businesses and communities for generations to come. 

Building our workplace today

While the future mine is still going through the planning process, we are already focused on building the culture, skills and working environment that will support a successful operation.

Dalradian first achieved Investors in People Gold accreditation in 2022, following our initial accreditation in 2019. In 2025, we were reaccredited at the Gold level, demonstrating our continued commitment to developing our people and creating a supportive, inclusive and high-performing workplace.

The Investors in People assessment looks at areas including leadership, support, wellbeing and continuous improvement. As part of our most recent assessment, two of the nine performance areas were assessed at Platinum level, the highest standard within the framework. It reflects the workplace we want to build for the future — one where people are supported to develop their skills, look after their wellbeing and perform at their best.

A workplace where wellbeing matters

Creating a great place to work means looking beyond the job itself.

Over recent years, we have introduced a range of initiatives designed to support the physical and mental wellbeing of our team and encourage people to connect with their colleagues.

These include annual medical health checks, monthly staff lunches, Mental Health First Aiders, a staff garden and a running club. What started as an opportunity for colleagues who were new to running has grown into a team whose members have completed a marathon.

As the project progresses, we will continue to listen to our people and look for ways to strengthen our workplace culture.

Safety at the heart of future operations

Health and safety will be fundamental to any future mining operation.

We have already established a strong safety culture, underpinned by training, leadership, employee engagement and a focus on identifying and managing risks.

In early 2026, Dalradian reached five consecutive years without a Lost Time Injury, an important health and safety milestone. This achievement reflects the contribution of our employees and contractors, and the importance placed on safe working practices across the organisation.

Dalradian’s ten-member Mine Rescue Team, headed by our Health and Safety Manager, is highly trained in emergency response and rescue procedures. Team members are also active members of the Irish Mine Rescue Team, helping to share skills, experience and best practice across the mining sector.

We have hosted mutual training exercises at Curraghinalt, providing an opportunity for mine rescue teams to train together in realistic conditions and strengthen emergency preparedness.

These experiences are helping us develop the knowledge and safety culture that will be essential for a future mine.

A long-term opportunity for Tyrone

We have been working on the Curraghinalt polymetallic deposit in West Tyrone since 2009. During that time, we have built a team that combines local knowledge and expertise from Northern Ireland with international experience in mining engineering and finance.

If planning approval is granted, our internal team will grow 10-fold.

The proposed mine represents an opportunity to create hundreds of direct careers, support around 1,000 jobs across the wider economy and develop skills that could benefit the region for years to come.

Importantly, we are already putting the foundations in place — investing in our people, developing our safety culture, supporting wellbeing and building the skills and experience that will be needed for a modern mine.

The Curraghinalt Project is currently in the final stages of the planning process, with the public local inquiry nearing completion.

If planning approval is granted, our ambition is clear: to create a modern mining operation that provides high-quality careers, develops local skills and creates long-term opportunities for people and communities across Tyrone.

Register your interest in our future career opportunities today!