Metallurgist - North West at Tharisa

Purpose of Role

 To perform and manage all metallurgical tasks and activities in the plant to ensure safe and efficient operations of the processing plant by collaborating with the production team to provide technical expertise and putting in place optimisation processes in line with project plans and set recipes to ensure the production of quality products and production targets are met.

Role Context

Operational Delivery

• Develop, monitor and control processes regarding material inputs and outputs within defined recipe parameters to ensure daily operations align with set production plans and targets.
• Provide technical expertise and advice regarding plant and crusher operations to enable the implementation of plant processes related to all metallurgical requirements and recoveries in line with SOPs.
• Develop flowsheets showcasing plant overview and process flow diagrams to enable the utilisation of plant equipment within defined scope to optimise efficiencies, recoveries and product quality.
• Oversee the implementation of metallurgical procedures such as sample preparation, monitoring samples and conduct tests and experiments to evaluate the physical and chemical properties of materials.
• Develop and apply relevant analytical techniques to calculate yields and recoveries to achieve mass balance and report findings to plant metallurgist.
• Execute minor projects within established guidelines related to recoveries and handover to process team and monitor the operation to ensure consistent adherence to production plans and achievement of targets.
• Oversee and coordinate equipment testing at client sites and recommend purchase or change in parameters and spares to ensure efficiency and minimise downtime.
• Act as custodians for the equipment and systems operations by monitoring system and equipment utilisation and ensure adherence to set standards.
• Manage the ball loading activities in the mill to maintain accurate particle size distributions (PSDs) to ensure a balanced mill and optimise the process where required to maintain efficiency.
• Assess, validate and approve metallurgical recipes to address operational inefficiencies through systematic troubleshooting and recommend corrective actions.

Resource Management

• Determine resource needs within own area of responsibility to achieve individual role outcomes.
• Request required assets and resources for the fulfilment of work duties to attain quality work outputs.
• Use assets and resources optimally within own area of responsibility.
• Conduct surveys and evaluations to achieve accurate metal accounting to enable accurate reporting and analysis.
• Prepare a daily dashboard to report on targets and resource tracking and submit to plant manager for presenting.

Stakeholder Relations

• Engage with all relevant Departments on issues of the area of specialisation, as directed by the Manager.
• Communicate with internal and/or external stakeholders, where required, to achieve work objectives and to maintain relationships.
• Liaise with the engineering department to bring in new equipment to the plant in line with metallurgical requirements and processes.
• Liaise with external suppliers to initiate the process of equipment sourcing and commissioning of new equipment and testing for design numbers and plant optimisation.

People Management

• Oversee Jnr Metallurgists and Plant Operators’ tasks and activities by monitoring performance and provide regular feedback to address any performance issues.
• Contribute to the creation of a high performing team and conducive employee relations by identifying skills gaps, recommend development plans and ensuring staff are trained and equipped to perform their duties.
• Provide Jnr Metallurgists, operators and artisans with relevant day-to-day direction and tasks aligned with set procedures, to enable the usage of less resources more efficiently.

 Compliance, Risk and Safety

• Promote and enforce a culture of safety by minimising risk and ensure adherence to safety procedures and guidelines in line with the MHSA to achieve safe and sustainable mining practices.
• Plan and execute planned shutdowns and preventive maintenance of area of accountability and equipment by stopping the operation if the working conditions are unsafe.
• Implement a risk register to monitor and record potential and recurring risks in order to develop strategies to mitigate such risks and creating a safety culture.

Requirements

Qualifications:

• Grade 12,
• Diploma in Metallurgical Engineering/ Chemical Engineering / Chemistry

Job specific experience:

• 3 - 5 Years experience in a metallurgical operations environment