Metallurgy Specialist (Opencast)

Job Responsibilities:

SAFETY, HEALTH, ENVIRONMENT AND QUALITY:

• Identify and assess level of issue-based risk exposures in area of responsibility by considering exposures to business, financial, legal issues, people, equipment, material, environment, processes, etc.
• Consider the level of risk, apply mitigation and implement control measures for residual risk (set objectives, minimum requirements, etc.)
• Manage SHEQ compliance within the Process through effective use of the Toolbox
• Utilise the Integrated Management System (IMS) to initiate, investigate and report SHEQ status

PEOPLE:

Supervise the team:

• Create and maintain an enabling performance culture.
• Manage team performance against agreed targets and competency requirements.
• Maintain the required labour complement in line with operational requirements and budget.
• Ensure Individual Development Plans (IDPs) are aligned with performance outcomes and implemented as planned.
• Conduct career and development discussions with identified talent.
• Coach and support employees to improve technical capability and performance.
• Maintain discipline relating to attendance, overtime, conduct and performance.
• Participate in recruitment and selection processes as required.
• Promote technical knowledge sharing and continuous learning within the metallurgical function.

CUSTOMERS:

• Ensure metallurgical processes consistently support required product quality and operational performance.
• Monitor product quality performance and identify trends or deviations requiring technical intervention.
• Provide technical support in the investigation and resolution of process- and quality-related deviations.
• Ensure effective communication of metallurgical performance, risks and improvement requirements to relevant stakeholders.
• Support achievement of internal and external customer requirements through effective process control and optimisation.

BUSINESS PROCESSES:

Process Reliability and Optimisation

• Develop and continuously review contractor plants’ strategies to optimise throughput, recovery, product quality and plant utilisation.
• Analyse metallurgical and production performance to identify process constraints, losses and improvement opportunities.
• Investigate metallurgical deviations and recurring process performance issues through structured root cause analysis.
• Develop technical recommendations and improvement actions to enhance process stability and metallurgical performance.
• Monitor implementation of agreed process improvements and evaluate their effectiveness against defined performance measures.

Metallurgical Performance Management

• Compile and communicate daily, weekly and monthly metallurgical performance reports for WCM third-party processing plants.
• Collect, analyse and interpret process, production and metallurgical data to identify trends, deviations and improvement opportunities.
• Monitor key metallurgical performance indicators including throughput, recovery, yield, product and tailings quality and plant utilisation.
• Provide technical analysis and recommendations to the Metallurgical Superintendent and relevant operational stakeholders.
• Monitor contractor plant performance against budget, forecast and agreed operational targets.
• Identify underperformance and support the development and implementation of corrective and recovery plans for the contractor plants.
• Provide technical input into production forecasts, operational plans and performance reviews.

Metallurgical Accounting and Data Integrity

• Ensure accurate and consistent metallurgical accounting practices across relevant processing operations.
• Ensure the integrity and accuracy of metallurgical inputs into MES and Business Unit reporting systems.
• Monitor and reconcile ROM feed, production, final product and stock information to support reliable metallurgical accounting.
• Conduct routine audits of metallurgical and production information captured in MES.
• Investigate discrepancies in production, stock and metallurgical performance information and ensure corrective actions are implemented
• Ensure metallurgical balances and performance calculations provide an accurate representation of plant performance.
• Maintain appropriate technical governance and traceability of metallurgical performance information.

Stock and Product Performance:

• Monitor ROM feed characteristics and final product performance to identify factors affecting recovery, yield and product quality.
• Analyse stock movements and balances to support accurate metallurgical accounting.
• Provide technical input into ROM feed, blending and stock management strategies where these influence metallurgical performance.
• Monitor product quality trends and investigate deviations from required specifications.
• Support operational teams in implementing corrective actions relating to feed quality, process performance and final product quality.

Project Management and Continuous Improvement:

• Identify, initiate and manage metallurgical improvement and development projects.
• Develop technical scopes, business cases and implementation plans for identified improvement opportunities.
• Lead continuous improvement projects focused on recovery, throughput, product quality, plant utilisation and process stability.
• Coordinate technical projects with Operations, Engineering, Logistics, contractors and other relevant stakeholders.
• Monitor project milestones, costs, technical deliverables and benefits realisation.
• Evaluate completed projects against defined technical and financial objectives.
• Ensure successful improvement initiatives are incorporated into standard operating practices where appropriate.

GROWTH:

• Drive continuous improvement in metallurgical performance through process optimisation and innovation.
• Identify and implement opportunities to improve recovery, throughput, product quality and plant utilisation.
• Initiate and implement approved improvement and CAPEX projects.
• Promote data-driven problem-solving and technical decision-making.
• Develop and implement sustainable improvements that strengthen metallurgical process capability and operational performance.

SHAREHOLDER VALUE:

• Identify metallurgical improvement opportunities that enhance production performance and business value.
• Monitor and control improvement project expenditure against approved budgets.
• Quantify and track benefits realised from metallurgical improvement initiatives.
• Provide technical recommendations that support sustainable improvement in recovery, production efficiency and operating cost.

Minimum Qualifications and Experience:

• BEng / BTech degree / Diploma in Metallurgy Engineering / Chemical Engineering

Additional Qualifications:

• Previous experience as Process Engineer or Applications Engineer with a chrome process technology company will be highly advantageous.

Skills & Systems:

• Metallurgical process analysis, technical investigation and optimisation
• Metallurgical accounting and reconciliation
• Process data analysis (statistical and trends) and interpretation
• Root Cause Analysis
• Technical report writing and presentations
• Continuous improvement methodologies
• Project management
• Microsoft Office programmes, MES, IMS
• Relevant metallurgical data analysis and reporting systems.

CLOSING : 16 OCTOBER 2026