The OpportunityThe Plant Metallurgist is responsible for maintaining and optimizing safe and efficient metallurgical performance across the mineral processing plant. Maximizing metal recovery, product quality, throughput, cost efficiency and operational efficiency are key objectives. The role combines hands-on plant support, metallurgical testing, process monitoring, data analysis, troubleshooting, and continuous improvement.
Working closely with Mining, Process Operations, Maintenance, Engineering, Geology, and Technical Services teams, the Plant Metallurgist will identify opportunities to improve plant performance and develop practical, data-driven solutions to metallurgical and processing challenges.
Responsibilities- Monitor and evaluate plant metallurgical performance including throughput, recovery, toll ore quality, performance against geometallurgical models, and metal accounting.
- Analyze plant operating data to identify trends, losses, process inefficiencies, and opportunities for improvement.
- Develop and maintain metallurgical mass balances and support accurate metal accounting.
- Conduct metallurgical test work, plant surveys, sampling programs, and process audits as required.
- Optimize operating conditions for crushing, grinding, roasting, leaching, thickening, filtration, or other applicable processing circuits.
- Investigate fluctuations in recovery, grade, throughput, reagent consumption, and product quality, and recommend corrective actions.
- Work with Operations to establish and maintain optimal process operating parameters and control strategies.
- Support engineering, start-up, shutdown, plant modifications, and process improvement projects.
- Develop and execute plant trials and evaluate their metallurgical and economic outcomes.
- Identify opportunities to reduce operating costs, energy consumption, reagent usage, water consumption, and process losses.
- Collaborate with laboratory personnel to ensure appropriate sampling, sample preparation, analytical quality, and data integrity.
- Interpret metallurgical laboratory and plant data and communicate findings to operational and technical teams.
- Prepare daily, weekly, and monthly metallurgical reports, performance summaries, and technical recommendations.
- Support reconciliation between mine production, plant feed, recoveries, and final metal production.
- Assist with process control optimization and the implementation of advanced monitoring or automation technologies where applicable.
- Participate in root-cause investigations and continuous improvement initiatives.
- Provide technical guidance and metallurgical support to plant operators and other site personnel.
- Maintain awareness of process safety, environmental requirements, and relevant site operating procedures.
- Ensure metallurgical activities comply with applicable health, safety, environmental, and regulatory requirements.
- Contribute to feasibility studies, expansion projects, debottlenecking studies, and capital improvement initiatives as required.
The above duties and responsibilities represent the nature and level of work assigned and are not necessarily all-inclusive.
Education and Experience- Bachelor's degree in Metallurgical Engineering, Mineral Processing, Materials Engineering, Chemical Engineering, or a closely related discipline.
- Professional engineering or metallurgical certification/registration is preferred where applicable.
- 3-7 years of experience in mineral processing, plant metallurgy, or a closely related mining role.
- Demonstrated experience working in an operating mineral processing plant.
- Experience with metallurgical accounting, mass balancing, plant surveys, sampling, and process optimization.
- Practical understanding of mineral processing principles and unit operations.
- Experience analyzing metallurgical and operational data to identify process improvement opportunities.
- Experience conducting plant trials and interpreting laboratory and production data.
- Strong understanding of process safety and environmental considerations within a mining operation.
- Experience working collaboratively with Operations, Maintenance, Engineering, Geology, and other technical functions.
- Exposure to continuous improvement methodologies and structured problem-solving is preferred.
- Experience with relevant metallurgical or process simulation software is an advantage.
