Job Ref #: SC-4039
Industry: Mining
Job Type: Permanent
Positions Available: 1
An exciting opportunity has become available for Metallurgy Specialist (Opencast) at Samancor WCM. Successful Incumbent will drive continuous improvement and technical optimisation of third-party metallurgical processing plants by analysing plant performance, identifying enhancement opportunities and implementing sustainable process improvements.
Job Description
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.
Job Requirements
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