Drill and Blast Engineer

Plat Tech Talent; Middelburg; On-site; ZAR 900,000 - 1,500,000; Full time

Job summary

Plat Tech Talent is seeking an experienced Drill & Blast Supervisor to lead patterns, planning and safety across open-pit operations. The role covers design, optimisation, scheduling and performance reporting for blasting activities.

The ideal candidate has a mining engineering degree, a blasting certificate, and 10+ years in open-cast mining with 5–7 years in supervisory roles. Strong contractor management and MHSA knowledge are essential.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mining Engineering required.
• Valid Blasting Certificate for Opencast Mines required.
• Minimum 10 years of open-cast mining experience in opencast operations.
• 5–7 years in a Drill & Blast supervisory/management role.
• Experience in explosives industry is advantageous.
• Contractor management experience.
• Knowledge of MHSA and Explosives Act.
• Valid driver’s licence.

Responsibilities

• Design blast patterns based on geological conditions.
• Optimise burden, spacing, stemming and powder factors.
• Coordinate drilling, charging and firing activities.
• Develop daily, weekly and monthly drill & blast schedules.
• Ensure blast readiness with production and mine planning teams.
• Lead Drill & Blast Supervisors and technical personnel.
• Coach and mentor team members and manage departmental budgets.
• Participate in production planning meetings and operational excellence initiatives.
• Prepare production and blasting reports and analyse KPIs.

Skills

People management

Decision-making under pressure

Planning & organisation

Analytical thinking

Communication & stakeholder engagement

Contractor management

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Mining Engineering

Blasting Certificate for Opencast Mines

Job description

Key Role Responsibilities:

Drill & Blast Planning and management

• Design blast patterns based on geological conditions.
• Optimise burden, spacing, stemming and powder factors.
• Coordinate drilling, charging and firing activities.
• Develop daily, weekly and monthly drill and blast schedules.
• Ensure blast readiness with production and mine planning teams.

Safety & Compliance

• Ensure compliance with MHSA, Explosives Act and company standards.
• Develop and maintain drill and blast procedures.
• Lead risk assessments, pre-blast inspections and post-blast evaluations.
• Investigate incidents and implement corrective actions.
• Ensure safe storage, transport and use of explosives.

Blast Performance

• Analyse blast results and implement continuous improvements.
• Monitor fragmentation quality.
• Minimise fly rock, overbreak, backbreak and vibration.
• Improve diggability and downstream crusher performance.

Contractor Management

• Monitor contractor productivity and compliance.
• Conduct performance reviews.
• Ensure contractual obligations are achieved.

Explosives Management

• Manage explosive inventory.
• Monitor blast costs.
• Ensure accurate reporting and statutory records.
• Control explosive consumption and reconciliation.

Technical Reporting

• Prepare production and blasting reports.
• Analyse KPIs and recommend improvements.
• Present monthly operational performance.
• Report on costs, productivity and safety.

People Management and Leadership

• Lead Drill & Blast Supervisors and technical personnel.
• Coach and mentor team members.
• Manage departmental budgets.
• Participate in production planning meetings.
• Support operational excellence initiatives.

Minimum Inherent Requirements

• Bachelors Degree in Mining Engineering.
• Valid Blasting Certificate for Opencast Mines.
• Minimum 10 years' open-cast mining experience, within opencast mining operations.
• 5-7 years in a Drill & Blast supervisory/management role.
• Experience within explosives industry is highly advantageous.
• Contractor management
• Knowledge of the Mine Health and Safety Act (MHSA) and the Explosives Act 15 of 2003.
• Valid driver's licence.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Blast compliance (% completed as planned)
• Powder factor optimisation
• Fragmentation quality
• Blast-induced vibration compliance
• Explosive cost per BCM/tonne
• Contractor performance
• Drill availability and utilisation
• Budget adherence and Cost management

Individual Competencies

• Proven people management skills
• Good decision-making skills under pressure
• Excellent planning and organisational skills
• Analytical and problem-solving ability
• Communication and stakeholder engagement