Principal Chemical Engineer - Extractive Metallurgy

Placements24; Rustenburg; On-site; ZAR 1,500,000 - 2,100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary package

Performance-related bonuses

Medical aid and retirement fund

Generous leave provisions

Ongoing professional development

Job summary

Placements24 in Rustenburg, North West, seeks a Principal Chemical Engineer with deep expertise in extractive metallurgy to lead the design, development, and optimization of hydrometallurgical and pyrometallurgical processes on-site.

You will mentor engineers and technicians, drive process modeling and scale-up from lab to full-scale operations, and ensure safety, environmental compliance while delivering cost-effective metal recovery.

Qualifications

• Master's or Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering or Metallurgy.
• 10+ years of hands-on experience in extractive metallurgy with focus on mineral processing.
• Experience in process design, scale-up, and operational troubleshooting in mining/metals.
• Proficiency with metallurgical simulation software and process modeling tools.
• Pr.Eng registration is advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design and development of new and improved extractive metallurgical processes (hydrometallurgy and pyrometallurgy).
• Optimize existing processes to maximize metal recovery, minimize reagent consumption, and reduce costs.
• Conduct pilot plant studies and oversee scale-up from lab to commercial scale.
• Perform complex process modeling and thermodynamic/kinetic analysis.
• Troubleshoot issues in concentrators, leaching plants, electrowinning circuits, and smelters.
• Develop and implement robust process control strategies.
• Ensure health, safety, and environmental regulations are met.
• Prepare technical reports, feasibility studies, and proposals.
• Mentor engineers and technicians.
• Collaborate with geologists, metallurgists, and operations managers.

Skills

Leadership

Problem-solving

Communication skills

Ability to work under pressure

Education

Master's or Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering or Metallurgy

Tools

HSC Chemistry

FactSage

Job description

Placements24 in Rustenburg, North West, seeks a Principal Chemical Engineer with deep expertise in extractive metallurgy to lead the design, development, and optimization of hydrometallurgical and pyrometallurgical processes on-site.

You will mentor engineers and technicians, drive process modeling and scale-up from lab to full-scale operations, and ensure safety, environmental compliance while delivering cost-effective metal recovery.