Principal Metallurgist: Lead Mineral Processing Innovator (Hybrid)

Placements24; Pretoria; Hybrid; ZAR 1,200,000 - 1,800,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Retirement benefits

International travel

Relocation assistance

Generous leave

Job summary

Placements24 in Pretoria, Gauteng, seeks a Principal Metallurgist to optimize metallurgical performance, mentor staff, and drive process improvements. The role blends essential on-site collaboration with focused remote work to maintain operational continuity in mining operations.

The ideal candidate will have MSc/PhD in Metallurgy with 12+ years' experience, strong leadership, and expertise across crushing, grinding, flotation, leaching, and refining, plus familiarity with METSIM or similar

Qualifications

• MSc or PhD in Metallurgy, Chemical Engineering, or a related field.
• Minimum 12 years of progressive experience in metallurgical engineering, with a strong focus on base metals or precious metals processing.
• Demonstrated expertise in various unit operations, including crushing, grinding, flotation, leaching, and refining.
• Proven track record of successfully implementing process improvements and achieving significant operational gains.
• Experience with metallurgical simulation software (e.g., METSIM, Outotec HSC Chemistry, JKSimMet).

Responsibilities

• Lead metallurgical investigations and process improvement initiatives to maximize recovery and product quality.
• Provide expert technical guidance on comminution, flotation, leaching, and other relevant metallurgical processes.
• Troubleshoot complex operational issues and implement effective solutions to minimize downtime and production losses.
• Develop and validate metallurgical models to predict plant performance and optimize operating parameters.
• Oversee pilot plant testing and scale-up studies for new process technologies.
• Conduct process audits and provide recommendations for operational enhancements.
• Collaborate with research and development teams on innovative metallurgical solutions.
• Mentor and guide junior metallurgists and technicians, fostering their professional growth.
• Prepare comprehensive technical reports, presentations, and technical memorandums.

Skills

Leadership

Project management

Problem solving

Education

MSc/PhD in Metallurgy

Tools

METSIM

Outotec HSC Chemistry

JKSimMet

Job description

Placements24 in Pretoria, Gauteng, seeks a Principal Metallurgist to optimize metallurgical performance, mentor staff, and drive process improvements. The role blends essential on-site collaboration with focused remote work to maintain operational continuity in mining operations.

The ideal candidate will have MSc/PhD in Metallurgy with 12+ years' experience, strong leadership, and expertise across crushing, grinding, flotation, leaching, and refining, plus familiarity with METSIM or similar