Senior Metallurgist & R&D Lead — On-site in Durban

Placements24

Durban

On-site

ZAR 1,800,000 - 2,800,000

Full time

14 days+

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Benefits offered by this job

Medical aid

Life insurance

Retirement fund contribution

Job summary

Placements24 in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal is seeking a Principal Metallurgist with a MSc/PhD and 10+ years in mineral processing to lead R&D, optimize plant operations, and guide technical teams on major mining projects.

This on-site role requires strategic thinking, strong leadership, and a proven ability to deliver process improvements, enhanced recovery, and cost-effective metallurgical solutions across base metals and industrial minerals.

Qualifications

Master's or Ph.D. in Metallurgy, Chemical Engineering, or a closely related field.
A minimum of 10 years of progressive experience in mineral processing and metallurgy.
Proven experience with metallurgical process simulation software (e.g., METSIM, JKsimMet).

Responsibilities

Lead the development and implementation of innovative metallurgical processes for extraction and recovery of valuable minerals.
Conduct detailed metallurgical test work, pilot plant trials, and plant-scale investigations to optimize process parameters.
Analyze process data, identify bottlenecks, and develop solutions to enhance recovery and reduce costs.
Provide expert metallurgical advice and technical support to plant operations teams, engineering departments, and senior management.
Develop and maintain process simulation models to predict performance.