Senior Metallurgist – Accounting: First Quantum Minerals Ltd – Ending 28th July 2017

Qualifications (required for job)

• A Tertiary Qualification in Chemical Engineering, Extractive Metallurgy or Mineral Processing or related field;
• Eligibility for membership of the Engineering Institute of Zambia (E.I.Z), and to hold relevant legal appointment as defined by the Mining Regulations of Zambia

Core Specific Responsibilities  – related to this Job

• Understand and execute accountability of legal appointment under Zambian Mining Regulations;
• The role has accountability for the accurate and timely metallurgical accounting and official reporting of copper production, concentrate dispatch, reagents, water and energy;
• Ensure strong compliance to HSE standards within team;
• Consistently deliver and exceed the main KPI of metallurgical accounting and technical reporting (i) accuracy and (ii) timeliness;
• Monitor and report on production and raw material performance indicators;
• Directly participate in the daily & weekly work activities of the processing plant, serving as technical support to operations personnel to enhance performance and  provide key performance information;
• Develop and execute the site metallurgical accounting procedures, providing accurate and auditable production reconciliations and reporting systems;
• Ensure compliance to legal met-accounting requirements;
• Conduct and routinely report production loss reconciliations identifying key areas of production opportunity;
• Coordinate the proper and thorough completion of loss tracking systems to ensure high integrity of production loss and asset performance reporting;
• Work in collaboration with Commercial to manage the concentrate quality component of the Concentrate shed inventory and dispatch management system;
• Work in collaboration with Commercial to routine account and report on processing reagent stocks, ensuring appropriate levels maintained at all times;
• Routinely reconcile and report on the site water and energy balances;
• Maintain the site process “data room”, to ensure all critical process information and reporting is stored logically and securely;
• Constantly seek out and implement innovative solutions;
• Lead the development, implementation and commissioning of capital projects assigned by the Superintendent Technical;
• Liaise with reagent suppliers (through Commercial) to source new products to improve plant reagent cost effectiveness;
• Supervise and control the activities, performance and development (particularly technical skills) of subordinate staff;
• Ensure cost management is part of on-going decision making;
• Perform any other duties as assigned by the Superintendent Technical

Behavioural Traits / Personal Characteristics

• Commitment to SHEC performance;
• Good leadership and motivational skills, and get work done through others;
• Strong drive and personal sense of ownership and accountability;
• Strong ability to task assign, build working relations and coordinate different operating disciplines to create a “team” environment;
• Good cognitive and analytical skills for identifying process shortfalls, bottlenecks and implementing metallurgical testing;
• Affinity to supervise technical research, direct and train metallurgical engineers and technicians;
• Accustomed to carrying out advanced calculations and possess ability to analyse and understand highly complex and statistical metallurgical data;
• Strong understanding of complex metallurgical information, process improvement and control strategies;
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, and able to assemble data and provide clear and accurate operational performance reports in both an upward and downward direction;
• Ability to maintain self-discipline within a stressful environment;
• Be diligent and thorough in approach;
• Be enthusiastic and pro-active in manner;
• Computer fluency is a must.
• Ability to work in a multi-cultural environment.
• English language proficiency.

Knowledge and Experience required for job

• A minimum of 5 years’ experience in large, complex metallurgical process operations;
• Direct experience in plant technical metallurgist / engineering roles with specific experience in base metal grinding and flotation;
• Previous experience in met-accounting processes highly required;
• Experience in process control systems, process information databases (i.e. PI Process Book) and metallurgical optimization highly regarded