Job Description

Company DescriptionKumba Iron OreWe produce high-grade iron ore, the key component in steel widely used in construction and manufacturing across the world. Our activities include all aspects - exploration; mining; processing and blending; shipping; marketing and selling. In South Africa, we have mining operations in the Northern Cape province, as well as a head office in Gauteng, and a port operation in Saldanha Bay, Western Cape. Guided by our purpose and our values, we enable both high performance and purposeful action as we aim to re-imagine mining to improve people's lives"", delivering the metals and minerals that make modern life possible."Purpose
Oversee all aspects of the drilling and blasting operations, ensuring adherence to established standards, implementing efficient procedures, optimising performance, and identifying opportunities for improvement.
Your duties will include:

• Consistently apply Safety and health principles in all team interactions and take personal responsibility for the safety of self and others to ensure zero harm and the elimination of fatalities.

1. Function as a role model and support a workplace culture where safety and health for the site are paramount.
2. Support an environment for team members to challenge and act on unsafe behaviours without repercussions.

• Support the site leadership team in embedding critical controls into daily work practices.

• Monitor blasting activities, analyse the results, and provide recommendations for rock fragmentation.

• Inspect and approve blast block designs to ensure safe blasting practices and adherence to established standards.

• Develop drill patterns for blasting operations.

• Ensure that all drill and blast processes follow company policies and procedures.

• Develop procedures for drill and blast operations that meet the standards set by company policies and industry best practices.

• Identify blast domains applicable at the mine by drill and blast parameters defined according to sound engineering principles.

• Design drill and blast patterns for each blast domain identified above to optimise fragmentation and satisfy grade control requirements according to the mine's requirements and the company's technical standards and guidelines.

• Continuously improve the blast design process to ensure that advances in principles and applications are incorporated into the performance of the drill and blast processes.

• Liaise with all relevant personnel to ensure that all drill and blast activities are carried out safely and cost-effectively, meet the mine's requirements, and follow the company's technical standards and guidelines.

• Provide advice to relevant stakeholders on surface blasting practices to proactively alleviate or avoid any unnecessary problems and to always ensure statutory compliance.

• Seek, test, analyse and evaluate the latest blasting technologies and make the necessary recommendations before implementation to ensure viability.

• Provide technical support on timing, initiation point, blasting sequence, and hole tying to ensure conformance to set standards.

• Optimize drill pattern and drill sequence for better results.

• Improve drill rod, B11, and hammer performance through optimization.

• Ensure that all drill and blast activities (drilling, bench/face preparation, charging, blasting, etc.) follow design specifications that satisfy the mine's requirements and the company's technical standards and guidelines.

• Ensure the level of training of the drilling and blasting personnel is adequate and that their performance is not detracting from real-time gains. This will involve:

1. Listing of general performance based on daily audits.
2. Actions to be taken to correct deviations and improve dispatcher performance.
3. Identify dispatcher training needs and develop training programs to increase dispatcher skills level and performance.

• Maintenance of a drill and blast management system to govern all drill and blast activities at the mine.

• Compliance with MHSA, statutory, and mine related SHE regulations.

Qualifications

• B Tech Mining Engineer Degree or other 4-year Mining degrees

• Blasting Ticket

• Valid SA Drivers License

Experience
Technical Knowledge

• Operational experience as a Blasting/Drilling Specialist within a Mining operations environment.

• 4-6 years' experience in Production, Blasting Operations, mine planning and pit layout.

• Understanding the mining lifecycle, value chain, and impact of mining activities.

• Technical problem-solving using geotechnical knowledge.

Additional InformationWho we are
We aim to lead the industry by pursuing ever safer and more responsible ways of working, demonstrating integrity and showing care and respect for people and the planet. That means we are constantly seeking new opportunities to mine and process our products sustainably, using less water, less energy and more precise extraction technologies. As the custodians of coal and other precious natural resources - diamonds (through De Beers), copper, platinum and other precious metals, iron ore and nickel - our extraordinary teams work safely and collaboratively, with the utmost consideration for local communities, our customers and the world at large.How we are committed to your safety
Nothing is more important to us than ensuring you return home safely after a day's work. To make that happen, we have the most rigorous safety standards in the industry. Not only that, we're also continually investing in new technologies - from drones to data analytics - that are helping to make mining safer.Inclusion and Diversity
Anglo American is an equal opportunities employer. We are committed to promoting an inclusive and diverse workplace where we value and respect every colleague for who they are and provide equality of opportunity so that everyone can fulfil their potential.How to apply
To apply for this role, please complete our online application form. You will have the opportunity to upload your CV and other relevant documentation as part of the process.

Anglo American