Geotechnician – Exploration and Geometallurgy (5 months FTE

Company Description

We have an exciting opportunity for Geotechnician - Exploration and Geometallurgy (5 months FTE). The purpose of this role is to conduct reliable, safe and timely acquisition, management and quality control of mine-site geological, grade control and geometallurgical data to support operational decision-making, ore control, reconciliation and processing performance.

We’re the best in the industry. You’ll make us better. 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 – from mobile phones to medicines.

Kumba Iron Ore

We 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 Rosebank, Gauteng, and a port operation in Saldanha Bay, Western Cape.

• 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 elimination of fatalities.

• Plan and Execute (Mine-site):
  Effectively plan and execute grade control and/or operational drilling support (e.g., RC/blast hole campaigns where applicable), in-pit mapping and face sampling activities to delineate ore/waste boundaries and improve short-term ore control.
• Sampling Protocols (Grade Control & Geometallurgy):
  Execute operational sampling to approved SOPs (blast hole/RC where applicable, face/bench, chip/channel, ROM/stockpile and metallurgical samples), including correct intervals, contamination control, compositing rules, sample mass requirements and field documentation.
• Sample Preparation, Dispatch & Chain of Custody:
  Prepare, label, seal and dispatch samples; maintain chain-of-custody and dispatch registers; manage sample storage, retention and reconciliation; and follow up on lab turnaround times and non-conformances.
• Geometallurgical Testwork Support:
  Assist Geometallurgists with sample selection (domains/variability), compositing plans and testwork submissions; coordinate with internal/external laboratories for comminution, beneficiation and metallurgical characterisation programmes; and capture testwork metadata and results in the designated systems.
• Data Management:
  Ensure timely capture and import of geological, sampling, geochemical and geometallurgical datasets (including metadata such as sample types, weights, composites and dispatch information) into the designated systems (e.g., Acquire) after logging, sampling, pit mapping and testwork activities.
• Data Validation:
  Conduct thorough validation of all geological information about specified areas, ensuring accuracy and reliability.

• Database & Sample Inventory Management:
  Update and maintain mine geology/grade control and geometallurgy databases with processed drilling, mapping, sampling, dispatch and testwork data; maintain secure sample inventories (core/bagged samples/pulps/rejects) and ensure information availability and traceability at all times.
• Quality Assurance (Field & Laboratory):
  Apply and monitor QA/QC protocols (standards, blanks, duplicates, umpire checks where applicable); verify sample integrity and chain-of-custody; review laboratory certificates; log and drive resolution of QA/QC failures and non-conformances to meet audit and governance requirements.

• Spatial Validation:
  Conduct spatial validation for all drilled borehole collars and depth information to ensure data integrity.
• Interval, Recovery & Sample Integrity Checks:
  Verify drilling and sampling parameters (interval compliance, recovery, core orientation where applicable, contamination/oversize management, moisture controls) and ensure samples are representative and suitable for…