Principal Engineer, Metallurgy

Job Purpose: The Principal Metallurgist is the technical authority (SME) for metallurgy aspect, responsible for

leading metallurgical inputs across the full project lifecycle, from early business case evaluation

through feasibility study (FS) and into execution readiness

Key Accountabilities:

• Provide metallurgical input into project screening, concept evaluation, and business case development, including value drivers, recovery assumptions, process routes, and economic model inputs (recovery, throughput, CAPEX/OPEX)
• Identify key metallurgical risks, opportunities, and trade-offs to support informed decision-making
• Define initial process options, conceptual flowsheets, recovery assumptions, and mass balances during scoping stage, while overseeing preliminary metallurgical testwork programs and developing the initial risk register
• Lead advanced laboratory testing and variability analysis during PFS, including defining grind size, comminution parameters, and recovery processes (flotation, leaching, gravity)
• Develop preliminary process design criteria, base flowsheets, mass balances, and support trade-off studies and process optimization
• Direct pilot-scale and variability test work programs during FS/BFS and finalize process design criteria, equipment sizing, specifications, water and metallurgical balances
• Approve final flowsheets and design basis, ensuring alignment with investment and financing requirements
• Provide inputs to capital and operating cost estimates and define BFS-level design parameters and risk mitigation measures
• Design and oversee end-to-end metallurgical test work strategy, including sample selection, compositing, laboratory and pilot programs
• Ensure data quality, QA/QC, traceability, and alignment of test work with project decision gates
• Interpret and validate metallurgical results for integration into flowsheet and process development
• Support and guide processing methodologies including refractory, CIL, flotation, and heap leach, while leading investigations to improve efficiency and align with organizational strategy
• Coach and mentor metallurgical personnel and support optimization initiatives to enhance competitive advantage

• Ensure compliance with company and site policies, standards, and procedures, recommending improvements where required
• Provide technical support in metallurgy and processing engineering across affiliates, contributing to development, improvement, and effectiveness of corporate policies and standards
• Support interpretation and implementation of standards, and assist corporate SME teams in aligning technical practices
• Contribute to technical communications including incident briefings, programs, initiatives, and periodic updates aligned with corporate policies across multiple channels
• Perform additional duties as assigned by management

Minimum Qualifications, Experience and Competencies: