Oxygen Plant Technician - Newmont Mining Corporation

Newmont Mining Corporation is a leading global gold producer with key assets in Nevada, Peru, Australia, Ghana and Suriname.

Newmont’s Africa Operations holds two gold mining operations in Ghana: the Ahafo Mine located in the Brong-Ahafo region and the Akyem Mine located in the Eastern region. There is also near mine exploration and development focus in Ghana to annually replace gold reserves. Newmont Africa also has early-stage exploration programs in the African countries of Ethiopia and Morocco.

Our Africa operations employ approximately 5,900 employees and contractors, with the majority working at the Ahafo Mine. We offer an unparalleled blend of opportunity and career satisfaction with all the benefits you would expect from a global company. This, combined with our growth opportunities, makes Newmont a great company to work.

Our Akyem and Ahafo mines have made significant sustainable community development investments in our host communities. These include establishing Development Funds at our Akyem and Ahafo operational areas with each mine contributing US$1 per ounce of gold sold and 1% of net pre-tax annual profit into its community development fund.

The only gold company listed in the S&P 500 index, Newmont in 2007 became the first gold company selected to be part of the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index. Newmont’s industry-leading performance is reflected through our Africa operations’ high standards in environmental management, health and safety for our workforce and creating value and opportunity for our employees, host communities and Newmont’s shareholders.

About This Role

• To safely operate the site oxygen plant by OEM guidance and specifications to deliver oxygen to the Carbon-In-Leach (CIL) circuit to improve plant recovery.

In This Role You Will

Oxygen Plant Operation

• Operate oxygen plant under the general supervision of the Senior Metallurgist.
• Perform supporting operational tasks (such as reporting, checklist completion etc.) associated with oxygen plant operations, by following established processes.
• Monitor and record on daily basis the operating performance of the oxygen plant and make appropriate changes to ensure optimum tonnes, flow and purity of oxygen is achieved.
• Ensure various units of the oxygen plant are working within the right operating parameters.
• Regulate oxygen flow to obtain finer bubbles in the CIL tanks being fed with oxygen.
• Ensure oxygen purity of not less than 92% is achieved.
• Ensure the booster pump is well secured and delivers the optimum pressures and flow.
• Complete the operator log sheet and checklist in accordance to the allocated periods under review.
• Assist the Senior Metallurgist in troubleshooting variances in oxygen production deliveries.
• Ensure the compressor and air drying cooling systems are well cleaned.

Maintenance and Repair

• Perform weekly and monthly inspections on the various oxygen plant units or equipment, document and file them.
• Carry out task preparations and assist with basic maintenance, repairs and replacement of defective components, following detailed instructions.
• Prompt the Senior Metallurgist ahead of time on mandatory or regulatory third party inspections to be carried out in compliance with regulatory standards.
• Conduct oxygen lance servicing and / or changeouts around CIL tanks.
• Carry out inspections on all measuring devices of the oxygen plant and ensure defective ones are replaced.
• Assist the Senior Metallurgist in identifying components and parts of the oxygen plant for scheduled changeouts.
• Ensure adequate inventory of component spares are available for scheduled changeouts.
• Check for possible leakages from oxygen plant units and pipelines through to the delivery points on the CIL tanks and report for immediate fixing.

Health, Safety and Environment

• Deliver own prescribed outcomes and/or provide support services, by applying Newmont’s Health, Safety and Environment systems, policies and protocols.
• Maintain a high health, safety, and environmental awareness.
• Monitor own and peers’ adherence to health and safety measures, protocols, production parameters and standards.
• Report any deviation from established health and safety measures and protocols to the Senior Metallurgist.
• Inspect the oxygen plant to check and identify any basic risks.
• Adhere strictly to Newmont’s Health, Safety, and Environmental standards
• Act as a role model in complying with and supporting these standards and practices by:
  • wearing mandatory protective clothing and appropriate PPE when and where required.
  • reporting and correcting unsafe acts or conditions.
  • proactively participating in safety meetings and promote safe working practices.
  • strictly adhering to established SOP’s, STP’s, work policies and security procedures.
  • actively partaking in hazard identification and correction.
  • reporting environmental spills immediately and taking appropriate action to prevent contamination.
  • attending all safety meetings.

Working Conditions

• Position is located at the Akyem mine site.
• The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representatives of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform essential functions of this job.
  • Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, colour vision, peripheral vision, and ability to adjust focus.
  • Physical Demands: While performing the duties of the job, the employee is required to climb stairs, walk and stand.
  • The employee is occasionally exposed to noise more than 85 decibels, and to fumes, high temperature, sharp edges, dust, pinch-points, vibration, slippery surfaces etc.
  • Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): Work requires mandatory PPE such as helmet, goggles, high visible clothing, safety harness, ear plugs and dust mask according to working conditions.

Your Training, Skills And Experience Checkilist

Formal Qualification (including Professional Registrations):

• City and Guilds Certificate II & III in Metalliferous.
• Diploma/HND/Degree Certificate in mineral processing/Chemical/Materials Engineering or similar will have advantage.

Additional Knowledge

• Knowledge in Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) and /or Liquid oxygen (LOX) plant operations.
• Working knowledge of industrial air compressors.
• Working knowledge of pressurised vessels.

Experience

• Minimum of 2 years’ oxygen plant operating experience in a gold process plant or similar environment.

Technical Skills

• Strong technical problem-solving skills.
• Strong decision-making ability.
• Strong operating and troubleshooting skills.
• Strong analysis and interpretation skills.
• Strong communication (written and verbal in English) and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to direct others to maintain the required output expected of an operating circuit.
• Ability to read, analyse and interpret common operational safety signage and directions.
• Ability to handle and coordinate multiple concurrent activities.