Role Purpose

The Production Plant Superintendent is responsible for leading and managing day-to-day processing plant operations to ensure safe, stable and cost-effective zinc production.

The role drives operational discipline, plant stability, throughput delivery, metallurgical performance and cost control across crushing, grinding, flotation, thickening, filtration and concentrate handling. The position ensures alignment between production, process and maintenance teams to consistently meet performance targets.

Key Responsibilities

Production & Operational Management

• Manage daily and shift-based plant operations across all processing areas.
• Deliver production targets for throughput, recovery and concentrate quality.
• Translate production plans into effective daily execution.
• Ensure optimal utilisation of plant capacity, equipment and resources.
• Drive short interval control to manage daily performance and deviations.
• Ensure alignment between plant feed requirements and mining delivery.

Safety, Health & Environmental Compliance

• Champion a zero-harm safety culture across plant operations.
• Ensure compliance with MHSA, environmental permits and site standards.
• Enforce adherence to SOPs, risk assessments and permit-to-work systems.
• Lead incident investigations and implement corrective actions.
• Promote safe behaviours and operational discipline across shifts.

Plant Stability & Performance

• Ensure stable and repeatable plant operation through disciplined operating practices.
• Monitor key process parameters and operating windows across all circuits.
• Work closely with process engineers to manage ore variability and process risk.
• Identify and resolve operational bottlenecks and performance losses.
• Drive rapid recovery from plant upsets and unplanned stoppages.

Leadership & People Management

• Lead, coach and develop supervisors, controllers and plant operators.
• Set clear expectations and drive accountability across all shifts.
• Ensure effective shift handovers and communication of priorities.
• Support training, competence development and succession planning.
• Promote teamwork, discipline and a performance-driven culture.

Cost & Consumables Control

• Control plant operating costs including labour, reagents, consumables and utilities.
• Monitor and optimise reagent consumption and water usage.
• Support budgeting and cost management initiatives.
• Identify opportunities to improve operational efficiency and reduce cost.

Maintenance & Engineering Interface

• Coordinate closely with maintenance and engineering teams to ensure plant availability.
• Support planned maintenance execution and shutdown activities.
• Ensure operators perform basic care and first-line maintenance tasks.
• Provide operational input into maintenance prioritisation and reliability improvements.
• Support equipment handover and commissioning readiness.

Metallurgical & Quality Performance

• Ensure zinc concentrate meets quality and specification requirements.
• Minimise metallurgical losses and rehandling.
• Support metallurgical accounting, sampling integrity and reconciliations.
• Work closely with laboratory and technical teams on quality control.
• Ensure adherence to operating windows for recovery and grade optimisation.

Reporting & Operational Governance

• Review and validate daily, weekly and monthly production reports.
• Track KPIs and drive corrective actions where required.
• Participate in performance reviews, audits and operational meetings.
• Ensure compliance with management of change (MOC) processes.

Continuous Improvement

• Identify and implement improvements in plant performance and stability.
• Drive operational discipline and adherence to standards.
• Support initiatives to improve overall plant efficiency and reliability.

Qualifications & Experience

• Degree or Diploma in Metallurgy, Chemical or Process Engineering.
• Minimum 8–10 years' experience in mineral processing operations.
• At least 3–5 years in a supervisory or superintendent role.
• Strong experience in flotation-based zinc or base metal concentrators.

Desirable

• Experience in zinc or polymetallic processing plants.
• Exposure to mine-to-mill integration.
• Leadership or management training.
• Experience in commissioning and plant ramp-up.

Skills & Competencies

• Strong leadership and people management capability
• Sound metallurgical and process understanding
• High safety awareness and risk management discipline
• Strong decision-making under pressure
• Effective communication and reporting skills
• Cost control and operational efficiency focus

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Plant throughput and production achievement
• Zinc recovery and concentrate quality
• Plant stability and downtime reduction
• Processing cost per tonne
• Safety performance and compliance
• Workforce performance and engagement