Specialist Hydro-Geologist

Job description

As the Specialist Hydrogeology your responsibilities will include but not limited to: Manage a safe and healthy work environment where workers and contractors can deliver their outputs within a controlled risk environment. Keep potential environmental impacts within statutory requirements to ensure compliance. Active participation in VFLs, Risk Assessments and close-out of safety actions Hydrogeology: Ensure dry and safe mining conditions by dewatering the pit.

Keep the groundwater level below the mining level to maintain safe mining operations. Develop accurate and up-to-date hydrogeological models, including conceptual, numerical, and analytical models. Monitor and report hydrogeological parameters such as water levels, abstraction rates, water quality, well yields, rainfall, and more to manage the dewatering process effectively.

Water Management

Define the roles and responsibilities of professionals in a multidisciplinary team involved in water management and establish related KPIs. Incorporate common water sourcing/resources, essential drainage, shared aquifers, and multisource water consumers into local and basin-wide aspects of water management. Ensure surface and sub-surface water and wastewater discharge is consistent with basin-wide and community requirements.

Update an operating site-wide water balance, including tailings and a mine water balance reflecting all sources and losses, monthly. Develop a water balance that supports long-term strategy and action plans for critical Life of Mine (LOM) water management risks and opportunities, including a plan to obtain related permits promptly, appropriately dealing with permit non-compliances, water security (for the catchment), water quality, and closure planning.

Evaluate water demand over LOM, considering ramp-up and mine closure. Develop water infrastructure to support mine dewatering and water supply. Create a water use efficiency plan for managing water demand and conservation, minimising water use, abstraction, intensity and discharge, and increasing recycling and reuse. Manage water infrastructure maintenance (river diversion channels, stormwater runoff channels, and other infrastructure, de-silting, etc.).

Develop a contaminant and plume/seepage monitoring and management plan, including promptly mitigating any water pollution event. Establish a documentation and data management system. Initiate proactive communication with all relevant external stakeholders to ensure effective monitoring and consistent performance evaluation against water quality goals and regulatory requirements for water use and quality. Develop proactive rain readiness plans to minimize operational delays.

People Management Optimize human resources in a way that the section delivers maximum output. Ensure work ethics is of such a nature that workers continuously strive towards improving their performance Outputs: Effective mine dewatering/slope depressurisation strategy and implementation plan. Well yield capacity exceeds required abstraction rates. Annual updates of hydrogeological models. Groundwater monitoring network, Water Information Management System, and monthly reports.

Interaction with Mine Planning. Adequate coverage of measured and potential dewatering impact zone. Technical input in external stakeholder engagement sessions/forums. Coordinate multi-disciplinary water team and deliver Water Management Plan. Water balances (groundwater, grey water, and process water). Water-related capital projects to support water management requirements. Develop water KPIs for operation. Maintain license to operate.

Infrastructure Plan. Engineering Maintenance Plan. Environmental Management Plan. Surface Water Management Plan. WIMS. This role is in Discovery & Geosciences (GEO) NC department on a Band 6 (D-Upper) level reporting to the Manager Geology.

Qualifications

BSc degree or equivalent in a relevant technical discipline (NQF7) BSc Honours degree or equivalent in a relevant technical discipline (NQF8) is preferred Registered member (full) of SACNASP/ ECSA SA Drivers Licence Technical Knowledge 6 - 8 years of experience in hydrogeology and water management in large open-pit mining operations. Experience in large-scale mine dewatering systems. Experience in slope depressurisation systems.

Experience in external stakeholder relationships such as DWS, regional water authorities, local municipalities, and surrounding landowners. Experience with site-wide water balances.