Mechanical Project Engineer – Mineral Processing & Hydrometallurgical Plants - JHB

Job Purpose

The Mechanical Project Engineer is responsible for co-ordinating the mechanical engineering and delivery of mineral processing and hydrometallurgical plant equipment throughout the full project lifecycle. The role covers machinery and equipment from design and specification through procurement, supplier co-ordination, installation, commissioning, performance testing and handover within a consulting engineering, EPC or EPCM project environment.

Key Responsibilities

Concept and Feasibility: Translate process requirements into mechanical equipment duties; assess equipment options, preliminary layouts, maintainability and capital cost estimates.

Mechanical Design: Develop or co-ordinate equipment specifications, mechanical arrangements, installation requirements and interfaces with process, piping, structural, electrical and instrumentation disciplines.

Equipment Selection: Select and evaluate machinery against throughput, operating conditions, slurry characteristics, chemical compatibility, reliability and lifecycle costs, working with process specialists.

Tendering and Procurement: Prepare equipment requisitions and technical tender documents; evaluate supplier quotations, clarify exclusions and deviations, and recommend technically suitable equipment.

Supplier Engineering: Review vendor drawings, datasheets, loads, utility requirements and operating information; co-ordinate approvals and incorporate supplier information into plant designs.

Manufacturing and Inspection: Monitor equipment manufacture, participate in inspections and factory acceptance testing, and resolve technical or quality deviations.

Installation and Construction: Provide site engineering support; verify equipment positioning, foundations, alignment, access, piping connections and installation against approved drawings and supplier requirements.

Pre-commissioning: Co-ordinate mechanical completion checks, lubrication, alignment, flushing, rotation checks, guarding verification and punch-list resolution.

Commissioning: Support no-load and load testing, water trials and process start-up; investigate vibration, leakage, overheating, blockages and equipment performance problems.

Performance Testing and Handover: Verify mechanical performance against contractual requirements; close outstanding defects and compile as-built drawings, operating manuals, spares lists and maintenance information.

Relevant Machinery and Equipment

Experience with a relevant combination of the following:

• Materials handling: Crushers, screens, mills, feeders, conveyors, chutes and associated drives.
• Slurry and solution handling: Slurry pumps, chemical transfer pumps, sumps, piping, valves and distribution systems.
• Hydrometallurgical equipment: Leach tanks, agitators, reactors, reagent preparation and dosing equipment, and solvent extraction mixer-settlers where applicable.
• Solid-liquid separation: Thickeners, clarifiers, filter presses, vacuum filters and centrifuges.
• Thermal and utility equipment: Heat exchangers, cooling systems, compressors and process services.
• Metal recovery equipment: Mechanical equipment and interfaces associated with precipitation, crystallisation and electrowinning circuits.
• Plant maintenance equipment: Hoists, lifting arrangements and equipment removal facilities.
• Ability to interpret mechanical drawings, equipment layouts, fabrication drawings and supplier documentation.
• Working knowledge of rotating equipment, bearings, seals, couplings, gearboxes and drive systems.
• Understanding of corrosion, abrasion and appropriate construction materials for slurry, acid and other chemical duties.
• Ability to assess equipment access, lifting requirements, maintainability and replacement routes.
• Experience managing equipment packages, supplier deliverables, technical queries and engineering changes.
• Ability to co-ordinate mechanical equipment interfaces with foundations, supporting structures, piping and plant services.
• BEng, BSc Eng or BTech in Mechanical Engineering.
• Approximately 47 years relevant experience in a consulting engineering, EPC or EPCM project house serving the mining and mineral processing industries.
• Demonstrated experience delivering mechanical equipment packages from design and specification through procurement, supplier co-ordination, installation and commissioning.
• Hydrometallurgical and wet processing plant experience would be advantageous.
• Technically suitable mechanical equipment selections aligned with process and project requirements.
• Complete and accurate mechanical specifications, requisitions and supplier documentation.
• Effective co-ordination of mechanical interfaces across engineering disciplines.
• Timely resolution of supplier, manufacturing, installation and commissioning issues.
• Mechanical completion and commissioning in accordance with approved drawings, supplier requirements and contractual performance criteria.
• Complete handover documentation, including as-built drawings, operating manuals, spares lists and maintenance information.

• Ability to interpret mechanical drawings, equipment layouts, fabrication drawings and supplier documentation.
• Working knowledge of rotating equipment, bearings, seals, couplings, gearboxes and drive systems.
• Understanding of corrosion, abrasion and appropriate construction materials for slurry, acid and other chemical duties.
• Ability to assess equipment access, lifting requirements, maintainability and replacement routes.
• Experience managing equipment packages, supplier deliverables, technical queries and engineering changes.
• Ability to co-ordinate mechanical equipment interfaces with foundations, supporting structures, piping and plant services.

• BEng, BSc Eng or BTech in Mechanical Engineering.
• Approximately 47 years relevant experience in a consulting engineering, EPC or EPCM project house serving the mining and mineral processing industries.
• Demonstrated experience delivering mechanical equipment packages from design and specification through procurement, supplier co-ordination, installation and commissioning.
• Hydrometallurgical and wet processing plant experience would be advantageous.

• Technically suitable mechanical equipment selections aligned with process and project requirements.
• Complete and accurate mechanical specifications, requisitions and supplier documentation.
• Effective co-ordination of mechanical interfaces across engineering disciplines.
• Timely resolution of supplier, manufacturing, installation and commissioning issues.
• Mechanical completion and commissioning in accordance with approved drawings, supplier requirements and contractual performance criteria.
• Complete handover documentation, including as-built drawings, operating manuals, spares lists and maintenance information.

Candidate Experience Requirement: Candidate should be able to demonstrate which mechanical equipment packages they have personally taken from specification through to successful commissioning, together with their accountability at each stage of the project lifecycle.

Salary offer: Negotiable dependant on qualifications and experience