Job Summary

Reporting to the Technical Services Superintendent, the Explosives Engineer acts as the mine's principal authority on blast design, energy distribution, and fragmentation optimization. This role plays a crucial part in ensuring that drilling and blasting activities achieve planned advance rates, maintain ground stability, and reduce overbreak and dilution in a mechanized underground environment. The role requires advanced geological understanding and technical precision in designing and monitoring explosive usage.

Key Responsibilities

The Explosives Engineer models and designs blast patterns, determines charge weights, selects initiation systems, and integrates geotechnical inputs into drill‑and‑blast plans. Key tasks include analyzing fragmentation results, conducting pre‑ and post‑blast inspections, adjusting designs to match rock mass behavior, and ensuring full compliance with the Explosives Act. The Engineer works closely with jumbo crews, charging teams, and surveyors to ensure spatial accuracy, verifies drilling deviations, and implements continuous improvement in explosive performance. Additional duties include training blasting personnel, auditing explosive storage and handling, and generating technical blast reports.

Qualifications & Experience

A Mining Engineering Degree, ERB registration, and a recognized Blasting Certificate are required. At least five years' experience in underground drill‑and‑blast engineering is essential, along with deep knowledge of explosive chemistry, rock mechanics, and energy optimization. Experience using Blast Design software such as Aegis or Deswik.UGDB is essential.