Drill & Blast Engineer

Perseus Mining (Tanzania) Limited (SMLC) is seeking a Drill & Blast Engineer.

The Drill & Blast Engineer provides technical expertise and planning support to safely and efficiently execute all drill and blast activities at Nyanzaga. The role ensures drill and blast designs, schedules, explosives management and QA/QC processes are aligned with the SMCL Mining Department Management Plan (MMP), production targets, legal and licence conditions, and community and environmental constraints (including vibration, noise, fly rock, and dust).

Working closely with Operations, Technical Services and contractors, the Drill & Blast Engineer helps deliver predictable fragmentation, diggability and ore exposure to support consistent mill feed and cost-effective mining.

Key Responsibilities:

Management of Safety, Environment, & Community Relations

• Adhere to company policies and procedures regarding safety, environment, health and community.
• Ensure all drill and blast / mining activities and procedures adhere to the applicable mining regulations.
• Ensure all safety standards, plans, procedures etc are conveyed to staff and contractors.

Drill & Blast Design & Optimisation

• Develop short-, medium-, and long-term drill and blast designs, including patterns, charge plans, timing, and initiation sequences.
• Conduct fragmentation analysis and continuously improve blast performance.
• Develop and maintain blast design standards and QA/QC processes.
• Optimise drilling and blasting parameters to reduce dilution, improve productivity, and manage costs.

Operational Execution & Support

• Provide daily technical direction to drill and blast crews, including contractors.
• Monitor execution quality, including hole depths, accuracy, charging, stemming, and timing.
• Conduct blast readiness checks and post-blast inspections.
• Ensure explosives are stored, handled, and used in compliance with legal and company requirements.

Safety, Compliance & Risk Management

• Ensure all drill and blast activities are executed according to safety standards, environmental regulations, and Tanzanian mining laws.
• Perform blast risk assessments, vibration and air-blast monitoring, and implement control measures.
• Lead incident investigations relating to drill and blast operations.
• Maintain up-to-date documentation for permitting and regulatory compliance.

Explosives Magazine & Inventory Management

• Act as the responsible engineer for the explosive’s magazines, ensuring that storage, handling and security of explosives comply with Tanzanian legal requirements, licence conditions and SMCL standards.
• Ensure magazine safety standards are implemented and maintained, including housekeeping, signage, segregation, emergency equipment and access control.
• Oversee daily issue / return, stock control, reconciliations and record keeping for explosives and accessories.
• Coordinate regular inspections and audits of the magazines and implement corrective actions as required.

Data Management & Reporting

• Analyse production drilling and blasting KPIs, including cost per metre, powder factor, and fragmentation results.
• Prepare daily, weekly, and monthly reports on performance and compliance.
• Manage and update drill and blast databases, design files, and operational logs.

Continuous Improvement & Collaboration

• Work closely with Mine Geology, Geotechnical, Survey, Mining Operations, & Processing for alignment.
• Identify & implement improvements in drilling accuracy, blast performance, and mining efficiency.
• Support trials of new explosives, technologies, and drilling equipment.

Skills, Knowledge, Abilities and Attributes:

Essential

• 3–7 years’ experience in open-pit drill and blast engineering, ideally in gold or hard-rock mining.
• Experience working with modern blast design software (e.g., BlastMap, SHOTPlus, Vulcan, Minesight).
• Demonstrated success in optimising drill and blast results and managing contractor performance.
• Experience in African or remote-site mining environments (advantage).
• Strong understanding of explosives, initiation systems, and ground control principles.
• Proficiency in mine design software and data analysis tools.
• Ability to model and interpret blast vibration, fragmentation, and dilution.
• Strong QA/QC capability and operational discipline.

Desired

• Previous experience working in Africa or other remote international jurisdictions.
• Familiarity with Tanzanian mining legislation, environmental regulations, and reporting requirements.
• Exposure to both owner-operator and contractor mining models.
• Fluency in, or exposure to, Kiswahili or French.

Qualifications & Licences:

• Bachelor’s degree in mining engineering or equivalent.
• Tanzanian blasting certification or ability to obtain one (mandatory).
• Valid driving licence.
• First Aid / Emergency Response Certification
• Blasting or Explosives Handling Certification – advantageous

Additional Information:

Performance Measures

• Drill and blast cost performance vs budget
• Compliance with safety, environmental, and regulatory requirements
• Blast fragmentation and dilution performance
• QA/QC conformance for drilling and blasting activities
• Drill and blast schedule adherence and contribution to production targets
• Quality of reporting, analysis, and operational support