Job Description

Job Title: Head of Processing & Metallurgy

Employment Type: Full Time

Location: Western USA

This is an example job description written by us; an official job description will be used by our client later in the process.

About the Opportunity

GeoResource Ltd is working with a well-funded, publicly listed silver developer advancing a large, near-surface, bulk-tonnage silver-gold project in the Western USA. The project is progressing through its study phase toward a production decision, backed by strong institutional support and an active, well-resourced metallurgical testwork programme.

They are seeking a Head of Processing & Metallurgy to own the processing and metallurgy function end to end — from the current study work, through flowsheet design and testwork, and into commissioning and production. This is a hands-on, ownership role for someone who wants to shape a flowsheet from first principles rather than operate one built by others.

This role suits an experienced process metallurgist who has carried projects from study into production, brings deep silver and/or gold hydrometallurgical expertise, and thrives in a lean, owner’s-team environment. The ore is metallurgically challenging and recovery is grind-driven — the person who gets it right will define the economics of the project.

Key Responsibilities

• Own the processing and metallurgy function end to end, carrying the flowsheet from the current study phase through to commissioning and production.
• Direct the metallurgical testwork programme, managing external laboratories and engineering consultants to characterise the ore and optimise recovery.
• Develop and refine the process flowsheet — comminution and grind-size strategy, leach circuit design, precious-metals recovery and by-product credits.
• Drive innovation in recovery, evaluating technologies and process options to maximise silver and gold recovery from a metallurgically complex ore.
• Define the process design criteria, throughput assumptions, reagent regimes and metallurgical performance targets that feed the economic studies (PEA / PFS / FS).
• Review and challenge the work of consultants, laboratories and equipment vendors, and hold them to the project’s technical standards.
• Translate study-phase design into operational readiness — commissioning planning, operating strategy and scale-up from testwork to full plant throughput.
• Provide capital and operating cost inputs for the processing plant to support project economics and financing.
• Report to the executive team and provide technical input to support stakeholder and investor communications.

Qualifications & Experience

• Degree in Metallurgical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Mineral Processing or a related discipline — non-negotiable.
• Minimum 12 years’ experience in precious-metals process metallurgy, with 15+ years preferred.
• Deep hydrometallurgical expertise — cyanide leaching (heap and/or agitated/tank leach), counter-current decantation, Merrill-Crowe precipitation and/or ADR, and cyanide detoxification — non-negotiable.
• Demonstrated silver and/or gold recovery experience; primary silver processing experience is highly valued.
• Comminution and grind-size optimisation experience (fine / ultra-fine grinding, HPGR, stirred mills) — a strong asset given the nature of the ore.
• A track record spanning study phase through to production — feasibility studies, process design, commissioning and live operations.
• Proven experience managing metallurgical testwork programmes and external consultants and laboratories.
• Familiarity with recognised reporting standards (NI 43-101 / S-K 1300); QP designation a strong asset.
• Based in, or eligible to work in, the USA, and willing to be based at the project location in the Western USA — non-negotiable.
• Comfortable in a junior-developer / owner’s-team environment — hands-on, lean and multi-disciplinary rather than purely major-company oversight.
• Strong leadership, with the ability to own a function and build a team as the project scales.
• Bilingual English / Spanish an asset.

Benefits & Opportunity

• Senior technical role with real influence — own the processing and metallurgy function outright and design the flowsheet from the front, with genuine authority over technology selection and recovery strategy.
• Breadth of scope rarely available in one role — comminution through leach, precious-metals and by-product recovery, testwork through commissioning and into live operations, on a metallurgically interesting ore.
• High-visibility position at the technical heart of a well-funded silver developer, where recovery performance directly drives project value and you help build a new operation from the ground up.

If you are interested in learning more, please apply below.

Due to application volume, we may not be able to respond to every applicant. If your background closely aligns with the key requirements we will be in touch to arrange a confidential discussion.