Profession surface mine plant operator
Surface mine plant operators control heavy-duty equipment such as excavators and dump trucks, often involving a high level of spatial awareness, to excavate, load and transport ore, raw mineral including sand, stone and clay and overburden at quarries and surface mines.
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Personality Type
- Realistic / Conventional
- Realistic / Enterprising
Knowledge
- Excavation techniques
The methods to remove rock and soil, used in an excavation site and the associated risks.
- Mechanics
Theoretical and practical applications of the science studying the action of displacements and forces on physical bodies to the development of machinery and mechanical devices.
- Impact of geological factors on mining operations
Be aware of the impact of geological factors, such as faults and rock movements, on mining operations.
Skills
- Deal with pressure from unexpected circumstances
Strive to achieve objectives despite the pressures arising from unexpected factors outside of your control.
- Perform minor repairs to equipment
Conduct routine maintenance on equipment. Recognise and identify minor defects in equipment and make repairs if appropriate.
- Troubleshoot
Identify operating problems, decide what to do about it and report accordingly.
- Operate mining tools
Operate and maintain a wide range of hand-held and powered mining tools and equipment.
- Communicate mine equipment information
Communicate transparently and efficiently with mine production management and machine operators. Pass on any relevant information such as outages, efficiency and productivity of the equipment.
- Address problems critically
Identify the strengths and weaknesses of various abstract, rational concepts, such as issues, opinions, and approaches related to a specific problematic situation in order to formulate solutions and alternative methods of tackling the situation.
- Make independent operating decisions
Make immediate operating decisions as necessary without reference to others, taking into account the circumstances and any relevant procedures and legislation. Determine alone which option is the best for a particular situation.
- Inspect heavy surface mining equipment
Inspect heavy-duty surface mining machinery and equipment. Identify and report defects and abnormalities.
- React to events in time-critical environments
Monitor the situation around you and anticipate. Be ready to take quick and appropriate action in case of unexpected events.
- Conduct inter-shift communication
Communicate relevant information about the conditions in the workplace, progress, events, and potential problems to the workers in the next shift.
Optional knowledge and skills
operate dragline operate front loader ensure compliance with safety legislation operate dump truck drive vehicles operate bulldozer operate spreader operate bucket wheel excavator operate tractor operate shotcreter operate excavatorCommon job titles
- Heavy equipment operator
- Transloader operator
- Traveling transloader operator
- Operator iv - hotmix
- Sr. mine trainer (irc22545)
- Track equipment operator
- Chief metallurgist
- Quarry operator
- Plant and pit driver
- Equipment operator (non-dot)