Metallurgical Technician

Job Title :

• Metallurgical Technician Experience Level :  1–3 Years Location :  Fort Collins, Colorado Work Environment :  Laboratory and Pilot-Scale Ore Processing Facility (dusty, industrial setting) Job Summary The Metallurgical Technician will support metallurgical and analytical testing programs by preparing, processing, and analyzing ore samples in a laboratory and field environment.
• The role requires hands-on work with crushers, pulverizers, sample splitters, and leaching equipment.
• The ideal candidate will have experience handling geological and metallurgical samples, working safely in a dusty and physical environment, and following detailed SOPs to ensure quality data generation.
• This position directly supports metallurgists, laboratory managers, and field test supervisors in metallurgical process evaluation, ore characterization, and leach optimization programs.
• Key Responsibilities Sample Preparation and Ore Handling (50%) Receive, log, and label incoming ore and metallurgical samples from clients, field projects, or mine sites.
• Use jaw crushers, roll crushers, and cone crushers to reduce rock specimens to specified particle sizes for analysis.
• Operate ring and puck pulverizers, ball mills, or disk mills to further homogenize samples to fine powder (e.g., -150 µm or finer).
• Perform riffle and rotary sample splitting to obtain representative sub-samples for assay, leaching, or metallurgical testing.
• Combine, bag, and inventory composite samples accurately according to test instructions or client specifications.
• Routinely lift, shovel, and handle bulk material (up to 50 lbs) for composites, agglomeration batches, or column leach charges.
• Maintain clean and calibrated equipment, including dust collection systems, crushers, and pulverizers to prevent contamination.
• Testing Support (30%) Assist in setting up, charging, and operating bench and pilot-scale leach tests (bottle rolls, column tests, vat leaching, etc.).
• Collect liquid and solids samples during leach cycles at designated intervals for solution assay, pH, dissolved oxygen, and cyanide concentration.
• Prepare and weigh reagents (cyanide, lime, acids, etc.) for solution chemistry and cyanide destruction tests.
• Laboratory Operations (10%) Clean and maintain work areas and ensure safe handling of hazardous materials per MSDS and safety procedures.
• Follow Quality Control / Quality Assurance (QC / QA) protocols for duplicate samples, blanks, and standards.
• Assist in data entry for sample tracking, assay reporting, or metallurgical balances.
• Safety and Compliance (10%) Follow safety practices and wear proper PPE when working in dusty, noisy, or chemical environments.
• Comply with OSHA standards, lockout / tagout procedures, and industrial hygiene protocols.

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