Geometallurgist

KoBold Metals is a mineral exploration company using AI to explore for the metals we need for our transition to a low-carbon economy. KoBold’s business is discovering, defining, expanding, and developing mineral resources, and KoBold’s objective is to achieve a step-change improvement in exploration success: we aim to discover more tier 1 resources, faster, and with fewer failures.

KoBold has a global portfolio of more than 50 exploration properties targeting nickel, copper, cobalt, and lithium, which range from 100%-owned to partnerships with both majors, junior explorers, and prospectors.

Our team includes the best of the industry in exploration geoscience, data science, software engineering, operations, and business personnel. Prior to joining KoBold, KoBold team members have made nearly 20 discoveries. Our exploration programs are co-led by our geoscientists and data scientists, who develop exploration hypotheses, rigorously quantify uncertainty in our understanding of the subsurface, and design data collection programs that most effectively reduce uncertainty, drawing upon a large suite of proprietary exploration technology built by our data scientists and software engineers. Our field programs validate and improve the system and have demonstrated material improvements over conventional exploration methods

KoBold is privately held and our investors include: institutional asset managers T. Rowe Rice and Canada Pension Plan Investments; technology venture capitalists Andreessen Horowitz, Bill Gates’s Breakthrough Energy Ventures, BOND Capital, Standard Investments, and Sam Altman’s Apollo Projects; and leading natural resources companies Equinor, Mitsubishi, and BHP.

KoBold is seeking an experienced Geometallurgist, with responsibilities spanning metallurgical assessment for investing into new projects through to leading the metallurgical work at the pre-feasibility and feasibility stages of projects. This role requires a deep understanding of geochemistry and metallurgical processing, particularly concerning commodities such as copper, nickel, lithium, and cobalt (with initial deposit type consisting of sediment-hosted copper, copper porphyries, nickel magmatic sulphides, and lithium pegmatites).

Key Responsibilities:

Develop, test, and optimize processing routes for various commodities, including:

• Treatment processes for copper sulphides and oxides.

  • Upgrading of nickel sulphides from low-grade ores to high-grade products, including extraction and purification processes.

  • Hydrometallurgical processing of nickel sulphides.

  • Advanced treatment methodologies for lithium pegmatites, focusing on minerals like spodumene, lepidolite, and petalite.

  • Techniques for refining lithium concentrate to achieve higher purity levels.

  • Efficient processing strategies for cobalt oxides and sulphides, aiming at producing high-quality intermediates or metal.

Manage metallurgical work for study-stage projects, including:

• Establishing metallurgical data collection programs

  • Identifying, vetting, selecting, and managing lab vendors

  • Identifying, vetting, selecting, and managing expert consultants

  • Drafting and/or reviewing key study reports pertaining to metallurgy

Perform metallurgical assessments for projects ranging from generative greenfield to mine development investments to existing operations, including:

• Geological, geochemical, and mineralogical analysis.

  • Evaluation of proposed processing flow sheets.

  • Development of capital and operational cost inputs for financial assessments.

  • Lead and collaborate with cross-functional teams to develop and implement innovative metallurgical processes and solutions.

  • Monitor the latest developments in geometallurgy and related fields.

An excellent candidate for this position should exhibit the following:

• Well versed in conventional and novel process flowsheets.

• Quick to recognize potential processing challenges due to ore chemistry.

• Strong analytical, diagnostic, and problem-solving skills, with an ability to think from first principles (e.g., develop bottom-up cost estimates and not rely on rules-of-thumb).

• Innovative mindset with a proven track record of developing novel solutions in metallurgical processes.

• Leadership and project management skills, with experience in leading multidisciplinary teams.

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to effectively communicate technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders.

Candidates are required to have the following:

• Master’s or Ph.D. in Geology, Geochemistry, Metallurgical Engineering, or a closely related field.

• Minimum of 5 years of experience in a relevant role within a mining process plant, research facility, or similar environment.

• Demonstrated expertise in the geochemistry and metallurgical processing of key commodities such as copper, nickel, lithium, and cobalt.

• Proficient in both conventional sulphide processing techniques and hydrometallurgical approaches.

• Experienced in process simulation software like MetSim or MetSmart.

KoBold Metals is an equal opportunity workplace and an affirmative action employer. We are committed to equal employment opportunity for people of any race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, or veteran status.

This position is full-time, exempt.

The US base salary range for this full-time exempt position is $130,000-$200,000.

Location: KoBold is a remote first workplace, we are open to candidates currently residing anywhere in the United States, Canada, Europe, and Africa.