Dangote Group is one of Nigeria’s most diversified business conglomerates with a hard – earned reputation for excellent business practices and products’ quality with its operational headquarters in the bustling metropolis of Lagos, Nigeria in West Africa.
Job Purpose
- The Head of Mines is the most senior technical and operational leader responsible for all quarry and mining activities at the Dangote Cement Limited Tanzania Limestone Mines located at Mbuo Village, Mayanga Ward, Mtwara Rural District. The mine holds Special Mining Lease SML 495/2013 (11.27 Sq.Km, Active — 2 Blocks) and three additional Mining Leases (ML 00616, 00617, 00618/2017) covering a total mineral rights area of 37.96 Km² with estimated limestone resources of 666,955,677 MT — sufficient to sustain the 3.0 MTPA cement plant for 187 years.
- The role is accountable for the safe, efficient, and cost-effective extraction of mix grade limestone (bench 8–10M), high grade (HG) limestone (bench 2.5–3M), and top red soil/clay from the multi-layer open cast deposit, together with systematic overburden removal of top red soil (0–2.5M), shale inter-burden (3–5M), and marl/sandstone layers.
- The Head of Mines oversees in-house drilling and blasting operations using the Flexiroc D60 drill fleet (150mm, rotary percussive), the full Dangote-owned HEMM fleet of 16 equipment types, crusher feed quality and throughput control, compliance with all Tanzania mining and environmental regulations (TMAA, MEM, NEMC, Tanzania Explosives Act), and long-term mine planning to ensure uninterrupted raw material supply to the plant.
Key Duties and Responsibilities
Mine Planning, Reserve Management & Licence Compliance:
- Develop and implement short-term (Daily/monthly/quarterly), medium-term (annual), and long-term (life-of-mine) mining plans for all active and future mining lease areas across Block 1 and Block 2 of SML 495/2013 and MLs 00616, 00617, and 00618/2017.
- Manage the orderly and systematic mining sequence across active blocks, ensuring adequate limestone bench exposure, inter-burden clearing, and raw material stockpile maintenance at all times.
- Maintain and regularly update mine reserve estimates using survey data, blast reconciliations, and geological assessments — protecting the 187-year long-term resource base.
- Coordinate with the Survey Engineer for regular bench profiling (particularly HG L.ST: 7M and feedable grade: 2M bench levels), topographic surveys, and volumetric production reconciliation.
- Ensure full statutory compliance and on-time reporting to TMAA and MM for SML 495/2013; actively support and monitor the process of formal licence issuance for ML 00616, 00617, and 00618/2017.
- Plan and initiate development of new mining blocks in advance to ensure seamless transition from SML 495/2013 to future Mining Lease blocks.
Limestone & Raw Material Extraction:
- Plan and supervise daily extraction of mix grade limestone, high grade limestone, and feedable grade material from the multi-layer open cast deposit across active mining faces.
- Manage the excavation of top red soil and its segregation and stockpiling at the dedicated Red Soil Shed for use as a raw material in cement manufacturing.
- Optimise the blending of mix grade and high-grade limestone at the crusher feed point to deliver consistent raw material chemistry (CaO, SiO₂, Al₂O₃, Fe₂O₃) as specified by the Quality Control and Production teams.
- Manage the controlled separation and disposal of shale inter-burden and marl/sandstone inter-burden layers to prevent dilution of limestone quality at the crusher.
- Ensure limestone production targets are achieved monthly — supporting the plant target of over 3.4 million tonnes per annum.
- Maintain adequate limestone, red soil, and raw material stockpiles at the crusher and plant stock pile areas at all times to prevent unplanned plant stoppages.
Overburden & Mine Development Management:
- Plan and execute systematic overburden removal — top red soil, shale inter-burden, and marl/sandstone layers — to maintain adequate exposure of mineable limestone benches well ahead of extraction.
- Develop a recovery programme to address the current overburden removal backlog (identified as a critical risk due to aging equipment prioritisation) and restore a minimum 12-month exposed reserve buffer.
- Manage overburden and reject material hauling to the designated Reject Site (approximately 2KM from active mining blocks), ensuring stable waste dump construction, compaction, and NEMC-compliant management.
- Monitor OB and development volumes monthly and report variances with corrective action plans.
- Balance HEMM fleet allocation between overburden removal and limestone production to maintain both targets simultaneously without compromising either.
- Manage top soil stripping, preservation, and stockpiling separately from waste overburden in compliance with NEMC environmental permits and mine closure plan requirements.
Drilling & Blasting Operations:
- Plan, supervise, and optimise all in-house drilling operations using the 2 × Flexiroc D60 drill rigs (150mm diameter, rotary percussive principle, average hole depth 6–10M depending on bench height) across limestone and overburden benches.
- Design blast patterns to achieve target powder factor: Burden (B) = 25–35 × drill hole diameter; Spacing (S) = 1.0–1.5 × burden; Explosive charging length = 2/3 hole length; Stemming = 1/3 hole length.
- Adjust drill patterns dynamically based on bench height, material hardness (limestone vs. shale vs. marl), and crusher performance feedback to minimise oversize boulders and Run-of-Mine (RoM) rejects.
- Control explosive consumption monthly to achieve budget targets without compromising fragmentation quality or crusher feed specification.
- Manage the on-site Explosive Magazine (located 2KM from active mining blocks) — explosive storage, inventory control, issue registers, access security, and periodic compliance inspections under the Tanzania Explosives Act and TMAA regulations.
- Manage procurement, transport, and storage of all explosive materials (ANFO, calcium ammonium nitrate, detonators, boosters) in compliance with all regulatory requirements.
- Coordinate pre-blast notifications and exclusion zones with the HSE team, plant operations team, and Mbuo Village community representatives.
- Investigate blast performance outcomes and implement continuous improvement in fragmentation quality and explosive efficiency.
HEMM Fleet Management & Availability:
- Ensure maximum operational availability of the complete 16-type Dangote-owned HEMM fleet (target: >= 85%) across all mining activities — excavation, loading, hauling, dozing, drilling, road maintenance, and support.
- Implement a rigorous Preventive Maintenance (PM) schedule for all HEMM — CAT, Komatsu, and Terex equipment — in coordination with the Mines Maintenance Supervisor/ HEMM Manager to prevent unplanned breakdowns.
- Monitor daily fleet availability, utilisation, and breakdown analysis; take immediate corrective action when operational fleet falls below required levels.
- Manage HEMM spare parts procurement (in coordination with HEMM head), inventory, and lead time reduction, drive a structured spares management system to reduce response time.
- Plan and submit CAPEX proposals for equipment replacement and new additions (e.g., Terex TR60 dump truck; CAT 349D excavator; Mobile Service Truck/Lube Van as per CAPEX plan).
- Drive structured skills development programmes (In coordination with HEMM head), for HEMM operators and mechanics (CAT, Komatsu, Terex equipment) to improve machine care, safe handling, and on-machine maintenance.
- Implement initiatives to reduce high employee attrition among experienced HEMM operators and mechanics — a critical operational risk at the mine.
- Monitor and control AGO (diesel) consumption across the fleet, through optimised fleet dispatch, haul route management, and idle-running reduction.
- Maintain haul roads and pit access roads using the Motor Grader and Compactor to ensure safe and efficient HEMM haulage operations at all times.
Crusher Feed Management & Raw Material Quality:
- Ensure consistent and uninterrupted limestone feed to the primary crusher at the target throughput of 900 TPH and within the required feed size specification to prevent crusher damage and downtime.
- Monitor and manage crusher running hours (target: >= 403 hrs/month) and work with the Production team to align feed schedules with plant production demands.
- Liaise daily with the Quality Control to verify limestone blend chemistry at the crusher feed point; adjust face selection and loading priorities to maintain specification.
- Investigate and resolve causes of crusher feed interruptions — oversize material from poor blast fragmentation, wet material during the rainy season, or haul road blockages.
- Coordinate with Wheel Loaders (CAT 980H and 988H) for crusher feed management and stockpile reclaiming operations.
HSE Compliance & Regulatory Management:
- Enforce the highest standards of Health, Safety, and Environment (HSE) across all quarry, blasting, and HEMM operations — targeting Zero Lost Time Injuries (LTI) at all times.
- Ensure full compliance with all TMAA and MM conditions under SML 495/2013 and coordinate proactively with TMAA/MM for all statutory inspections, returns, and licence management.
- Maintain all NEMC environmental permits covering dust suppression, noise and blast vibration control, water management, topsoil preservation, waste dump management, and community impact mitigation at Mbuo Village.
- Manage blast vibration monitoring near Mbuo Village; ensure pre-blast notifications, community warnings, and TMAA blast notification protocols are strictly followed before every blast.
- Manage the Explosive Magazine in full compliance with the Tanzania Explosives Act — access control, storage conditions, quantity limits, inventory registers, and periodic regulatory inspections.
- Conduct and maintain up-to-date risk assessments for all high-risk mining activities including blasting, slope stability, HEMM operations, explosive magazine management, and bench access.
- Manage slope stability monitoring and geotechnical inspections of all quarry benches, particularly the >5M HG limestone bench and the south face (marl + shale: 4M) observed in active mining areas.
- Ensure all mines personnel hold valid statutory competency certificates — Mine Blasting Certificate, HEMM operator certificates, and any other certificates required under Tanzania mining law.
- Investigate all incidents, near misses, and equipment damage events; implement root cause corrective actions and report to Plant Director and HSE Manager.
Geological Knowledge & Deposit Management:
- Maintain a thorough working understanding of the Mtwara limestone deposit stratigraphy: top red soil (0–2.5M), mix grade limestone bench (8–10M, CaO ~47.58%), shale inter-burden (3–5M), HG limestone bench (2.5–3M), and marl/sandstone inter-burden layers below.
- Work closely with the Geologist to update block models, track chemical variability across mining faces, and plan selective mining to maintain consistent raw mill feed chemistry.
- Leverage the 263-borehole exploration database (8,612 samples, 11,376.8 metres drilled) for mine planning, grade control decisions, and future reserve development across all four lease areas.
- Plan the timely development of ML 00616, 00617, and 00618/2017 blocks to ensure smooth transition as SML 495/2013 reserves are progressively mined out.
- Monitor limestone reserve depletion rates against the Life of Mine plan; trigger mine development actions when reserve cover falls below defined thresholds.
Cost Management & Budgeting:
- Prepare and manage the annual mines operations budget covering HEMM maintenance and spare parts, explosives, AGO, labour, haul road maintenance, and mine support services.
- Monitor and control mines cost per tonne of limestone and drive towards and below the benchmark through operational efficiency and cost reduction initiatives.
- Control explosive cost per tonne through blast design optimisation and competitive supplier procurement including evaluation of lower-cost explosive alternatives.
- Prepare monthly cost variance reports with root cause analysis and corrective action plans for Plant Director review.
- Evaluate and justify CAPEX investments for HEMM replacement and workshop infrastructure with payback analysis aligned to Dangote Group CAPEX/OPEX criteria.
Reporting, Community Relations & Stakeholder Management:
- Submit accurate daily, weekly, and monthly mines performance reports to the Plant Director covering production, OB removal, HEMM availability, blasting performance, powder factor, AGO and explosive consumption, and cost per tonne.
- Maintain all statutory records required by TMAA, MM, and NEMC: mine survey records, blast registers, explosives registers, HEMM maintenance logs, and environmental monitoring data.
- Manage constructive community relations with Mbuo Village, Mayanga Ward, and Mtwara Rural District stakeholders regarding blasting vibration, dust, noise, employment, and corporate social responsibility commitments.
- Represent the mines department at TMAA/MM statutory inspections, NEMC environmental audits, and Dangote Group management review meetings.
Team Leadership & Capability Building:
- Lead, manage, and develop the mines team: Quarry Manager/Shift Supervisors, Drilling & Blasting Engineer, Survey Engineer, Geologist/Raw Material Analyst, HEMM Fleet & Maintenance Supervisor.
- Build a safety-first, performance-driven culture with particular emphasis on blasting discipline, HEMM machine care, and production consistency.
- Design and deliver structured training programmes for Flexiroc D60 drill operators, Komatsu PC1250 and CAT excavator/truck operators, blasting crews, and shift supervisors.
- Drive targeted retention initiatives to reduce high employee attrition among HEMM operators and mechanics with deep fleet knowledge — recognised as a critical risk to mine productivity.
- Collaborate cross-functionally with Production, Raw Mill, Quality Control, Maintenance, Finance, Procurement, and HSE departments.
Qualifications and Experience
Educational Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s Degree in Mining Engineering — mandatory.
- Master’s degree in mining engineering, MBA, or Mine Management is an added advantage.
- Valid Tanzanian Mine Manager Certificate of Competency (TMAA/MM) is highly desirable.
- Formal blasting competency certification (Shot Firer / Blasting Engineer) is required.
- HSE certifications such as NEBOSH or IOSH are an added advantage.
Work Experience:
- 12–15 years in open cast / open pit mining with at least 5 years in a Head of Mines or senior management role.
- Proven experience in limestone quarry operations for a cement plant — multi-layer deposit geology, bench mining, selective grade extraction — strongly preferred.
- Demonstrated expertise in in-house drilling and blasting with pneumatic/rotary percussive drill equipment (Flexiroc D60 or equivalent).
- Strong background in large HEMM fleet management — CAT, Komatsu, and Terex equipment — covering availability, PPM scheduling, and breakdown management.
- Experience working with TMAA, MEM, and NEMC in Tanzania or a comparable mining regulatory environment is highly desirable.
- Explosives magazine management and Tanzania Explosives Act compliance experience is required.
- Prior experience in East Africa is a significant advantage.
Technical & Functional Skills:
- Deep knowledge of open cast multi-bench mining methods, deposit stratigraphy, slope stability, and selective mining for blended raw material supply.
- Strong expertise in rotary percussive drilling and blast design — burden, spacing, powder factor, stemming, fragmentation optimisation, and blast vibration management.
- Sound understanding of limestone deposit chemistry (CaO, SiO₂, Al₂O₃, Fe₂O₃) and raw material requirements for cement manufacturing.
- Mine planning and reserve estimation skills; mine planning software experience is an advantage.
- Strong HEMM fleet management — PM planning, availability tracking, MTTR/MTBF analysis, spare parts management.
- Financial acumen — budgeting, cost per tonne analysis, variance reporting, and CAPEX justification.
- Thorough knowledge of Tanzania mining laws, TMAA regulations, MM requirements, NEMC environmental standards, and Tanzania Explosives Act.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite; SAP experience is an advantage.
Behavioural Competencies:
- Strong field leadership with the ability to inspire and manage a large, field-based workforce in a remote, operationally demanding environment.
- Results-driven with clear focus on production targets, cost control, and safety performance simultaneously.
- Proactive risk manager — identifies threats to production or safety early and acts decisively.
- Excellent communicator across field operations, technical teams, and senior management.
- High integrity and unwavering commitment to safe mining practices, regulatory compliance, and community responsibility.