Description

Labourers in mineral and metal processing perform material handling, clean-up, packaging and other elemental activities related to mineral ore and metal processing. They are employed in mineral ore and metal processing plants such as copper, lead and zinc refineries, uranium processing plants, steel mills, aluminum plants, precious metal refineries, cement processing plants, clay, glass and stone processing plants and foundries.

Job Titles

• Asbestos worker – mineral processing
• Brick and tile kiln cleaner
• Core shop labourer – foundry
• Extrusion helper – primary metal processing
• Fibreglass oven charger helper
• Furnace loader – primary metal and mineral products processing
• Glass packer
• Lime kiln operator helper – mineral products processing
• Metal pourer helper
• Rolling mill worker – primary metal processing
• Salt screening labourer
• Tailings disposal labourer – primary metal processing

Main Duties

• Transport raw materials, finished products, scrap and recyclable materials throughout plant manually or using forklift or other powered equipment
• Feed conveyors, crushers and other equipment; open valves and start pumps; skim dross from furnaces; sort, stack, bundle and stamp materials; and perform other activities to assist process and machine operators in mineral ore and metal processing
• Clean work areas and equipment
• May assist with minor repairs and maintenance.

Workplaces

• Aluminum plants
• Cement manufacturing plants
• Clay, glass and stone processing plants and foundries
• Copper, lead and zinc refineries
• Precious metal refineries
• Steel mills
• Uranium processing plants

Work Environment

• Skin injury
• Standard safety equipment
• Dangerous chemical substances
• Indoors, not environmentally controlled
• Sound and noise
• Hazardous equipment, machinery, tools

Physical Demands

• Standing
• Handling material manually
• Bending or twisting the body
• Making repetitive motions
• Walking and running

Requirements

• Completion of secondary school may be required for some positions in this group.

Skills

• Equipment and Tool Selection
• Management of Material Resources
• Operation and Control
• Preventative Maintenance
• Quality Control Testing

Abilities

• Dynamic Strength
• Stamina
• Static Strength
• Trunk Strength
• Arm-Hand Steadiness

Personal Attributes

• Adaptability
• Collaboration
• Active Learning
• Concern for Others
• Analytical Thinking

Similar Occupations

• Supervisors, mineral and metal processing (92010)
• Machine operators, mineral and metal processing (94100)
• Foundry workers (94101)
• Glass forming and finishing machine operators and glass cutters (94102)
• Concrete, clay and stone forming operators (94103)
• Inspectors and testers, mineral and metal processing (94104)
• Metalworking and forging machine operators (94105)
• Machining tool operators (94106)
• Machine operators of other metal products (94107)
• Labourers in metal fabrication (95101)

Source: OaSIS