Superintendent, Underground Mine Engineering

The Great Bear project is a development-stage asset located in the renowned and prolific Red Lake mining district, and represents one of the most exciting recent gold discoveries globally.  The project has excellent potential to become a top-tier deposit that could support a large, long-life mine complex. Kinross’ comprehensive exploration and development program will aim to support the vision of a quality, high-grade, open-pit mine and a longer-term, sizeable underground mine.

Job Summary

The Underground Mine Engineer will provide day-to-day technical and operational engineering support to the Advanced Exploration underground program at the Great Bear Project.

The role will work closely with the AEX Underground Manager, Underground Superintendents, Geology, Geotechnical, Safety, Environmental, Project Controls and the underground development contractor to safely advance the twin decline development program and associated underground infrastructure.

This is a hands-on site role with a strong focus on short-range planning, development forecasting, contractor performance, underground design implementation, reconciliation and operational problem solving. The successful candidate will bring direct experience supporting underground mining operations and spend meaningful time underground validating field conditions and translating technical requirements into practical field execution plans.

Key Responsibilities and Duties

• Develop and maintain short-range underground development plans and forecasts, including 1-week, 2-week and 4-week outlooks for the North and South declines.

• Track actual development against plan, including:

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• metres advanced;

• rounds completed;

• advance per round;

• cycle performance;

• heading location;

• planned versus actual activities; and

• forecast completion of key underground milestones.

• Maintain clear heading-by-heading forecasts showing where each active face is expected to be at the end of each planning period.

• Support development sequencing and coordination of:

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• lateral development;

• intersections and sumps;

• secondary development;

• ground support;

• shotcrete;

• cable bolting;

• probe drilling; and

• underground infrastructure installation.

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• Review contractor daily and weekly plans and challenge assumptions regarding productivity, sequencing, equipment availability, manpower, services and constraints.

• Identify development constraints early and work with the underground team and contractor to develop practical mitigation or recovery plans.

• Develop and manage field execution work packs and work instructions that clearly define scope, sequencing, resources, technical requirements and critical controls for underground work.

• Develop scopes of work for underground development, infrastructure and additional work, including deliverables, interfaces and acceptance requirements.

• Complete regular underground inspections to verify:

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• development geometry;

• ground support installation;

• survey control;

• services;

• ventilation;

• dewatering;

• equipment access; and

• compliance with issued designs and standards.

• Coordinate closely with Survey to ensure development pickups, mark-ups, line and grade control and as-built information are completed in a timely manner.

• Support implementation and field verification of approved ground support standards, including changes to excavation geometry and support requirements.

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• Assist with technical review of drill and blast performance, including round design, achieved advance, overbreak, underbreak, re-blasts and opportunities to improve development cycle performance.

• Monitor and analyse development delays, including recurring causes of lost time, and support classification of contractor versus Owner impacts in accordance with the contract.

• Maintain development performance information suitable for weekly management review, including key trends, risks, constraints and forecast impacts.

• Support coordination and readiness of underground infrastructure, including:

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• ventilation;

• compressed air;

• process water;

• dewatering;

• electrical distribution;

• communications and fibre/leaky feeder;

• blasting infrastructure; and

• temporary and permanent underground services.

• Assist in development and maintenance of underground water management and dewatering plans and identify potential capacity or operational constraints before they affect development.

• Support coordination with Geology and Environmental teams regarding development-face information, probe drilling, geological mapping and mine-rock classification requirements.

• Assist with development and implementation of underground traffic-management, access and operational-control systems.

• Support underground risk assessments, operational readiness reviews and implementation of critical controls.

• Maintain and improve engineering tools, dashboards and models used to track:

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• development;

• schedule;

• contractor performance;

• infrastructure readiness;

• delays;

• equipment performance; and

• key operational risks.

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• Support commercial and contract administration by providing technical verification for:

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• completed development metres;

• unit-rate quantities;

• additional work;

• change requests;

• delay events; and

• contractor invoices.

• Assist with forecasting quantities and costs for additional underground scope such as shotcrete, modified ground support, infrastructure, electrical, mechanical, ventilation and dewatering work.

• Participate in daily underground coordination meetings and weekly contractor performance/planning meetings.

• Maintain clear engineering actions and follow through with responsible parties to ensure commitments are closed.

• Assist with preparation of weekly and monthly reports for AEX and senior project leadership.

• Provide technical input into future AEX work packages, underground infrastructure planning and transition planning between AEX and the Main Project.

• Support continuous improvement of the underground development cycle through analysis of operating data and direct observation underground.

• Provide technical mentorship and support to junior engineers, students and rotational employees as required.

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Safety Responsibilities

• Demonstrate visible leadership and personal accountability for underground safety.

• Regularly verify that field conditions remain consistent with the assumptions used in engineering designs and plans.

• Stop and reassess work when changes in ground conditions, equipment, access, design or operating conditions invalidate the original plan.

• Ensure engineering recommendations incorporate appropriate critical controls and practical field execution considerations.

• Participate in incident investigations, risk assessments and operational reviews as required.

• Work closely with the Underground Safety Superintendent and Underground Superintendents to identify and address emerging operational risks.

• Work in a healthy work environment with full support, cooperation, and commitment to satisfy our operation’s goal of being accident-free.

• Support a work environment that is aligned with Kinross’ Safeground principles.

• Comply with federal and provincial acts and regulations, and legal requirements.

• Adhere to all relevant Great Bear policies and procedures.

• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications and Skill Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Mining Engineering or a related engineering discipline. Eligible for registration as a Professional Engineer or Engineer-in-Training in Ontario.

Experience in several of the following would be particularly valuable:

• underground decline development;

• contractor-managed mining operations;

• short-interval or short-range planning;

• development-cycle analysis;

• underground infrastructure;

• ventilation and dewatering;

• ground support and shotcrete;

• drill-a