Purity Zungu
Richards Bay,South Africa
Summary
I am an accomplished Process Engineer with two decades in the heavy minerals industry, whereby I've gained both the cold and hot operations experience from the Fairbreeze Mine and CPC respectively. This exposure has equipped me with critical process knowledge and skills that have helped me in significantly advancing my background understanding of the Tronox operations' broader spectrum. It has also assisted me in acquiring a lot of leadership confidence due to various stakeholder collaborations established while experimenting with different plant projects and general process activities at the SPP, Furnaces and PWP. I am a very reliable, self-driven and committed individual who strives to always perform the utmost best of their duties and I take a lot of pride in effectively and efficiently executing my job responsibilities. I undoubtedly believe I have the necessary skills and strengths required to ensure I deliver flawless process outputs that will channel MSP to efficiently meet its' operational requirements and honor its' subsequent commitments to the Furnaces and respective external customers. I also possess very good people and coaching skills that are needed to build an informed and committed employee culture that will ensure excellent operational execution for stakeholders across all levels. Apart from focusing on optimizing operations, improving process quality and delivering production outputs through effective coaching and strategic troubleshooting, I am also very passionate about implementing sustainable initiatives and strategies that contribute in improving the overall organizational performance culture, operational adaptability and growth.
Overview
24
24
years of professional experience
Work History
Process Engineer
Tronox KZN Sands
06.2024 - Current
- Focus on achieving periodical production and process quality outputs, coaching operators.
- Efficient troubleshooting and diligent strategizing when solving process issues.
- Metallurgical Projects: Upping ROM throughputs while maintaining a balanced cyclone & spiral separation in order to produce high quality HMC and recoveries i.e. Project 1400 in 2019 and Project 2400 in 2025.
- Setting up the plant such that it can handle high feed throughputs with little effect of high %HS Mags in the HMC that may end up compromising the MSP circuits.
- Improving thickener underflow densities to maximize capacity on the RSF slimes dam.
- Preparing the current PWP setup to accommodate the projected high slimes 2068 tph throughputs for FBZ A and B mining projects.
- Implementation of the Thickener Settling Wizards around the PWP thickeners to optimize flocc consumption in order to save flocc.
- Running a density check campaign on the pump station ROM lines to collect data on an extended specified period to determine by how much were the densitometers off and calibrate on those offsets accordingly.
- Running Trommel Overflow Sample campaign to determine how much THM losses were incurred and thereafter establish if there's reasons to put effort recirculating the overflow for additional recoveries.
- Implementing Mine and PWP strategies to combat Trommel overflow issues due to slimes composition changes from FBA and B material.
- Spiral Test-work - Periodically taking spiral samples around the midds spiral section at different splitter settings such that there's controlled feed throughput and recirculation for lesser recovery losses after an increase was noticed due to the increased throughputs and Mag Others reporting to PWP.
- Doing some test work on different flocculent distribution screw feeders to increase the strength of the flocculent reporting to both Thickeners 1 and 2, subsequently saving flocculent wastage throughout the system.
- Tweaking the bed mass controller by decreasing the gain in order to avoid rapid uncontrolled speeding up of the PD pumps whenever the bed mass rises to prevent depleting the thickener beds from either of the thickeners.
- MTP Yield Benchmarking via MTP Slag Conditioner Trial and Phasing back of MTP Scrap Recycling.
- Extra: SHE Strategy HOP Program implementation, facilitation and drive initiative across FBZ Mine, SHAPED Supervision.
- Tronox is a global leader in the mining and production of titanium dioxide and other minerals.
PIT and Acting Experience as Process Eng. Lead
Tronox KZN
01.2021 - 01.2023
- Introduction to Business structure and Value chain
- Production Planning and Mineral Asset Management
- Recoveries Calculations
- Operator Training and Coaching
- Mine & Residue Storage Facilities operations
- Product control and quality management
- Metallurgical Engineering Techniques
- Product specifications
- Plant Optimization
- Process Control (SIC)
- Leadership & People Management
Secondment as Process Eng. Lead
Tronox KZN
01.2016 - 06.2020
- Cold and hot commissioning of the PWP and Residue Dam, Fairbreeze Mine & Primary Wet Plant operations
- Sample monitoring and quality control to ensure minimum downtime
- Heavy Mineral Extraction and Separation
- Research on causes and prevention of wear and erosion on the FCE refractory brick wear
- Sample quality analysis and studying the effects on the refractory brick wear
- Furnace Inventory Control
- Water Treatment Plant optimization
- Continuous monitoring and evaluation of the process systems
- Process Improvement and optimization
Process Controller
Tronox KZN
02.2002 - 11.2015
- Operating the DCS while monitoring and the quality results as set by the Mets, Parameter settings to balance quality, tonnage and ratio
- Report writing and preparations
- Continuous monitoring of the quality trends
- Troubleshooting and inspecting of the plant during start-up, normal and shut down operations
- Data capturing and analysis
- Work permits procedures
- Monitoring, troubleshooting and inspecting of Slag Processing Plant during for complex process systems
- Understand the job commitment aspect and a need for timeously yielding the expected results
- Adaptable and able to work well under pressure, individually or within a team
- Thirst to gain knowledge and seek to always learn and understand
- Impressive report writing, presentation and interpersonal skills
- Strive to provide effective support to stakeholder and management
- Good problem-solving skills and ability to think out of a box
- Enjoy researching new methods of executing actions
- Strong interest on new initiatives and implementation
- Excellent leadership skills
- Team Leadership and Management
- Communication Skills
- Client Relations
- Cross Boundary Networks
- Public Speaking
- Compliance and flexibility
- Able to work under pressure, individually or within a team
- Takes initiative and reliable
- Embrace challenges
- Growth Mindset and adaptable
- Pays attention to detail
- Tronox is a global leader in the mining and production of titanium dioxide and other minerals.
Education
PGDIPLOMA IN Business Administration -
UNISA
01-2024
BTech Degree in Chemical Engineering -
M.U.T.
01-2017
National Diploma in Chemical Engineering -
M.U.T.
01-2013
Senior Certificate -
Mlokothwa High School
01-1998
Skills
- Microsoft Office
- ASPEN
- SHEQ systems
- SAP ECC66
- Power BI
- Khronos and OMS
- LIMS Add-Ins
- Aspen Process Data Models
- Excel (Intermediate/Advanced)
- HIRA
- Detractor Elimination RCAs on A3
- HAZOP Studies
- PI Vision/PiDatalink
- Coaching and mentoring
- Ability to review, understand and provide simple and detailed analysis of complex problems
Accomplishments
- Secretary of the Tronox Women's Network/WIM Deputy Lead, 2018-2025
- Managing Director's Awards - Project 1400 Team, 2019
- Managing Director's Awards - Fairbreeze Kaizen Team, 2019
- Top Achievers' Breakfast Meeting with CEO - Jeff Quinn, 2020
- Spiral Recovery Improvement Project, 2019-2020
- CEO's Awards - SHE Strategy HOP - Our Journey to Resilience, 2023
- Site Director's Awards - Project 2400 Team, 2025
References
- Vongani Manyange, De Beers Venetia Mine, Musina, 079 530 5594, vongani.manyange@debeersgroup.com
- Namisha Sewdayal, Tronox KZN Sands, Empangeni, 060 567 6935, namisha.sewdayal@tronox.com
- Nonkululeko Buthelezi, Tronox KZN Sands, Empangeni, 084 470 9707, nonkululeko.buthelezi@tronox.com
Timeline
Process Engineer
Tronox KZN Sands
06.2024 - Current
PIT and Acting Experience as Process Eng. Lead
Tronox KZN
01.2021 - 01.2023
Secondment as Process Eng. Lead
Tronox KZN
01.2016 - 06.2020
Process Controller
Tronox KZN
02.2002 - 11.2015
PGDIPLOMA IN Business Administration -
UNISA
BTech Degree in Chemical Engineering -
M.U.T.
National Diploma in Chemical Engineering -
M.U.T.
Senior Certificate -
Mlokothwa High School