Wenzel Gaeseb
Analytical Chemist
Swakopmund,Erongo Region
Summary
Accomplished professional with a strong foundation in chemistry and metallurgical accounting and laboratory sampling and analysis, proficient in using advanced techniques such as XRF, AAS, ICP-OES, and FIRE Assay. Demonstrates exceptional skills in workforce management, problem solving, and clear communication. Known for integrity, trustworthiness, and a conscientious approach to safety awareness and routine planning. Adept at building rapport through professional interaction and confident patient engagement. Committed to maintaining high standards of quality through ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 compliance. Career goals include leveraging expertise in analytical techniques to drive innovation in metallurgical processes.
Overview
19
19
years of professional experience
13
13
years of post-secondary education
Work history
Superintendent Process Lab
Langer Heinrich Uranium Mine
Swakopmund, Namibia
08.2023 - 06.2025
- Company Overview: Mining, Analytical Laboratory Assays
- Metallurgical Accounting
- Supervise laboratory staff and manage daily testing operations.
- Updated technical knowledge through regular training programs.
- Facilitated contractor meetings to ensure project alignment.
- Encouraged open lines of communication, fostering a collaborative work environment.
- Ensure compliance with safety and environmental regulations.
- Implement quality assurance protocols for testing.
- Develop and optimize mineral analysis methods.
- Analyze data to provide insights for production.
- Oversee the laboratory budget and identify cost-saving opportunities.
- Train staff on procedures and foster professional development.
- Conducted equipment inspections for optimal functionality.
Chemist
Rossing Uranium Limited
Arandis, Namibia
12.2020 - 07.2023
- Company Overview: Mining
- Enhanced quality control with meticulous testing and analysis methods for sulphuric acid samples, plant samples and final product samples.
- Planned detailed experimental methodologies to achieve daily production reporting and certification of final product.
- Achieved improved laboratory safety by implementing rigorous chemical handling procedures.
- Managed inventory of chemicals and lab supplies, preventing shortages or excesses.
- Performed routine maintenance on lab equipment, maintaining optimal operational conditions.
- Completed method validation protocols, bolstering reliability of test results.
- Ensured compliance with all regulatory standards by regular audits and inspections.
Laboratory Manager
Setpoint Laboratories Limited
Swakop Uranium
08.2015 - 05.2019
- Company Overview: Mining, Analytical Laboratory Assays
- SetPoint Laboratories offer a comprehensive professional geo-chemical analysis, mineral processing services for the Swakop Uranium owned Husab Mine project in Erongo region on a three-year contractual basis.
- Manage a workforce of 84 people.
- Manage all operations at Husab Mine including technical and quality aspects.
- Assessing analytical results for QA/QC and implementation of corrective action where needed.
- Ensuring that safe procedures are followed.
- Ensure that analysis is conducted safely and within agreed turnaround times.
- Provided strong leadership to Shift Chemists and Laboratory operators and assistants with a focus on understanding how to do the task in a safe manner.
- Maintained sound industrial relations and discipline in the laboratory.
- Developed and maintain good relations with key individuals across the site.
- Managed lab equipment maintenance to ensure uninterrupted operations.
- Staff training, development and regular performance review.
- Commissioning of Laboratory.
- Providing professional services to Setpoint Fluid Handling and Analytics, Geology and the Processing Plant.
- Mining , Analytical Laboratory Assays
Senior Chemist
Rossing Uranium Limited
07.2011 - 01.2014
- Company Overview: Mining
- As a Head of the Research and Developmental laboratory management team, with the responsibility to control and undertook all relevant test work in the laboratory at Swakopmund.
- Developed Systems and implement them to work towards readiness of ISO17020 accreditation.
- Ensure compliance to SHEQ principles.
- Provision of technical skill in the following sections of the Analytical Service Department, Wet Chemical Laboratories, Solvent laboratories, Leach Laboratories, Water Laboratories, GC and GC/MS, ICP-OES and XRF laboratories and Final Product Laboratories.
- Ensure client expectations in terms of quality and turnaround times are exceeded.
- Adhere to occupational Health and Safety procedures and ensure compliance by all staff.
- Identification of areas of training needs and ensuring training implementation in the Laboratory is achieved.
- Perform final QC on all outgoing results to client.
- Method development and Validation.
- CEA writing and Project Management.
- Annual Budget Plan (ABP) preparation and cost control.
- Coaching and mentoring of subordinate teams.
- Mining
Senior Chemist
Bureau Veritas Mineral Laboratories
07.2010 - 06.2011
- Company Overview: Mineral Processing
- Provision of technical skill in the Wet Chemical Laboratories, Fire Assay, AA, ICP-OES and ICP-MS.
- Tasked to set up the lab facility from scratch including technical and operational staff recruitment.
- Development of all safe work procedures and Statistical Method Validation.
- Perform final QC on all outgoing results to client.
- Procurement, Commissioning and Operation of analytical instrument.
- Annual Budget Plan (ABP) preparation and cost control.
- Formal performance appraisals of subordinates and mentoring.
- Mineral Processing
Senior Chemist
Skorpion Zinc PTY Limited
10.2009 - 07.2010
- Company Overview: Mining
- I held a middle management position at Anglo Base Metals – Skorpionzinc –Namibia, an ISO 17025: 2005 accredited laboratory and fully automated an ISO 9001: 2000, OSHAS 18001 and ISO14001 certified company.
- To provide analytical services to the Refinery operational team and mine operations team by ensuring accurate results are reported on time.
- Maintain Laboratory Management Systems (ISO 17025) by periodically carrying out audits, participation in proficiency schemes, training of subordinates, using validated methods among others.
- Statistical Method development and validation of methods used in the routine analysis of samples.
- Installed online temperature monitors for all lab rooms to constantly monitor the temperature and instrument performance.
- Ensure that analysis are conducted safely and within agreed turnaround times.
- Inventory control of laboratory consumables.
- Responsible for ICP-OES as well as Wet Chemistry Laboratories.
- Provide strong leadership to Shift Chemists and Laboratory analysts with a focus on understanding how to do the task in a safe manner (32 staff in total).
- Maintain sound industrial relations and discipline in the laboratory.
- Develop and maintain good relations with key individuals across the site.
- Staff training, development and regular performance review.
- Mentoring graduate trainee Chemists and analysts.
- Preparation of QC reports and maintaining quality management records.
- Annual Budget Plan (ABP) preparation and cost control.
- Formal performance appraisals of subordinates and mentoring.
- To identify areas of training needs and ensure training implementation in the Laboratory is done.
- Mining
Acting Senior Chemist
Skorpion Zinc Pty Limited
03.2009 - 09.2009
- Company Overview: Mining
- I was employed in a middle management position at Anglo Base Metals – Skorpion Zinc –Namibia, an ISO 17025: 2005 accredited Laboratory and fully automated and ISO 9001: 2000, OSHAS 18001 and ISO14001 certified company.
- Maintained up-to-date knowledge on emerging trends in chemistry through continuous professional development courses.
- Attending to diverse and technically complex customer complaints and assisting the refinery personnel to resolve complaints timorously.
- Provided strong leadership to the entire laboratory staff with a strong focus on understanding the safest way to perform a task.
- Maintain Laboratory Quality Assurance and Quality Control systems.
- Method development and method validation.
- Continuous improvement of analytical and sampling methods including method validation.
- Ensure Laboratory instruments are serviced and calibrated according to the scheduled time frames.
- Ensured analyses are performed within defined ranges of precision and accuracy.
- Ensured the laboratory aligns with the vision and objectives of the division.
- Maintained a sound industrial relations in the Laboratory.
- Responsible for building and maintaining a cohesive and motivated team.
- Mining
Graduate Chemist
Skorpion Zinc Mine (Pty) LTD
08.2008 - 02.2009
- Company Overview: Mineral Processing
- I held a junior management position at Anglo Base Metals – Skorpionzinc –Namibia, an ISO 17025: 2005 accredited Laboratory and fully automated an ISO 9001: 2000, OSHAS 18001 and ISO14001 certified company.
- Training on ICP-OES, AA, XRF and Polarography instruments.
- Assisting Senior Chemist in testwork and minimizing downtime.
- To ensure Laboratory instruments are serviced and calibrated according to the schedule.
- Attending to customer complaints.
- Any other duties assigned by the Laboratory Manager.
- Mineral Processing
Metallurgical Laboratories Supervisor
Namdeb Diamond Corporation
07.2007 - 07.2008
- Company Overview: Mining
- Coordinate, control and managing laboratory function and equipment operation to provide reliable, accurate and timeous analytical results.
- Performing metallurgical testwork.
- Ensuring strict adherence to Metallurgical standards.
- Handling market complaints by customers.
- Responsible for building and maintaining a cohesive and motivated team.
- Managing the scope, time and budget of envisioned metallurgical projects.
- Mining
Consultant
Risk-Based Solutions
06.2006 - 10.2006
- Company Overview: Geoenvironmental
- Tasked to Carry out Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) studies for proposed Cheetah Cement Project.
- EIA Baseline Studies.
- Writing up socio-economic aspect of EIA report and assisted with the presentations of the final draft to all stakeholders.
- Geoenvironmental
Education
BSc (Chemistry, Molecular & Physiological Bio) - Chemistry and Molecular Biology
University of the Namibia
01.1997 - 12.2001
BTh -
South African Theological Seminary (SATS)
Johannesburg 08.2015 - 12.2020
MSc. - Metallurgical Engineering
University of Namibia
Ongwediva, Oshana 01.2022 - 10.2024
Skills
- Professional
- Personable
- Service oriented
- Persuasive
- Articulate
- Workforce management
- Clear communication
- Logical reasoning
- Problem solving
- Rapport building
- Professional interaction
- Patient interaction
- Confident interaction
- Self-motivated
- Independent work
- Team player
- Conscientious
- Deadline management
- Attention to detail
- Integrity
- Trustworthiness
- Safety awareness
- Routine planning
- Time management
- Metallurgical Accounting Software (MICORE)
- Water Analysis Techniques
- XRF
- Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS)
- ICP-OES
- Polarography
- Voltametry
- Spark Optical Emission Spectroscopy (OES)
- Leco Carbon and Sulphur analyses
- Auto-titrators
- UV/Vis Spectrometer
- HPLC
- GC
- FIRE Assay
- LIMS
- ISO 14001
- ISO 9001
- OSHAS 18001
- SANS ISO 17020 implementation
Custom
- Gas Chromatography Training, Thermo Scientific JHB, 2016
- XRF Training PCC (JHB), 2016
- ICP and GLP at SetPoint (JHB), 2016
- Gas Chromatography Training, Thermo Scientific JHB, 2015
- Failure Analysis in Engineering (University of the Witwatersrands-2004)
- Concurrent Product Development (University of the Witwatersrands-2004)
- Environmental Engineering Topics (University of the Witwatersrands-2005)
- Coal and the Environment (University of the Witwatersrands-2005)
- GLP and ISO 17025, 2012 & 2016 JHB, SetPoint Laboratories
- Varian ICP Training 2010, JHB
- Project Management
- Presentation Skills
- Fire Assay Fundamentals
- XRF training course, 2010
- Situational Leadership Course 2009
- Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS)- CCLASS 2009
- Theory of Sampling Course, 2009, JHB
- ISO 17025 : 2005 including internal auditing. (2007)
- Quality Management Systems (QMS) ISO9001: 2000
- Environmental Management Systems ISO 14000 (EMS)
- Effective Time Management
- Basic Training Concepts
- General Safety, Health and Environmental (SHE) Training (NOSA)
Timeline
Superintendent Process Lab
Langer Heinrich Uranium Mine
08.2023 - 06.2025
MSc. - Metallurgical Engineering
University of Namibia
01.2022 - 10.2024
Chemist
Rossing Uranium Limited
12.2020 - 07.2023
BTh -
South African Theological Seminary (SATS)
08.2015 - 12.2020
Laboratory Manager
Setpoint Laboratories Limited
08.2015 - 05.2019
Senior Chemist
Rossing Uranium Limited
07.2011 - 01.2014
Senior Chemist
Bureau Veritas Mineral Laboratories
07.2010 - 06.2011
Senior Chemist
Skorpion Zinc PTY Limited
10.2009 - 07.2010
Acting Senior Chemist
Skorpion Zinc Pty Limited
03.2009 - 09.2009
Graduate Chemist
Skorpion Zinc Mine (Pty) LTD
08.2008 - 02.2009
Metallurgical Laboratories Supervisor
Namdeb Diamond Corporation
07.2007 - 07.2008
Consultant
Risk-Based Solutions
06.2006 - 10.2006
BSc (Chemistry, Molecular & Physiological Bio) - Chemistry and Molecular Biology
University of the Namibia
01.1997 - 12.2001
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