This unit of competency covers the skills and knowledge required to operate a blast furnace. The blast furnace will typically be used in an industrial scale metalliferous processing facility. Blast furnaces, in common with smelters, have a solid feed and a molten product produced by a reduction reaction. However, they operate with a counter current blast of hot air and reductant gases. This unit of competency applies to iron, lead and copper blast furnaces. However, it may be applied to other metals and ores with appropriate contextualisation.This unit of competency applies to operations technicians who are required to demonstrate a significant understanding of the process and the equipment operation in order to identify and rectify operational problems, determine and apply the raw materials feed, contribute to start-up and shutdown processes, and operate and monitor equipment.This unit of competency applies to an individual operating independently in a plant with local control or in liaison with the control room operator in a plant with a centralised control panel, such as distributed control system (DCS) type controls. In the case of large complex plant, the operations technician would be part of a team during start-up and shutdown procedures. This unit of competency applies to an individual working alone or as part of a team or group and working in liaison with other shift team members and the control room operator, as appropriate.This competency does not require the operation of a central control panel. No licensing, legislative or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of publication.