Award marks the change in Sabina's world
March 9 - 15, 2010
IN THE words of Margaret Mead, “never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has”. This has been the motto of Sabina Shugg, the founder of Women in Mining Western Australia (WIMWA) who was this week named Women in Resources Champion at the inaugural Chamber of Minerals and Energy of Western Australia’s Women in Resources Awards.
Smyth relishes diversity of work
October 26 - November 1, 2009
ERICA Smyth isn’t one to do things by halves. Five weeks into her first job as a graduate geologist, in Newman, Western Australia in 1974, Smyth was dramatically flown out of the small town by the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) after discovering she had type 1 diabetes.
Canada gets going on a WIM
October 26 - November 1, 2009
A better-than-expected turnout at the Women in Mining (WIM) Canada’s inaugural networking event held in Toronto last week was a good indication of the need for a supportive vehicle for women in the industry, according to group president MaryAnn Mihychuk.
An educated guest
October 5 - 11, 2009
AS A young girl growing up in Egypt, Neveen Moussa never dreamed of working overseas, let alone as a financially independent successful businesswoman.
Conference highlights growing role of women in mining
September 14 - 20, 2009
WHEN Toro Energy chairperson Erica Smyth attended her first mining conference as a young geologist 30 years ago, seeing just one other woman in the room was exceptional. But when she addressed the inaugural Women in Mining and Resources Western Australia (WIMWA) conference last Friday in Perth she said it was “exciting” to see about 250 female faces staring at her from around the room.
Choices provide opportunities, either way
August 31 - September 6, 2009
A CAREER in mining has given Karin Baxter a real perspective on how to achieve balance between working as a full-time professional, and a fulfilling family life, and allowed her to form a vision for the future of women in mining. It has even helped her overcome a fear of heights.
Board roles there for the taking
July 27 - August 2, 2009
A DIRECTOR of more than 20 companies, and currently chairperson of Northern Shipping and Stevedoring, Karen Read has first-hand experience of the dismal number of women in seats at Australian boardroom tables.
Osborne, Isa and Alice
July 20 - 26, 2009
ALICE Clark, a geologist for 25 years, has some simple advice for graduates in the field she originally saw as more exciting than marine biology. But it might not be what you’d expect from someone who has spent most of her career in outback Queensland, the past seven running her own geological consultancy out of Mount Isa.
Striking coal in a Kalimantan jungle
July 13 - 19, 2009
CHERIE Leeden is looking forward to celebrating a major milestone next year when the first barge of coal from Strike Resources’ Berau thermal coal project in East Kalimantan floats down the Segah River. She has overseen the project from its infancy, and takes a lot of pride in what has been achieved.
Rio advisor says women need to mean business
July 6 - 12, 2009
THERE has never been a better time for women to enter the mining industry, according to Women in Mining and Resources Queensland (WIMARQ) chair Jo-Anne Dudley, and perhaps also to become leaders in the sector’s still male-dominated upper echelons.
Networking vital to mining retention
June 22 - 28, 2009
RAISING the profile of women in the mining industry has been a career-long duty for Donna Frater. Now as chair of an Australian national networking committee, she is in the driver’s seat to continue the reforms she sees as vital to achieving greater diversity in the mining sector workforce.
Daley challenges change with role switch
June 15 - 21, 2009
GRADUATING as a geologist in 1985 when the mining industry was in the doldrums wasn’t an ideal start point but it is perhaps testament to Lynda Daley’s character that this didn’t upset the pursuit of her chosen career for long.
On the move
May 18 - 24, 2009
A DISGRUNTLED exercise physiologist, Michelle Osborne decided to expand her horizons by travelling and working in Canada for a year. However, the overseas sojourn did not completely whet her appetite for a career change. It wasn’t until she came back to her home in Queensland and heard the mining industry was recruiting workers that the idea of becoming a haul truck driver entered Osborne’s head.
Balancing act
May 11 - 17, 2009
A PASSION for the mining industry, a love of geology and a strong will to succeed have been the main drivers behind Peta Libby’s success in the once male-dominated exploration consulting world.
Energy and a passion for change
April 27 - May 3, 2009
JULIE Griffin is used to being the only female among her electrician colleagues. While she admits there are hurdles integrating into an all-male arena, they are certainly not insurmountable, and she is baffled why more women aren’t completing trades, particularly in the mining industry where the rewards – both financially and professionally - are great.
Collins a model for women in mining
April 6 - 12, 2009
MARCH 30: BELIEVED to be the first female mining engineer to work in Australia and one of only two women to manage a Queensland mine, Sandra Collins was again in the spotlight in March when she won the Resources Award for Women from the Queensland Resources Council.
A job finding the right balance
March 8 - 14, 2009
AN advocate for part-time working arrangements in the mining industry, Deb Lord is a shining example of how a professional can balance her own career development while juggling family commitments.
Proving her worth
February 9 - 15, 2009
A MOVE from stockbroking into the industrial relations arena has proved a successful career transition for Cathy Hume, and also one that was perhaps her destiny. As head of a Toronto-based investor relations firm, Hume has closely followed in the footsteps of her mentor father, who founded his own resources company and was closely involved with the lobbying for flow-through share incentives for the Canadian exploration sector.
A change of direction
February 2 - 8, 2009
IT’S been a busy three years for Debbie Goodin. Heading Coffey International’s mergers and acquisitions team, she has overseen more than 12 deals in that time. Now as director of operations Goodin will focus her attention on leveraging off that platform and leading the company through a very different marketplace.
Fresh approaches needed for new outcomes
January 19 - 25, 2009
KAYE Butler isn’t surprised the number of females in executive and director roles in Australia hasn’t increased in recent years. In fact, latest figures show numbers have fallen.
Charting a different course
December 8 - 14, 2008
HAVING abandoned a family tradition of pursuing a naval career, South African-born Karen Sonnekus says she does not regret choosing her vocation. An associate geotechnical engineer with Coffey Mining in Melbourne, Sonnekus is settled into a career path in mining, and life in Australia.
Nelson sees further upside for Cat Underground
October 20 - 26, 2008
BUSINESS is booming for Caterpillar Underground Mining. And the woman in charge of maintaining that growth, and the well-known brand’s penetration into world markets, Tami Nelson, sees significant opportunities for further improvement.
Mentors will help next generation, says Thiess boss
September 29 - October 5, 2008
A PUNT on promoting a human resources manager to operations manager of its largest mining contract at that time has certainly reaped rewards for both Thiess and Simone Wetzlar. That was eight years ago and after several further management roles Wetzlar is now chief operating officer for Thiess’ new business unit, Thiess Australian Mining.
Pressure mounting on miners to diversify
September 22 - 28, 2008
BHP Billiton senior executive Megan Clarke is the latest woman to land a top corporate job in Australia. She will head Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO from January next year. The gender barrier is falling, albeit slowly, says Newmont executive Christine Charles, and it’s time for mining companies to take greater notice.
Finding the right balance
September 1 - 7, 2008
AS a former lawyer and member for Kalgoorlie and now a registered lobbyist, Megan Anwyl knows a thing or two about political and government agendas.
Blast that got things started
August 18 - 24, 2008
SINCE she first flicked the initiation switch to set off a shaft blast, Kate Sommerville has been hooked on mining engineering. Now a principal mining engineer with BHP Billiton, Kate Sommerville wants to “make a difference” in the industry, starting with helping to modernise its image.
Moving to the next level
July 28 - August 3, 2008
THROUGH mergers and takeovers, Rebecca Kellam has experienced the highs and lows of a company transformation over the past 13 years. Employed by Surpac in 1995 when it was still an owner-run business, and now by Toronto-listed Gemcom Software International (which this month was acquired by three private equity firms), Kellam is relishing the change of dynamics.
Path starts at Forrest
July 14 - 20, 2008
BRONWYN Barnes did not follow a typical path into the mining boardroom. Her start in the industry came only nine years ago when she joined Anaconda Nickel under Andrew Forrest – a “wonderful introduction to the mining industry”.
Energy to burn
June 16 - 22, 2008
KATE Hobbs seems to have found a niche in the mining industry. From her graduate days with the Australian Atomic Energy Commission, to co-founding uranium exploration company Hindmarsh Resources, and now running Uran Limited, her focus has never strayed too far from a certain radioactive element.
Balancing the books
June 9 - 15, 2008
WHEN well-known Sydney lawyer and serial board member David Gonski said at last month’s Women on Boards’ (WOB) inaugural conference in Sydney that “he had never really thought about” the corporate gender imbalance, it perhaps said a lot more than he intended about how far the pendulum hasn’t swung.
Stream sample still low on diversity
May 26 - June 1, 2008
THE former chairwoman of the AusIMM’s WIMnet group (Women in Mining network) says mining companies luring women into the industry is “flavour of the month” but not necessarily due to a fundamental shift in recruitment attitudes. Rather, it’s due mainly to the current skills shortage, she says. Not that that’s a bad thing.
Mixed roles suit engineer
May 19 - 25, 2008
TONI Sorensen has worked in a diverse range of roles and mine environments – underground metals, opencut coal, contract mining – since graduating from the University of Queensland in 1995 with a Bachelor of Engineering (Mining) degree. Now she’s exposed to all of them at once.
Warm response to mining in Peruvian district
May 12 - 18, 2008
AN EMPHASIS on social and environmental responsibility is paying dividends for Peru-focused explorer, Candente Resource Corp. Spearheaded by dynamo chief executive, Joanne Freeze, the company is enjoying the fruits of successful financing, strong drilling results and a supportive local community.
Redefining gravity
May 5 - 11, 2008
AUSTRALIA’S mining supply and service sector offers the employment – and diverse range of – opportunities for young people that the mining industry itself affords, according to the managing director of successful growth story Gekko Systems, Elizabeth Lewis-Gray. But the sector is suffering from a lack of visibility and recognition, she says.
The right formula
April 28 - May 4, 2008
WHEN she graduated in the mid-1990s, the mining industry was at rock bottom and jobs – and good pay – were scarce for engineers. But as one of the top chemical engineering students just out of the University of Newcastle, Sharna Glover was soon picked up by BHP Billiton where her career has flourished.
Clear drivers for resilient Binns
April 21 - 27, 2008
WHEN analyst Vicky Binns studied mining engineering at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) in the 1980s she was one of eight women who started the course. By the end of her first year, she was the only female still enrolled. Her resolve, for which she is renowned, has remained with Binns through a career in which she has forged a reputation as one of the best resources analysts in the field.
Bloom has mixed view of changes
April 14 - 20, 2008
WHEN Lynda Bloom presented a paper 15 years ago on the lack of women in senior management roles in the mining industry, she had such low expectations of a successful mining career she was contemplating a new course. Luckily she didn’t. These days she heads promising Canadian exploration company, Halo Resources.
A change of direction
April 7 - 13, 2008
GETTING a mine to a fully automated stage is just one task on Olga Sawtell’s ‘to-do’ list. She and her team at the University of Sydney’s Australian Centre for Field Robotics (ACFR) have already established an automated container terminal (in Brisbane, Queensland), among other applications, and with her attention now directed at the mining industry there seems little doubt about the end result.
Exploring new frontiers part of challenge
March 31 - April 6, 2008
PARAMOUNT Mining’s Maureen Muggeridge said last year: “I just get on with my job and I happen to be a woman.” It’s a creed also observed by Nanette Anderson, the managing director of Jaguar Minerals. A high achiever, Anderson does not see any obstacles on her career path, but she concedes she might be one of the lucky ones.
Scotland enthused by Saudi minerals
March 17 - 23, 2008
A CHANCE meeting a couple of years ago with the mining industry’s now highest profile woman, Cynthia Carroll, helped convince Ines Scotland that she could lead the first Australian resources company with prospects in Saudi Arabia to list on the Australian Securities Exchange, taking it from a specialist services firm to one with major prospects of its own.
