Awards celebrate women in mining and quarrying

Kirsty Hollis, right, and Anita Wise from Access Minerals.

A water management engineer and an alluvial gold assistant mine manager, both from the South Island’s West Coast; a Waihī principal metallurgist; and a health and wellbeing manager from Blenheim are the four winners of the mining and quarrying industry awards presented in Christchurch.

Straterra, AQA and MinEx hosted the Komatsu New Zealand Women in Extractives lunch and awards ceremony.

A new award, the Access Minerals Limited Extractives Trailblazer, went to Kirsty Hollis, principal metallurgist with OceanaGold Corporation, based in Waihī.

Hollis has spent more than 35 years in the mining industry and in that time has knocked off a number of “firsts”, including being the first woman to graduate with a Bachelor of Mineral Processing degree from Auckland University in 1988 (she also holds an MBA from Deakin University); first female metallurgist hired at what is now OceanaGold’s Macraes Operation; and first female process manager at Waihī Gold.

“When she started in the late 1980s, it was illegal for women to work in underground mining in New Zealand,” an awards spokesperson said.

“Mining has taken her to jobs around the world, and her trailblazing experience is used to mentor those who follow in her footsteps.”

Emerging star

Ruby Johnston, right, and Verna Niao from MITO.

Ruby Johnston won the MITO Emerging Star award for her work as assistant mine manager at BRM Developments’ alluvial gold operation at Lake Ianthe on the West Coast.

“Ruby is a self-motivated go-getter who worked her way to an A-grade mine manager qualification quickly, and she is the assistant mine manager, alongside owner-operator Andrew Birchfield,” a spokesperson said.

“She can operate all the machinery at Lake Ianthe, the largest alluvial mine in New Zealand, and to be managing such an operation at age 32 is a testament to her natural leadership, attention to detail, diligence, and problem-solving skills.

“Ruby works to get the best out of people around her, enabling them to realise their full potential.”

A drive to improve

Jodie Murray, right, and Samantha McNaughton from Hanga-Aro-Rau Workforce Development Council.

Jodi Murray was named Hanga-Aro-Rau Workforce Development Council Leader of the Year for her “outstanding leadership, vision and dedication” in the field of water management for Bathurst Resources at Stockton on the West Coast.

“Her technical skills and drive to protect and improve the environment are backed by leadership skills that see her sharing her extensive knowledge to lead and inspire her team to success,” a spokesperson said.

“Her strong interpersonal skills mean she has a pivotal role in coordinating with stakeholders, and one of her standout qualities is her ability to work effectively with a diverse workforce.

“She balances technical expertise with exceptional people skills, alongside her commitments to family and her community.”

Diversity

Jo Prigmore, right, and Wayne Scott from MinEx.

Jo Prigmore, national manager, health and wellbeing for Fulton Hogan in Blenheim, won the Kristy Christensen Memorial Award for being a diversity champion.

“Jo takes a holistic approach and puts people at the heart of everything,” a spokesperson said.

“She has created a safety manual called Living Safely, which is easy for all staff to read and understand. She pushed Fulton Hogan to employ their own nurses, providing early intervention for injuries, which reduces time off work.

“She cares about the wellbeing of staff and has introduced a number of measures to ensure that, including health monitoring and heart checks, as well as managing fatigue and promoting a good diet and staying hydrated.

“Jo has also helped implement Mates in Construction, an external support system for mental health concerns.”

“We were overwhelmed by the number and quality of nominations for these awards – 27 entries – so we wanted to acknowledge every one of them,” said AQA and MinEx chief exeutive Wayne Scott.

“The winners lead quite outstanding fields.”

“Women are a minority in the mining and quarrying industries, so it is important to acknowledge those who are stepping up,” Straterra chief executive Josie Vidal said.

Infometrics figures show that of the 5257 people who work in the mining and exploration sector, 8.6% or 450 are women.

Of the 2215 people who work in the quarrying sector, 14.4% or 318 are women.

“From trailblazers who have paved the way to emerging stars who impress their employers every day, these are inspiring women who make us proud to be in this industry and to be part of these awards,” Vidal said.