31 Aug CELEBRATING WOMEN IN MINING

Posted at 09:41h in News From Minopex by

By Minopex

 

According to McKinsey, women represent an estimated 8 to 17 per cent of the global mining workforce and opportunities for more gender equality continue to arise. Leanie Naude, Technical Manager at Minopex, believes women are becoming indispensable assets within mining teams, a profound transformation for the industry.

Traditional challenges in a modern world

 

We may be well into the 21st century, and we have certainly taken big strides in diversity and inclusion, but there is still some way to go to mitigate gender bias in the workplace.

“Often, women won’t be asked to consult on technical aspects of the job. It will be the task of their male counterparts and tends to drive a deeper need for recognition,”

said Leanie.

“Gaps in equality are also not limited to cognitive preconceptions but also extend to physical misperceptions.”

“Often, women won’t be asked to consult on technical aspects of the job. It will be the task of their male counterparts and tends to drive a deeper need for recognition,”

said Leanie.

“We embrace the opportunity to professionally learn and develop through the process of identifying faults and finding solutions,” she said.

Female perseverance and the Minopex difference

Naude’s advice to women who are either working in or thinking of entering the sector is to attack the job with determination.

“Be relentless, push yourself into the cliques and, when you’re in, make your value known,” she said.

“The more women show up at breakdowns, in meetings, during a brainstorming session, the faster we will build knowledge, demonstrate our value, and illustrate the skills we can bring to the table. Soon seats for female staff will be exclusively reserved at the table.”

Minopex is an organisation that lives its values and acknowledges the diversity of its workforce as a strength. Leanie Naude has worked with Minopex for 13 years and has been witness to a dramatic and smooth shift in perceptions.

 

“Within my tenure, I have seen men in the industry dramatically shift their preconceived notions and embrace the idea of women in mining.”

 

“With an open-minded approach, the sector is now recognising women’s technical abilities.

 

“I’m also encouraged to see women supporting each other, rather than competing for a single position open to a female in the business,” she said.

The role of women in the future of mining  

Thinking about the exciting prospects that the future of mining holds for women, Naude notes that innovation is opening even more doors for women in the industry. Naude holds great optimism for this shift, especially as she witnesses some female Minopex graduates rising within the organisation.

“I’m also encouraged to see women supporting each other, rather than competing for a single position open to a female in the business,” she said.

“Minopex recognises the talents and skills of its female workforce. In the months and years ahead, with a drive towards a greener tomorrow, I am confident that we’ll see a more equitable balance in safety and environmental personnel at all levels of authority. And, with the explosion of artificial intelligence and automation, I anticipate that same balance to be seen underground and in surface operations where physical strength may have before been a constraint,”

Leanie concludes.