Over 250 people attended the Women in Mining award ceremony in Sydney in June, to highlight the efforts and achievements of women in the mining sector.
The event participants included representatives from the mining industry, the community and many Members of Parliament from the Government and Opposition, including the New South Wales Minister for Women, Bronnie Taylor; New South Wales Deputy Premier, Paul Toole; Shadow Minister for Women, Jodie Harrison; and Shadow Minister for Natural Resources, Tania Mihailuk.
New South Wales Minister for Women, Bronnie Taylor, congratulated the winners.
“These awards are a fantastic way of highlighting the efforts and achievements of women in mining. These incredible role models show young women and girls that there is so much potential for them in this industry,” Mrs Taylor said.
“We need more women to aspire to leadership positions in the New South Wales mining industry, now more than ever as we rebuild our economy following the COVID-19 pandemic.”
New South Wales Minerals Council CEO, Stephen Galilee, congratulated all of the winners and finalists.
“There are many incredible women in our New South Wales mining industry and these awards celebrate their achievements in a range of fields,” Mr Galilee said.
“From technology and innovation to engineering and trades, as well as in operational roles and running businesses, our award winners highlight the opportunities for women in mining, and showcase the career paths available in our sector.”
2022 New South Wales Women in Mining Awards Winners
Exceptional Woman
- Lyndsay Potts, Newcrest Mining – Cadia Valley Operations
Exceptional Young Woman
- Tamara Woods, Hetherington
Gender Diversity Champion
- Michelle Wetherell, CMOC – Northparkes Mines
Technological Innovation Award
- Emily Jaques, Newcrest Mining – Cadia Valley Operations
Outstanding Trade, Operator or Technician
- Casey Martin, Alkane Resources – Tomingley Gold Operations
Exceptional Woman in Mining winner Lyndsay Potts has forged an untrodden path in the resources sector, taking up postings and leadership positions where there had been no female predecessor.
Ms Potts was the first female Mine Manager at Cadia where her leadership brought significant health and safety improvements and saw Cadia East achieve a record 221 days without any recordable injuries.
Ms Potts has juggled an impressive career while raising three young children and has used her leadership role at Cadia to strongly advocate for women in mining, including in her role as Cadia’s Inclusion Leader.
Hetherington’s Tamara Woods, who was named New South Wales Exceptional Young Woman in Mining at the Awards ceremony, has become a highly sought after senior adviser in developing community consultation strategies for clients, assisting in navigating and enhancing negotiations between all interested parties for important mining and exploration projects.
Emily Jaques from Newcrest Mining’s Cadia Valley Operations received the Technological Innovation Award for developing the world’s first application of Hydrofloat™ technology for the recovery of sulphides. The Hydrofloat™ technology was used successfully in other applications, but this was the first use in a sulphide operation anywhere in the world.
Michelle Wetherell from CMOC-Northparkes Mines was awarded the Gender Diversity Champion Award for her work in overseeing the introduction of the company’s parental leave program which resulted in a 100 per cent return to work rate. Ms Wetherell championed more flexible work-life-balance for all employees, including overseeing the first job-share arrangement in an operational role. Ms Wetherell is also Northparkes’ representative on the Parkes Domestic Violence Committee.
The Outstanding Trade, Operator or Technician Award was presented to Casey Martin from Alkane Resources – Tomingley Gold Operations, a pioneer for women seeking to forge a career in mining. In her previous role at the CSA mine in Cobar, Ms Martin was the first woman on-site to gain a Blasting Explosives User Licence. In 2021, Ms Martin joined Tomingley Gold Operations as an Underground Bogger Operator, again breaking new ground as the first woman underground at the operation. Ms Martin was also recognised for her dedication to encouraging more women to take on non-traditional roles in the mining industry.
The winners in the five award categories will be entered into the Women in Resources National Awards.
