On International Women’s Day the annual QRC/WIMARQ Women in Resources Awards were held. We caught up with the winners to find out where they got their start, what challenges they’ve overcome along the way, and what they think still needs to change for women in the mining industry.

Exceptional Woman in Queensland Resources – Sonia Winter

Sonia is the Head of Resource Engineering Excellence at BHP, and her career began 20 years ago when she was one of the first women employed through BHP’s graduate mining engineer program. She spent many years working in CQ as a mining engineer and now leads an expert team focused on global mine planning and closures, due diligence and governance. She is actively involved in mentoring and other programs to encourage women to join and succeed in the resources sector.

I initially wanted to move into a corporate job and embrace city life, having come from a small country town, however I soon realised I had an innate desire to remain close to the land and mining seemed like a good fit for all my personal drivers and values. I have stayed in the industry for my whole career as I love the people that I get to work with and help support in achieving their goals. I love being able to technically work on innovative and sustainable solutions “today” that will support a harmonising strategy for people and our planet into the “future”.

The biggest challenge has been finding my voice in an overt manner when it comes to leading female empowerment. Being a minority in the coal mining industry in the early 1990s, it was all about fitting in and being “one of the boys”. It wasn’t until my daughter hit her late teenage years that I realised I had to be more proactive in changing the culture and workplace environment. I had to stand up, lean in and be that leadership example for younger females entering and developing in the mining industry and those looking for a mentor and support in their career path planning. 

If I could change one thing it would be removing the limitations women place on ourselves. Women, including myself, have traditionally needed to tick every box on the capability checklist before even contemplating throwing our hat in the ring for a job promotion. To be a trailblazer and a force for change, we need to be bold, courageous, and confident. In the words of Wayne Gretzky, “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take”.

Exceptional Young Woman in Queensland Resources – Ashara Moore

Ashara is a FIFO engineer who works at BHP’s Saraji coal mine in Dysart. After starting her career as the sole engineer on construction projects in remote areas, Ashara’s technical abilities saw her progress quickly through the ranks to now head a team of engineers as Portfolio Lead, accountable for the delivery of over $45 million in capital projects. Ashara aims to encourage more women and young people into the resources sector by sharing her experiences.

I’m a civil engineer and I also have an environmental science degree. I love the environment. I started in project engineering and that took me all over the country with QH&M Birt. I jumped over to BMA to pursue more project management and over time as I built up my project management skills, I found that I really enjoyed people and leadership more than I liked technical engineering and project management and that’s how I landed in portfolio management.

I think the biggest change makers are going to come from within the sector. If you’re within it and you understand how it works and you understand what the real problems are at that root cause, you have more opportunity to actually make a difference.

For me personally, inclusion and diversity is about developing an environment in which the opportunity for success is equal to all; regardless of background. It is about founding a workplace in which people’s strengths are applauded, and their weaknesses are supported to become strengths, without prejudice. I implore everyone to remember that we can find strength in those around us. It is the summation of our greatness, not our individualism, that will enable the changes we want to see.

Exceptional Tradeswoman/Operator /Technician in Queensland Resources – Tanya Olive

After starting in the sector 16 years ago in an administrative role, Tanya is now an Operations Trainer/Assessor & Step Up Supervisor for the Jellinbah Group. She has embraced every opportunity to develop her skills and is now a skilled dragline operator. She also recently passed her Open Cut Examiner written exam.

I went to school and later grew up in a mining community and my husband began working in the mines when he was just 16 years old, so I’ve always had a keen interest. I was given an amazing opportunity to start at Jellinbah Mine when I was 23 years old, only 12 months after having my second child. I eagerly accepted the offer and haven’t regretted it since.

The most significant challenge for me has been gaining recognition and respect for my skills and contributions early on in my career. I was denied training opportunities in favour of males who were also seeking career advancement. This only made me more determined to achieve my goals. I persisted with my training, funding it myself and studying during my free time, to ensure I attained both my qualifications and career objectives.

I believe women often face the expectation of exceeding expectations by 110% compared to a male working in the same role. Diversity and inclusion have improved significantly since I began, however there is an opportunity for further improvement. If I could change one thing for women in the industry, it would be to promote gender equality by creating a more inclusive work environment and offering equal opportunities for advancement for women expressing a keen interest in career progression.

Exceptional Woman in Queensland Resources in Technological Innovation – Claire Graham

Claire is a Data Engineer at Aurizon and is highly regarded for her technical innovation and capabilities. She led the implementation of the ‘Aurizon Alert Framework’ which underpinned ‘Loco Condition Analyser’, a system that uses extensive sensor data from Aurizon’s locomotive fleet to monitor conditions, predict faults and schedule proactive maintenance.

A multitude of factors have guided my decision to work within the rail industry and at Aurizon for the past 15 years. Foremost, is the privilege to collaborate with exceptional colleagues and visionary leaders throughout my journey. My continued commitment to the industry and Aurizon is fuelled by a combination of enriching experiences, professional challenges, learning opportunities, and the chance to make meaningful contributions to our industry’s future.

One of the biggest challenges I face has been grappling with feelings of self-doubt and imposter syndrome. In an environment where women are underrepresented, it’s easy to internalise the belief that we don’t belong or aren’t as capable as our male counterparts. However, I’ve learned to lean on my support network, seek mentorship, and practice self-compassion. I’ve also come to realise that I’m not alone in experiencing these feelings.

If I could change one thing it would be to inspire and empower more women to pursue careers in the industry. I would advocate for increased visibility and representation of successful women in the industry through mentorship programs, networking events, and targeted outreach initiatives.

Inclusion and Diversity Champion in Queensland Resources – Kanae Dyas

Kanae is Workplace Support Manager at Anglo American and has consistently championed inclusion, diversity, and equity reform throughout her long career in the resources industry. She is dedicated to improving health and safety outcomes for women and marginalised people. She is also involved in a range of industry working groups that deal with psychosocial management, bullying, harassment, discrimination, and domestic violence.

I was seeking a career path that would challenge me; one where I could grow. Importantly, I wanted to work in an industry where I could make meaningful and sustainable changes in health and safety, diversity, inclusion and equity. Mining had the willingness to embrace innovation and the maturity to see the value in diversity and inclusion.

In the early stages of my career, there was a lack of workplace flexibility to balance family commitments, coupled with lack of support services in regional areas. We have come a long way, but there are still barriers that women, men, and families are experiencing to some extent. Career development and progression, gender equity, women’s health and safety, and psychological safety are areas the industry needs to continue addressing.

We must collectively and continually commit to sustainable attraction and retention strategies. We need safe, inclusive, and equitable spaces for women to thrive; career development and progression opportunities; increased leadership and executive roles for women to inform, drive and sustain change; continued allies, mentors and sponsors to support women who are driving the change; and to close the gender pay gap.

Exceptional Female QMEA Student – Lexie Croce

Lexie is a Year 12 student and School Captain at Moranbah State High School and has been actively involved with QMEA programs. She is a member of her school’s STEM Innovation Experience Team which won last year’s state competition. Driven by the idea of finding electrical solutions to make mining operations more efficient and environmentally friendly, Lexie is planning on becoming an electrical engineer after school.

The evolving technology in the mining industry like the autonomous systems really made me consider a career in the industry and since then I’ve discovered the endless possibilities of mining careers which makes the industry so much more exciting for young girls as well. 

I think the biggest challenge would have to the be roles women have around balancing their family, as well as making their career doing something that they love and enjoy.

If I could change one thing for women it would be to enhance the support systems that accommodate work-life balance, particularly for those with families. This includes more flexible working arrangements, such as part-time roles, job sharing, and remote work opportunities where possible, as well as access to on-site or nearby childcare facilities.

Excellence in Diversity Programs and Performance in Queensland Resources – Anglo American

Innovative programs alongside its Workplace Support Unit are just some of the ways the company is realising its vision as a truly inclusive workplace where every person can reach their full potential. Anglo American Australia CEO Dan van der Westhuizen said this recognition came off the back of a concerted effort over several years to increase the number of females in leadership positions across the company’s steelmaking coal operations – from 12 percent to 25 percent – by the end of 2023.

The introduction of a suite of programs – including Enabling You, RealYOU, Let’s Listen Forums and WoMine – have helped us create a more supportive environment and had a positive and sustainable impact on our company’s culture. We know the journey towards gender equality is far from over. As a leader in this sector, I know the buck stops with me – we must remain 100 per cent committed to fostering a culture where every person, every day across every site, feels safe, respected and empowered to be their best self at work.