Showcasing women in mining
In 2017, IWiM held a photo competition with the support of De Beers Group and Dfat, receiving over 200 inspirational photos illustrating the significant and positive contributions that women are making towards an inclusive, thriving, safe and responsible mining industry.
A shortlist of photos for the competition categories of Impact and Influence, Mentoring, Leadership and Initiative were judged by Bruce Cleaver (CEO, De Beers Group), Dr Sharman Stone (Ambassador for Women and Girls, Australia), Tom Butler (CEO, International Council on Mining and Metals – ICMM), Franz Gonzalez (Analyst, Ministry of Development Planning, Bolivia), Nelia Halcon (Executive Vice President, Chamber of Mines, The Philippines) and Veronica Nyhan Jones (Global Head Advisory Services for Infrastructure & Natural Resources, IFC).
Winners – Impact and Influence Category
Congratulations to Impact and Influence grand prize winner Elsa Nielsen, a jackleg miner at Goldcorp – Hoyle Pond Mine, Canada whose image “They thought I couldn’t do it” demonstrates a woman’s strength, tenacity and determination to achieve against all odds.
“They thought I couldn’t do it by myself – I cycled a jackleg slash. I mucked out the round before, I bolted up using a jackleg and a stoper installing 8′ rebar in the back, 4′ rebar in the walls and screened everything, I plotted my slash, marked off my face, and drilled and blasted a slash with the jackleg drill – all by myself. “
Congratulations also to 1st runner up Candy McKenzie, Nickel West, Australia, the first female Furnace Superintendent in 44 years of the operation, who leads a 50-strong team …
… and 2nd runner up Aleksandra Cholewa, Pluto Investment AG, Poland who says “listen to the lady … feel the mine.”
Winner – Leadership Category
The Leadership prize was awarded to New Gold Inc – New Afton Mine, Canada, whose photo embodies the company motto “Proud Past, Bright Future, Together We Succeed.”
Winner – Mentoring Category
Candy McKenzie, Nickel West, Australia won the Mentoring prize for the image that shows mentoring in tapping 1,150 degree molten material in a nickel smelter.
Winner – Initiative Category
The Initiative prize was awarded to Rosey Perkins, UK, a field gemologist and gemological photo journalist, for a photo that illustrates the resilience of a mother to provide for her family in Madagascar.
Winner – People’s Choice
The People’s Choice winner was Karly Winfield, Technical Sales Consultant at Provix, Canada. In her photo, she demonstrates remote operation and monitoring capabilities at Cortez mine, a “safer operation = enhanced production and efficiency.”
Winning Photos Available!
The photos are now touring the world as an exhibition called Unearth Women in Mining and can be made available: if you are interested in hosting an exhibition of the photos please contact us.
info@internationalwim.org