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Mining is a famously male-dominated industry, but a group of women on a remote site in WA's north say that is changing.
Key points:
- The Women of Pilbara event is highlighting the importance of networking for females in the mining industry
- The percentage of women in the resources sector has increased at least 5 per cent since 2017
- It comes a year after the federal government led an inquest into sexual harassment on mine sites
According to the Chamber of Minerals and Energy of Western Australia (CME), women accounted for 18 per cent of workers in the resources sector in 2017.
Data released earlier this year found that figure had increased to 22 per cent by 2021.
Although more women are beginning to enter the mining workforce, mother of three Eilish Hae Hae said she had learned to have a thick skin working in the industry.
"I did have someone say, 'Oh you should be at home with your kids'," she said.
"I didn't take too kindly to that, because I've been working towards a better future for them."
Ms Hae Hae is a dump truck operator at Pilbara Minerals' Pilgangoora lithium mine.
Pilbara Minerals runs a Women of the Pilbara event each month in an effort to provide a support network for women on site.
From the outside, the night is an opportunity for a sit-down meal and sharing of stories, but Ms Hae Hae said it provided the female miners an important place to connect.
"The first time I saw a female digger was here on site, and today I met another one," she said.
"Girls can do it and I will do it too."
Pilgangoora senior HR adviser Jamie Lambert said the event was an important networking tool.
"The beauty of this program is that we're engaging and building those relationships for women," she said.
Women in attendance hail from a broad range departments including truck operations, geology and metallurgy, housekeeping and administration.
"Rather than feeling segregated ... we're actually able to build those relationships across different departments," Ms Lambert said.
Women 'stepping up'
Women are still a minority in the resources sector, but CME manager for health, safety and people, Laila Nowell, said the recent increase in female engagement was exciting to see.
Ms Nowell attributed the increase to more women taking on leadership roles and encouraging others to do the same.
"We're seeing a lot more mentorship and that's a really important thing," she said.
"We're seeing a lot more people who are in those leadership positions, stepping up and supporting women into taking senior roles."
Lillian Joyce, who works on the grinders in Pilgangoora's processing plant, said there were plenty of skilled women on her crew.
"Talking to one of the other girls in the processing plant — she's a processing manager — and it's really good to see that there are women in leadership roles," she said.
"It shows that those kind of roles are really achievable, they are out there and it gives girls goals to work towards."
Enough is enough
The resources sector has been plagued by controversy in recent times over issues of sexual harassment in the work place.
A federal inquiry titled Enough is Enough received nearly 100 submissions and examined some of WA's major mining companies.
More recently, it was revealed during the state government's Driving Respect conference a quarter of women in the industry had reported sexual hostility at work.
Prejudice and segregation were also reported to be significant issues on site, with some women reporting they felt isolated as the minority.
Ms Nowell said companies were beginning to address the issues, and many had already implemented strategies including training and awareness programs, anonymous reporting lines and social activities on-site.
"There have been significant efforts to address these inappropriate behaviours and eliminate them from our workplace," she said.
"It's the priority of all of us and our members that our workers and the people who enter our workplaces are safe, and they go home safe."