The first Women in Mining (UK) Speedmentoring Dinner to be held outside of London took place in Cornwall on 22 June 2016. Twenty people attended a lively and enjoyable dinner at The Garden Room of the Princess Pavilion in Falmouth. Two mentors were joined by up to four mentees at each table, enabling women in the early stages of their careers in mining-related roles to seek advice in a relaxed and friendly way. The mentors brought a wide range of experience, including the Antofagasta exploration geology manager for Africa, senior academics in minerals processing, geology and social licence to operate, experts in mining law (Stephens Scown), and environmental and social impact assessment (North Coast Consulting). The dinner was timed to coincide with the Biohydrometallurgy and Sustainable Minerals conferences organised by MEI in Falmouth and this enabled participants to attend from Australia, Canada and South Africa.
Closer to home, there was good representation amongst the mentees from Camborne School of Mines, University of Exeter; Wolf Minerals Drakelands Mine, Wardell Armstrong International, and Grinding Solutions.
Women in Mining (UK) is a non-profit organisation dedicated to promoting and progressing the development of women in the mining and minerals sector. Created in 2006, it has over 1,500 members, from all corners of mining-related businesses and professions and is free to join.