In October 2022, Gemma McDonald joined OceanaGold as Group Manager – Commercial for the Asia-Pacific region. With over 15 years’ experience in senior procurement and commercial roles in the mining industry, Gemma is enjoying a role that is both hands on and strategic, and a culture where people really care – about each other and performance.

Just 12 months after joining OceanaGold, Gemma McDonald is already making a valuable impact, whether it’s establishing initiatives that propel others to succeed, balancing resources to achieve optimum results or crafting a role that is equally strategic and hands-on.

Attributing her positive journey to the global company’s relatively small size and strong culture, and being surrounded by inspiring senior leaders that care about their people, Gemma is excited to grow her future with the company.

“What’s unique about OceanaGold is its personable approach.” Gemma said.

“The energy of let’s get this done together is a core element of our culture. For a small team, this breeds success,” she said.

“Joining OceanaGold has felt like being welcomed into a family. Many of my colleagues are long-standing employees and everyone wants to share their experience and history of the company.”

Day to day Gemma works across OceanaGold’s Asia Pacific operations – the Waihi and Macraes operations in New Zealand and Didipio Mine in the Philippines – supporting  operational teams to deliver commercial outcomes that align with business objectives.

“Coming into what was a newly established role has been liberating and challenging,” she said.

“I support capital expenditure application reviews and approvals through to anything budgeting, forecasting and analysis related from a financial, operational and commercial delivery perspective. I love that I’ve been able to shape my role to balance tactical and strategic outputs.”

Gemma says OceanaGold employees benefit from a greater level of visibility across centralised and operational roles. For Gemma this has resulted in valuable exposure to leaders within the business.

“Since late 2022, I’ve had the opportunity to be an Executive Committee Coordinator as part of a 12-month internal rotating development program. Through this I’ve been fortunate to witness first-hand how decisions are made at the executive and senior levels of the business.”

An intrinsic passion for customer service forms the basis of Gemma’s approach in bringing together teams to achieve success.

“I love helping the operations to deliver and achieve positive results. Success in growth doesn’t happen in a vacuum, it’s a team effort. There are a lot of people at OceanaGold that genuinely believe this mantra and that’s what makes us different,” Gemma said.

Reflecting on the past 12 months, Gemma has enjoyed traveling to different sites, crafting positive working relationships with operational teams and embracing cultural nuances. Introducing coaching opportunities within site commercial teams has been a key initiative.

“Exploring cultural differences between operations in New Zealand and the Philippines has taught me to have more appreciation around resourcefulness and investigate new ways to achieve optimum outcomes.”

When it comes to growing a future at OceanaGold, Gemma is most excited about the opportunity to be part of a small team that continues to achieve positive global results.

“In an organisation the size of OceanaGold, with its global footprint and complex multi-disciplinary assets, it’s motivating to be a part of the company’s growth,” she said.

“You can look at a result or figure and identify exactly how you personally contributed to achieving that outcome. This isn’t always possible at larger organisations and for me that’s a special part of OceanaGold.”

Come grow with us at OceanaGold. To find out more visit https://oceanagold.com/

In this video Emily shares her experiences in the mining industry, working at Haile and how much she enjoys being part of the local community.

Based on data from economic consulting and forecasting company, Infometrics, the Mining industry in New Zealand delivered over $490,000 of GDP per filled job in the year to March 2023. Currently there are just over 2,000 full time mining jobs in New Zealand.

Regionally, the mining industry was the single largest contributor to GDP, as it has been for 17 of the last 22 years, in the Hauraki District, where OceanaGold operates the Waihi Operation with 350 employees.

In the Hauraki District, at a value of $640,000 of GDP per filled job in the year to March 2023, mining was almost double that of the second highest productive industry.

As the largest mining operation in the area, OceanaGold takes its health, safety, environmental, social and community obligations seriously and has enormous pride in its investment in people and performance.

New Zealand General Manager Corporate and Legal Affairs, Alison Paul, said with over 30 years of operating in New Zealand, OceanaGold takes a long-term view.

“We believe in applying responsible mining practices to our operations as well as having meaningful relationships with the communities in which we operate,” Alison said.

“For example, last year the Company committed to reduce carbon emissions per ounce of gold produced by 30% by 2030 in support of their goal of net zero operational greenhouse gas emissions by 2050,” she said.

The productivity data shows mining has been the most productive industry in New Zealand since 2008, with the Waihi Operation contributing over $127 million dollars in total expenditure (excluding payroll) to the New Zealand economy in 2022 alone.

Opportunities for employees in mining are rewarding as well, with the average salary at the Waihi Operation above $100,000 per annum, well above the national average.

“This economic contribution to New Zealand is the product of years of investment, robust processes, strong relationships with our external stakeholders and most importantly the attitude and dedication of our highly experienced people. We could not be prouder,” Alison said.

OceanaGold directly employs approximately 1,000 people across its Waihi and Macraes Operations in New Zealand.

*Infometrics data for the Hauraki District, available at https://ecoprofile.infometrics.co.nz/hauraki%2bdistrict/Productivity/IndustryProductivity

Nearing her eighth year at OceanaGold, Jackie St John is reflecting on her time with the Company, and the changes to the political landscape and across the mining industry.

Newly promoted to the role of New Zealand Manager – Legal, Jackie says the collective, global brains trust across OceanaGold’s corporate and operational teams has inspired her to become a better and more strategic leader through some dynamic times for the sector.

“Environmental and local government law and policy changes have been tricky to navigate – but it’s certainly kept things interesting,” Jackie said.

“The policy direction on mining regulation in New Zealand is evolving and more than ever, we are future-focused, so it’s an exciting space to be in.”

This is Jackie’s second promotion since she joined OceanaGold.

“It’s a strategic role and there’s a stronger opportunity to influence and guide decision making. It’s forward looking and it’s both pleasing and challenging to provide advice that best places the business into the future.”

Jackie says the culture and camaraderie at OceanaGold is awesome, and despite the operational diversity at each of the Company’s mines, the global teams are united in vision, values and success ingredients that bond them together.

“At OceanaGold, we are given opportunities to think like a business owner and when you are trusted to make decisions and provide strategic input, there’s a real sense of ownership and belonging,” she said.

“Benefits of my new role include a long-term incentive plan including company shares, which is pretty cool and something I’ve never been offered to date in my career.”

Outside her day job, Jackie has volunteered with the Rotary Club of Dunedin for nearly 20 years, and for 10 of those, she has also supported disaster relief charity ShelterBox, which helps displaced communities after natural disasters.

She said OceanaGold allows her the time and space to contribute to these community service interests.

“The skills I have gained from these voluntary organisations directly impacts and benefits the Company and vice versa.

“For me, that’s the true meaning of work-life balance – it’s not just about the flexibility of working from home, it’s about complementing your career and life interests for shared beneficial outcomes.”

Outside of family, climate change and community are two important things to Jackie.

“Aligning my personal values to my work gives me purpose.

“There is a common misconception that miners are polluters not protectors, which is incredibly disappointing. We know there are benefits from mining that otherwise wouldn’t occur – ecological, economic and community to name a few.

“Responsible mining is not just a phrase – it’s embedded into law, and at OceanaGold, our systems, processes and culture too.

“Government departments often aren’t resourced to do what we do in this space – we employ experts, we are focused on climate change and we are legislated and values-driven to close mines in a socially and environmentally responsible way. Contributing to the Company’s Responsible Mining ethic through my role matters to me.”

Come grow with us at OceanaGold. To find out more visit https://oceanagold.com/

Or, you could climb the 1,103 steps and 51 flights of stairs to the top of the tower with 25 kilogrammes of kit on your back and breathing recycled air through a BG4 closed-circuit breathing set with a mask covering your face.

That is just what members of Waihi Operation’s Mines Rescue Team and the Macraes Emergency Response Team did in August, joining more than 900 firefighters from around the country to raise over NZ$1.3 million for Leukaemia and Blood Cancer New Zealand.

The event is held each year, with team members raising money from sponsors and fundraising activities before the event.

This year the Mines Rescue Team from Waihi took first place for teams of six to nine firefighters, raising just over NZ$35,000 in sponsorship. The team from Macraes gained second place in the 10-plus team members category, having raised NZ$30,001 making OceanaGold employees one of the biggest contributors to the event. This result is reflection of the huge amount of their time over the past months to raise money and train for the event on top of their own jobs, lives and other volunteering commitments.

The fastest climbers can complete the event in around ten minutes. Shay Perkinson from the Waihi team says it’s not about the time.

“To be in Mines Rescue you have to be fit, and while we will always challenge each other to do our best, for us it’s not about being fastest, it’s about getting the team to the top, and raising money for a really worthwhile cause,” Shay said.

“Everybody knows somebody, or knows somebody who knows somebody, who has cancer. This is our chance to give back.”

Jed Moriarty, one of the fastest climbers, agrees. He says the team is “standing on the shoulders of the community”.

“We can train and do the climb on the day, but we succeed because the community gets behind us,” Jed said.

“We have a small group of major sponsors who are always incredibly generous, but a lot of the funds raised come in small amounts from our communities in Waihi and at Macraes. We really couldn’t do this without them behind us.”

OceanaGold’s Waihi Operation Acting General Manager Justin Johns attended his first Sky Tower Challenge this year.

“I’m impressed by the teamwork and commitment for the cause; it’s an amazing fundraising event helping others. We should all be very proud of what the Waihi team and our teammates from the South Island have achieved,” Justin said.

General Manager at the Macraes Operation, Mike Fischer says the event is very physically demanding.

“These results showcase to all of us the strength and resilience our rescue teams require to respond to emergencies both on site and in the wider community,” Mike said.

Both managers praised the commitment and generosity of sponsors and supporters.

Members of the Waihi Gold Mines Rescue Team will ascend the southern hemisphere’s tallest building in a few weeks for a flaming good cause.

The annual Firefighter Sky Tower Challenge on August 20 will see New Zealand firefighters race to the top of the 328m Auckland Sky Tower carrying 25kg of gear, while also raising funds and awareness for Leukaemia & Blood Cancer New Zealand (LBC).

LBC said eight children and adults in New Zealand are diagnosed each day with blood cancer, and the charity is dedicated to supporting patients and their families for months or even years.

It will be the sixth year the Waihī rescue team has taken part in the challenge, with up to nine members taking part.

Jamie Bird, who is about to compete in his fourth Sky Tower challenge, told The Profile raising money for a good cause ignited his involvement.

“[Leukaemia and blood cancer] affects a lot of people and the money goes towards supporting the families, but it’s also a very physical thing to do for the team and a bit of competition within the team of who can get the fastest time,” he said.

Jamie said rescue team members, who were trained and certified in incident responses, including fires, usually took between 10 and 20 minutes to conquer the Sky Tower’s 51 flights of stairs.

“We start in the basement and then we do four flights up until you’re on ground level and then you do a lap outside and then you carry on up to the top of the Sky Tower,” he said.

“The challenge is to keep moving really – when you get halfway up it’s difficult to keep pushing and pushing and just go as long as you can.”

Jamie said the rescue team wore firefighting suits for the challenge and a 25kg closed circuit breathing apparatus, which the team uses in underground rescue missions.

“The closed circuit is different to the open circuit because we breathe in our own air and it gets circulated around and filtered,” he said.

“Then we can rebreathe our own air rather than have a fresh supply like the other firefighters do with the BA gear.

“I get quite a bit of [training] with work but there’s quite a few people who’ll also go on hikes, runs or walks with weighted vests.”

As of last week, Jamie said the rescue team was New Zealand’s second highest fundraising team with more than $23,000 raised through online donations, sponsors and raffles for LBC.

This includes around $5000 raised by a raffle held at Waihi Rugby Club.

The rescue team, which raised more than $41,000 in 2021, will continue fundraising up until challenge day.

To help Waihi Gold Mines Rescue Team in their fundraising efforts, visit https://firefighterschallenge.org.nz/t/waihigoldminesrescue

Justin Johns spent his whole childhood in Kalgoorlie but has spent most of his mining career in New Zealand.

Along the way, Justin has worked at almost every OceanaGold operation and found challenges and opportunities at every site.

“My Dad said to me ‘If you’re not going to study, you’ll just end up digging holes for a living’. I went to university in Western Australia and ended up with a degree in chemistry and back in Kalgoorlie working in a lab,” Justin said.

Justin said he soon realised that wasn’t for him and returned to study part time for two years at the School of Mines, while continuing to work full time, receiving a Diploma in Metallurgy.

“I had discovered my passion. The ability to create something out of rock,” he said.

Joining OceanaGold in 2010 as Process Manager at the Globe Progress Mine (now Reefton Restoration Project), Justin says that it was really special to develop a team that worked so well together to improve the plant year on year, whether from a tonnage or cost perspective.

“The Reefton site, high up in the Paparoa Range and looking out over the mountains is just awesome and making concentrate to be shipped by rail to the other side of the South Island to our Macraes mine was very different.”

Justin followed the concentrate, working in Dunedin and Macraes as Metallurgical Superintendent and Process Manager.

“The Macraes Operation is a well-established and far more complex site and also a really good place for a person entering the industry to get wide ranging experience in their trade or degree.”

“A comparatively old plant coupled with the complexities of the autoclave system was fascinating. Innovative technological solutions with computer systems and data management allowed us to provide end users with really useful information very quickly and for valid decisions to be made based on reliable information.”

Justin’s next move was to the Haile Gold Mine for three years, which he describes as “challenging, but very rewarding”.

“The site has variable ore sources, and the plant is complex and advanced, dealing with refractory gold and a very fine grind. There are many advanced control systems and there is the ability to link systems together to provide advanced plant control and reporting systems.”

Now back in New Zealand, and at the Waihi Operation, Justin says there are further opportunities to push learnings and technologies from other operations to further optimise ore processing at the mine.

“The main thing is building a high performing team. In the end, the technology is a tool, it’s the team who use that technology that’s really important.”

“OceanaGold is a ‘Goldilocks’ company. We are not too big and not too small – big enough to provide a significant opportunity to get exposure to many aspects of the industry, chase various career paths and work at different locations, but small enough to be innovative, to try things, to influence and direct change.”

“At OceanaGold, if you show you are willing to learn and put in a good effort, the scope is certainly there.”

OceanaGold’s new general manager at Macraes is already focused on the challenges ahead to produce a further 1.1 million ounces of gold during the next eight years.

Mike Fischer, who started in the Macraes GM role in late-September, tells Inside Resources he’s focused on strategic business development outcomes, safety and risk management, and developing successful operational teams.

“I’ve arrived at an exciting time for Macraes and look forward to leading the team as we work towards the production of 1.1 million ounces of gold over the next eight years.”

Mainstay mine

During the past three decades Macraes has been the mainstay of the company’s four mines, having delivered more than 5 million ounces of gold; the East Otago mine employs more than 650 staff.

After 30 years working around the world, Fischer says taking up the Macraes GM role is “just like coming home”.

“After gaining my degree at Otago over 35 years ago, I’m now back in the district and just up the road. It’s good to be back.”

Fischer holds a Bachelor of mineral technology (first class honours) from Otago university and a South African metalliferous mine manager’s certificate, and is also a registered professional engineer in South Africa.

He replaces Matt Hine who went to OceanaGold’s Waihi mine.

Macraes life-of-mine extension a ‘launching pad’

Fischer says he’s taking time to get to understand the Macraes operation and to know the people working there.

His first impressions are of the level of motivation amongst the team, the high quality of work, and the excellent mining conditions and housekeeping in all areas of the operation.

“Thanks to the work the team here has put in, we have the longest-ever extension to the Macraes life-of-mine. We’re currently seeing the benefit of that as we invest in infrastructure and equipment.”

Fischer has significant experience in increasing and optimising mine production.

“Now we must use this as a solid foundation for future development and make sure we make the most of all opportunities. This is a launching pad.”

He says that as well as gaining a full understanding of the Macraes operation, he’s looking forward to meeting the mine’s neighbours and spending time in the community and with stakeholders.

Experience worldwide

Fischer has previously worked in senior management roles in gold and base metal mines in South Africa, Australia, Papua New Guinea, Chile, Kyrgyzstan, Turkey and, most recently, Mongolia.

In Mongolia he was chief executive officer at a high-grade gold mine, responsible for introducing new stoping methods more suited to the narrow ore body, developing comprehensive life-of-mine plans, expanding the process plant to triple its throughput and developing and implementing new reporting structures and systems.

Fischer has significant experience in managing large underground and open pit mines, narrow vein underground mine operations, project management, and in building mid-tier mining companies.

At Kumtor in Kyrgyzstan, Fischer was instrumental in the recapitalisation of the mine which resulted in a quantum increase in open pit production – from 280,000 tonnes to 600,000 tonnes per day.

The mine accounted for 12 per cent of Kyrgyzstan’s GDP and more than half its total export receipts. For 2021, the 24-year-old Kumtor mine is estimating gold production in a range of 470,000 to 510,000 ounces.

“A scientist through and through, I think I would be running a farm and applying science and technology to farming practices had I not studied metallurgy,” Josue said.

“But it was while I was conducting an experiment extracting copper metal from a copper sulphate solution at school that I knew that metallurgy was for me. It was pure magic,” he said.

OceanaGold was in his sights and became Josue’s first professional opportunity in the industry. After studying in Colorado for eight years including completing a master’s degree in Extractive Metallurgy, the company offered him an internship. He commenced in 2016 as a graduate and, and all things going to plan, he intends to stay long-term.

“I’m doing what I love, and the company provides me with a sense of ownership and professional opportunities that larger companies can’t offer.”

Josue said while there have been challenges, he can look back with a sense of pride at his achievements and honestly say that he has delivered process improvements.

“I think we’ve got something good going on here,” he said.

“I feel informed – not just about the Haile operation but about the business globally and how it performs and what the plans are for the future.

“And when you feel informed, you feel empowered. That makes me do my best every day.”

After 23 years in the banking industry, in 2015 Beverly saw a new opportunity working with OceanaGold, who had just purchased the mine from Romarco Minerals.

It was perfect timing. Beverly was ready for a change – but not just with any company. Her new employer would need to share the same strong community values.

“As a branch manager at one of our local banks, I had dealings with many of the landowners who had sold land to OceanaGold as they expanded their operations, and they always spoke so highly of their interactions with the company,” Beverly said.

“The most common feedback I got was that OceanaGold wasn’t transactional. They worked closely with landowners to relocate them to suitable housing, find loans for new properties, and in some cases, even helped them find new homes and move,” she said.

“Through these conversations with my local community, I formed an appreciation of the company’s culture, so when I investigated a new job at the mine, I didn’t hesitate to take up an offer.

“Fast forward six years, and I am working in a job I love, in a team environment where I am learning every day and developing my career along a new path. Life sometimes surprises us with rare opportunities, and I’m grateful this one came my way.”

Beverly quickly earned her stripes with OceanaGold, and it wasn’t long before her work ethic and community-minded approach were recognised with a promotion to the role of Community Relations Coordinator.

“I’ve got the best office in the world,” Beverly exclaimed, commenting on the historic Kershaw rail depot, which OceanaGold purchased and restored in 2010. Today, the depot is open to the public as the Kershaw Historical Museum and is used by OceanaGold as a community meeting space. The museum comprises items donated by the town’s residents and objects found at the Haile Gold Mine.

“It’s a unique building that brings the mining and local community together, allowing us all to connect in a space that’s steeped in local history,” she said.

“It’s meaningful to our community that OceanaGold recognises our past and celebrates it. I’ve never worked for a company that genuinely recognises their broad social impact the way OceanaGold does.”

Beverly said before modern day mining recommenced at Haile in the early 2000s, the County was best known as a textile manufacturing hub.

“When the industry predominantly left our region, unemployment skyrocketed,” she said.

“OceanaGold’s sustainable mining approach ensures we will never impact the town or its people in that manner.”

“I’m proud to be part of a global team dedicated to delivering and monitoring programs with a strong social conscience. The goal is to ensure our host communities are self-sufficient when mine life eventually ends.”

Serving her community is clearly part of Beverly’s DNA. When asked about her proudest career achievements, she didn’t describe a project she had delivered on time or a cost saving she had made. Instead, Beverly talked about the way she had made people feel.

“A community member told me the other day that she trusted me; she considered me one of her friends,” Beverly said.

“As the mine’s Community Relations Coordinator, I’ve made strong bonds with people I wouldn’t ordinarily come into contact with. I genuinely care about the community’s wellbeing and it’s rewarding that they recognise it.”

This backing has allowed Darywnn to pursue a career in the town he calls home, while establishing a family home to provide stability and a future for his children.

Commencing with the company in 2006 as a field engineer, Darwynn has delivered many civil construction projects for the mine including as a Field Inspector for the 2007 opening of the access road in Didipio – the first major infrastructure in the community’s history that connected Didipio to adjacent barangays and beyond.

Darwynn explains it as one of his proudest achievements. “I was born in Poblacion, Kasibu and married a local Didipian woman, so Didipio is my home. To have been involved in one of the most significant projects in our history was extremely rewarding,” he said.

“I was involved from the beginning including negotiations with landowners, through to development and construction including installation of gabion walls and slope protections after a typhoon struck the region and caused a landslide.”

Over the 12 years that followed, Darwynn’s career progressed to the role of Supervisor for site services including road maintenance and camp accommodation, to Senior Supervisor in 2019 and then Asset Maintenance Supervisor in 2020.

Darwynn said the two-year suspension of operations between 2019 and 2021, during the renewal of the Mine’s Financial or Technical Assistance Agreement (FTAA), was difficult for the community.

“Not only does the Didipio Mine provide our bread and butter, we have all witnessed first-hand how OceanaGold operates responsibly and we are proud to be the mine’s host community,” he said.

On 14 July 2021, the Philippine Government renewed the Didpio FTAA for an additional 25-year period.

“With operations resuming, the majority of the community has had its prayers answered,” Darwynn said.

“It means more job opportunities, the development projects in the community will resume, and the operation will contribute to the Philippines’ economic recovery and continued management of COVID-19.”

Having just graduated from university with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, and living and working in Manila, Reynaldo Pugong Jr (known as Rey) received an urgent call from his mother telling him to come home to the barangay (village) where he was born – Didipio.

Thankfully, it wasn’t an emergency. Rey’s mum wanted him home because OceanaGold had started a process to re-open the Didipio Mine, which it acquired in 2006 through a merger with Climax Mining Ltd.

The company was recruiting a Community Relations Assistant to engage with the local community as part of the mine design and construction process, and being a local Didipian, Rey’s mum thought he would be the perfect candidate. She was right.

“It was an opportunity too good to refuse – working with a global miner in my hometown. Of course, I applied, and I was lucky enough to succeed,” Rey said.

And over the last 10 years, succeed is what Rey has done. Through learning on the job opportunities and close mentorship from his senior peers, Rey’s career has forged ahead at Didipio.

Rey was first was promoted in 2013 to a more senior role in the Community Relations Team and over the five years that followed, he contributed to developing and delivering the region’s first ever local capacity building program which included providing more than 10,000 hours of pre-employment training each year across the region. In the process, Rey developed invaluable and life-long relationships with residents in the host community of Didipio and in adjacent barangays.

“At OceanaGold, for those directly affected communities and stakeholders – those who are most impacted by our operations – we seek to obtain and sustain a broad base of support,” Rey said.

“Relationships take time to foster and I’m most proud of the sustained, mutual effort between our team and the broader community, including the local government, to get the Didipio Mine fully operational and producing by 2013.”

Marjorie Idio, Communications and External Affairs Superintendent and one of Rey’s mentors, agreed: “Rey understands Didipio in ways only a local can. His energy, determination, and passion for improving people’s lives was channelled into our programs that provided educational opportunities and built local capacity that otherwise wouldn’t have happened in this agricultural landscape,” she said.

“Rey is a team player and action-oriented, qualities we value at OceanaGold. So, while Rey worked to build the skills of people in the community, we worked with Rey on building his career.”

In 2017, Rey’s career path verged a little to the left as he started to explore the idea of moving into an operational role. With no technical experience, the company supported his career aspirations and developed him into an Operator at its paste backfill plant – the first of its kind in the Philippines.

Rey’s competence in the paste plant group was achieved though hands-on training, self-development, and close mentoring by his group leaders. Again, Rey’s steadfast determination and hard work paid off when he was promoted in 2018 to Paste Plant Supervisor.

Didipio’s People, Culture and Technology Manager, Vanessa Aliaga, said Rey’s valuable community relationships would greatly benefit his new operational role – and the company more broadly – as he was trained to consider the mine’s potential impacts, mitigations and most importantly, its legacy.

“The awareness and understanding gained from first-hand experience living and working in the community is invaluable when making operational decisions,” Vanessa said.

Now raising a family of his own in Didipio, Rey is determined to continue building leadership skills to foster his career growth at OceanaGold.

“Not long ago, through funding from OceanaGold, we supported the education of the first local mining engineer and the first geologist to be born right here in Didipio,” Rey said.

“If the mine continues operating here, the opportunities available to my children will be endless – as a father and a proud Didipian, that’s all I could ask for.”

With low turnover and a predominantly male underground workforce, the management team at OceanaGold’s Waihi Operation, in New Zealand’s North Island, has commenced a journey to increase female participation and promote a more inclusive work environment.

“There is a really strong desire by the whole team – and more broadly across OceanaGold – to increase diversity, equity and inclusion across our workplaces, especially in roles traditionally perceived to be ‘male only’, such as underground operations,” said OceanaGold’s New Zealand People and Culture Manager, Brigid Quinn.

“What we know is that modern mining workplaces are based on male centred design – that’s not a criticism of OceanaGold or any other mining company – it’s simply because, in the past, predominantly only males were employed for such labour-intensive work and these roles attracted males more than females,” she said.

“And quite possibly, that’s why there’s a strong perception in our community – which makes up most of our workforce – that underground roles are only suitable for men.”

“We‘ve set out to change that perception, but first, we need to better understand how our environment can adapt to ensure we attract and retain growing numbers of females in operational roles so they feel at ease with their workplace environment and conditions.”

The Waihi team engaged female inclusion expert and Director at Shesfreetobe, Kristy Christensen, to undertake a Workplace Design Assessment called ‘A Day in Her Life.’

The assessment reviewed both the surface and underground layouts at Waihi (including job design, equipment design and facilities), PPE (personal protective equipment) provisions and site policies against the health, safety and wellbeing needs of female employees.

Kristy confirmed our experience; the small female talent pool in the New Zealand mining industry made it highly competitive, and that OceanaGold needed to invest in ways to make the company, and industry, a more desirable destination for a long-term career.

“In such a traditionally male dominated industry, it’s vital that mining companies support women’s bespoke requirements to ensure they thrive, particularly in underground environments,” Kristy said.

“Female participation is increasing across the sector, and workforce design requires a re-think to ensure businesses recognise and address these needs,” she said.

As an immediate outcome of the assessment, OceanaGold took a closer look at the role of a ‘nipper’ – an entry-level position that supports a jumbo operator. This is important because the career progression from here sees employees advance to a truck driver, service crew, bogger and then a jumbo operator.

Brigid said the role is quite physical in nature, requiring the person to move a range of equipment in support of the jumbo operator, and that could potentially discourage women to apply.

“We have introduced a ‘trainee mine operator’ role, which gives all applicants a 10-week opportunity to work as both a nipper and truck driver,” Brigid said.

“This is an opportunity to provide a thorough overview of underground mine operations and the career pathways each entry-level role offers, and importantly, to lighten the load of the very physical nipper role by adding trucking into the mix,” she said.

While the findings may have challenged traditional thinking, OceanaGold has embraced the recommendations – not just at the Waihi Operation, but globally – and will incrementally implement them in 2021.

Other workplace design changes will be incrementally implemented across the company as part of a strengthened global focus on workplace diversity and inclusion, including:

• PPE – ensuring a size-inclusive women’s range is readily available (not just offering a men’s range in smaller sizes, for example), offering a maternity range, and changes to harnesses to avoid pressure on the chest
• Facilities – increasing sanitary provisions in underground environments
• Flexible work provisions – assessing opportunities to accommodate different roster patterns
• Policy – introduction of the Fair Employment Policy.

“We hope these changes will help to entice a new generation of women from diverse backgrounds to choose OceanaGold as the destination to grow their career,” Brigid said.

Environmental and Restoration Technician Megan Williams is a woman on a mission.

She’s part of OceanaGold’s team at the Reefton Restoration Project – the site of the former Globe Progress Mine – collecting and reporting on thousands of water samples and huge amounts of monitoring data, day after day, year after year, to give back the rehabilitated land on completion of the Project.

“There’s no second chances when you’re closing a mine – you have to get it right. We owe it to the environment and to the community to restore this beautiful landscape to the best of our ability,” Megan said.

“I love working with people and a company that share these values and beliefs.”

And that’s what has kept Megan going since starting at OceanaGold in 2017. That, and the fact she is growing her skills every day by learning from experts in Reefton’s environmental team.

“Some parts of my job, such as surveying, would normally be outsourced to contractors, but at OceanaGold there’s a real desire to upskill in-house and build our capacity and knowledge for the broader industry.

“Being in the early part of my career, that’s an enormous opportunity for me.”

Megan refers to her role as the ‘eyes and ears’ on the ground at Reefton. She spends most of her time in the field keeping track of progress, sampling, completing monitoring tasks and providing data to the team and consultants.

Living locally and working on site over the past three years, there’s not one square inch of the Project’s 260-hectares she isn’t familiar with.

Her role involves tagging and measuring trees as part of the Project’s rehabilitation and replanting program. Given OceanaGold plans to plant approximately 1 million native species across the site, that is no mean feat.

In addition to replanting, reshaping is underway to ensure the natural environment is restored and visually integrated into the surrounding landscape.

Megan says: “The team on site has been working with consultants to design the Project’s proposed passive water treatment system, which was chosen through a research project that I was heavily involved in. We have also been busy developing an engineered treatment wetland system at Fossickers Lake (the former Tailings Storage Facility).”

“We have developed a low maintenance, passive system which treats onsite water using gravel as a filter and gravity flows – not chemicals – before being discharged into the river system.

“This has involved a significant investment by the company during trials and developing techniques for long-term solutions.

“That’s testament to OceanaGold’s commitment to restoration and closure. It’s so refreshing to work for an organisation that puts an enormous amount of trust into its operations’ experts.”

Apart from her day-to-day environmental role, Megan and the team directly engage with stakeholders by hosting events such as planting days with local schools, and site tours that provide an opportunity for the community to see first-hand the progress being made.

“Reefton is a small and closely-connected community. So many locals have either worked on the mine or have had relatives that did. Mining is a big part of the culture and history here.

“It’s part of my job to educate and inform the community about what the closure process involves, and it’s important to take them on the journey. When I take them on site tours, people are often so pleasantly surprised to see what the former mine looks like now.

“For example, Fossicker’s Lake attracts native bird life…you can see we’ve got a new ecosystem establishing and it’s incredibly rewarding to be a part of it.

“One day, when people come to the site, I hope they will be able to appreciate the rehabilitation work and enjoy the area as much as I do.

“More than anything, I hope people will look at Reefton and say it was a world-class example of mine closure. And that mining and the environment can co-exist when there’s investment in people and technologies to get it right from the outset.”

Oliver Donato is one of the OGPI scholarship recipients. Oliver originally wanted to be a computer engineer, but due to limited financial resources, he had to stop attending school for six years. Things turned around for him when OceanaGold commenced operations and provided scholarships to the community.

As an OceanaGold scholar, Oliver studied Environmental Science at the Nueva Vizcaya State University, graduating to become an Environmental Assistant at the Didipio Mine, where he was focused on minimising raw water use. Today, as the Didipio Mine’s Environmental Compliance Supervisor, Oliver oversees the mine’s Environment Management System to optimise water management on site. Oliver also oversaw Didipio Mine’s ISO14001 recertification process.

In 2019, Oliver won the Outstanding Pollution Control Officer (TOPCO) of Pollution Control Association of the Philippines Inc. (PCAPI)’s 39th general assembly. He was the first local from the Nueva Vizcaya province to win the award. In his award speech, he explained how he keeps Didipio Mine’s water pollution free with the mine’s water treatment plant.

“OceanaGold operates a water treatment plant that recycles water from the tailings storage facility and pumps it back to the processing plant for reuse. This means we can recycle between 80-90% of the water we use,” Oliver said.

Working for OceanaGold has widened my perspective on mining and mining technologies. From elementary to high school, we were taught that mining is destructive, and just because I’m employed here doesn’t mean I’m automatically for large-scale mining. However, with OceanaGold, I learned that we could mine without destroying the environment, by being compliant to local and international regulations,” he said.

What Oliver ultimately wants to do is give back to his community and for other people to benefit from the same opportunities that he received. He helps new Didipio Mine scholars to make their way to college.

“Apart from environmental compliance, I want Didipio Mine’s social development and management, and corporate social responsibility projects to be sustainable. The actual sustainability would depend on the community residents who are the recipients of these projects, on how they make use of the projects,” he said.

Image: Oliver Donato at the Pollution Control Association of the Philippines Inc. (PCAPI)’s 39th general assembly. 

In 2019, the Macraes Operation started a journey which aims to achieve a gender ratio representative of the community in which it operates. Women accounted for 14 per cent of the workforce, while they make up 53 per cent of the New Zealand South Island population. On average, female employees represent 17 per cent of the workforce across mining companies globally; in Australia this average rises to around 22 per cent.

In February 2019, the Macraes Operation established a Women in Mining committee to support gender diversity and inclusion; generate – and action – ways to support women in mining; and to grow the number of women working at the Macraes Operation to better represent the regional population. In that same year, the Macraes Operation set a target to achieve 20 per cent female representation in the workforce by 2023.

The initial focus of the committee was supported by the Macraes Balanced Business Plan – Lead a Caring and Diverse Workforce Environment. Initiatives were initially drawn from the inaugural Women in Mining event in 2018 where women who were identified as showing high leadership potential came together to discuss what support networks and development was needed on site to give each employee an equal opportunity to succeed. Throughout 2018, the Women in Mining committee then took the first steps towards achieving their goals by engaging with a number of external businesses, such as Diversity Works, who help address gender diversity within local organisations.

By the end of 2019, the operation saw a three per cent increase in the number of women on site. The Open Pit team continues to lead the way in achieving the long-term goal with females representing 20 per cent of their workforce at the end of 2019.

In December 2019, the Women in Mining committee hosted their annual event, and invited women from across the operation to take part in identifying areas of personal growth and the skills required to be mobile in their careers. The event also provided the opportunity for male counterparts in leadership positions to attend and continue to understand how they can support and develop their female colleagues reach their full potential as part of a diverse team.

As the Women in Mining committee continues to evolve, there is hope that new groups of men and women from across the business will consider joining in to champion this change and help find ways to make the Macraes Operation an even better place to work. In 2020, the Women in Mining initiative will form part of a wider Diversity and Inclusion focus and the site has yet again committed to achieving another 3 per cent increase in female employees by the end of the year.

Image: The launch of the ‘pink bucket’ as part of a breast cancer fundraiser in October 2019