In honour of International Women’s Day 2021, MBGS looks back proudly at our 50-year advancement of gender diversity in our workplace.

1970 – 1979

The first year of operations in 1970 was a challenge as is the case for any start-up. Nonetheless, 12 staff were employed (9 males and 3 females).

The 1970s averaged 68% male to 32% female ratio. Geologists and geological assistants made up most of the staff with the remaining in secretarial or accounting roles. During this time most of our female staff were support staff in administration roles, as there were very few females graduating as geologists in the early 1970’s. Philippa Myers was our first female geologist in 1971.

1980 – 1989

During the early 1980s, there was an upward spike in work and consequently the need to hire more employees. This was evident with 29 new staff employed between 1980 and 1983 (17 males and 12 females). However, the 1983 recession hit the mining industry hard and many staff members could no longer be employed. Attrition of staff continued to 1988 when the industry finally turned around and increased work resulted in hiring of 17 males and 6 females.

1980s workforce ratio averaged 72% male and 28% female.

1990 – 1999

With more women taking up geology in the 1990’s, MBGS’s staff numbers increased with female geologists making up 40% of our workforce. Some female geologists who were employed for several years moved on to accomplish senior geological positions with established coal mines and/or other consultancies. One of which, Donna Frater, went on to be awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (AM) for her efforts to improve gender diversity in the Australian resources industry. We are proud the 1990s experienced a significant uptake of female technical employees who changed the fabric of the company, including being fundamental in developing MBGS’s computer modelling division.

In 1998 the mining industry had a work force comprising 9% females (source: Australian Government Gender Equality Agency) and by comparison, in this year females represented 44% of MBGS’ staff.

2000 – 2009

The first decade of the 21st century saw robust growth in employment with 44 males and 32 females hired. MBGS was able to mitigate the issue of retaining geologists with family responsibilities by offering support through flexible work options such as more accommodating work hours and working from home arrangements where possible. MBGS witnessed a significant increase in the employment of female geologists with a workforce ratio of 58% male to 42% female from 2000 to 2009.

2010 – 2019

From 2010 to September 2012, the mining industry continued to see strong growth in coal prices due to high demand from Asian markets. MBGS continued to employ more staff culminating to its highest level of employees of 61 staff (36 male, 25 female) in 2011. In  September 2012, the boom in the mining industry crashed and the whole coal mining sector was forced to offer redundancies, saw loss of employees to other industries or small businesses closed down completely. MBGS was not immune losing some very valuable and capable geologists.

Overall, the gender gap this decade began to narrow for the first time seeing 56% males to 44% females employed, where in 2016 and 2017 saw females outnumber males for the very first time in MBGS’ history.

2020 and looking to our future

MBGS highly values diversity, equity and inclusion and we continue to support gender equality within the mining  sector. Whilst positive change within the mining sector is happening, mining is still one of the most male-dominated industries in Australia, with women comprising just 17% of all employees (source: Australian Government Gender Workplace Agency). MBGS is proud to be well above this figure with a 52% male to 48% female ratio at the end of 2020 with strategies to increase representation of female leadership at senior management level.

All aspects of MBGS’ workforce include female participation, from our administrative staff, roving field geologists, GIS personnel, computer modelling team, safety people, geophysical interpretation geologists and senior management.

Ratio of male to females employed at MBGS per decade