The annual national conference of Women in Mining USA was held Oct. 21-23 in Salt Lake City, Utah, after a lengthy wait thanks to the pandemic.
The event was themed “Changing the Face of Mining” and convened at the Salt Lake City Marriott University Park.
Day 1 was conference-style and offered a number of panels, speakers and roundtable discussions. A kick-off keynote was offered by Coeur Mining’s Elaina Ware, who discussed mining’s reputation and expectations from the next mining generations.
Panels and roundtable sessions also tackled diverse topics including the challenges of attracting, retaining and growing female workers; approaches and challenges to improving mining’s reputation to attract a diverse workforce; a general manager panel; and how to collectively make an impact for accelerating a more diverse, inclusive workforce.
Day 2 included three options for attendees, the first being a field trip tour of the Redmond underground salt mine.
A second option was a field trip to the Rio Tinto Kennecott copper operation, and a third track involved a personal development workshop entitled “Leading by Empathy” for guests seeking more information on laying groundwork for an inclusive workplace.
Wrapping up the three-day event was the organization’s annual board meeting and associated presentations.
An online attendance option was made available thanks to a sponsorship from Rio Tinto; both the in-person and virtual attendance were well attended, organizers confirmed.
The next national conference for WIM USA has been set for 2023.