The recent Women in Mining (WIM) USA 2023 annual conference brought more than 400 women together for three days of networking, education, career development and camaraderie, centered on the theme of “Changing the Future of Mining.”

Sponsored by the organization’s Arizona chapter, the event was April 12-15 in Tucson, home of the Caterpillar Mining Center — making it the ideal location for the nearly 20 Caterpillar employees who had the opportunity to participate, many for the first time.

The conference was also an opportunity for Caterpillar to demonstrate its commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and introduce the company’s sponsorship of a new mentorship network for WIM USA members.

Women in Mining is a nationwide organization committed to positioning mining as an equitable, sustainable and reputable industry. Members include women and men employed by or interested in the mining industry. Activities are focused on education, advocacy, empowerment and inspiration.

The organization was formed in 1972 to educate the public about the importance of mining as well as support women and underrepresented groups in the industry. Since 1972, the number of women in the industry has grown to about 12% of the global mining workforce. 

Several of the Caterpillar attendees visited the Freeport-McMoRan Sierrita mine, an open-pit copper and molybdenum mining complex located near the Caterpillar Tucson Proving Ground and Tinaja Hills Demonstration & Learning Center.

“We went to a lookout point where we could view the mine in action,” said Sanchez. “We saw loaded mining trucks heading up a haul road, and in the distance, we could see a rope shovel. It was truly majestic.”

Another lookout point provided a view of the site’s leach pads and an opportunity to hear from a Freeport-McMoRan engineer about the leaching process that is used at Sierrita to extract the copper and molybdenum from the ore.

The final stop was a lookout point with a special machine of particular interest to the women from Caterpillar: A cleaned and camera-ready 793D Mining Truck set aside for a walkaround and photo opportunities.

In addition to the mine tour, the group also visited Freeport’s Technology Center. “The center is equipped with state-of-the-art machines and equipment that they use to test soil samples that arrive from Freeport-McMoRan mine sites around the world,” Sanchez said. “It was interesting to learn that sites may encounter material in the ground that they’re unfamiliar with — and that could put operations at a standstill until the center in Arizona identifies it.”

Rivas explained the three pillars: “We strive to build a workforce that reflects the communities where we live and operate, foster an environment where everyone feels valued and respected, and provide opportunities to make investments and enhance workforce readiness in underserved communities around the world.”

Caterpillar recently released its annual Global Diversity & Inclusion Report, titled the Power of Everyone. Company data shows increases in workforce diversity in each of the past two years. The report shows that 27% of management employees are women, and the number of global women executives increased to 20%.

“I’m proud to work for a company that values diversity and recognizes that it strengthens us as a company,” said Rivas. “We know that the best ideas come from diverse and inclusive teams. And research shows that companies that achieve gender balance yield more positive results.”

The session included real stories from women working in the mining industry, said Jennifer Fox, Caterpillar aftermarket solutions area manager. “The panel discussions about leadership and diversity and inclusion left a lasting impression on me,” she said. “The women shared their personal experiences from their careers in mining and the emotions could be felt throughout the room.”

“Mentorship will be one of the most important ways we can advance the cause to bring more diversity, and women in particular, into the mining workforce,” said Rivas.

Rivas has a long history with mentorship, having had a number of mentors in her diverse career as well as serving as a mentor herself. When working at General Electric, she helped establish a local mentorship network as part of the company’s Hispanic Forum employee resource group. She has also served as a mentor for the Society of Women Engineers.

“I find most mentees have similar questions and they circle around the themes of navigating a career, promotions, lateral moves, entering the workforce and work/life balance,” she said.

When Rivas joined Caterpillar and began working in the mining industry, she received guidance from two formal mentors in the company and reached out to WIM in an effort to expand her network in the industry.

“We eventually started talking about a potential sponsorship from Caterpillar,” said Rivas. “A sponsorship that would create a national mentoring platform we could all contribute and benefit from.”

WIM members at all levels can offer mentoring services and/or sign up to receive mentoring themselves. A dedicated website allows participants to choose from a list of world-class mentors, searchable by their expertise, and then book conversations online. These one- to two-week commitments supplement other WIM programming and ensure the program is respectful of mentors’ and mentees’ time.

Team-building and Support

For the women of Caterpillar, the WIM conference was an opportunity to connect not only with others in the industry, but also with Caterpillar colleagues with whom they may not interact on a regular basis.

Caterpillar marketing consultant Amanda Springstead, who has been working in the mining industry for just over a year, echoed those sentiments. “I’m very grateful for the opportunity to connect with and learn from so many incredible women across the industry,” said Springstead, who has responsibility for marketing some of the company’s biggest machines — hydraulic mining shovels and electric rope shovels. “I’m more excited than ever to be a part of this industry and to continue to grow in my career. Fortunately, at Caterpillar I’m surrounded by mentors and leaders ready to help me along the way.”