Students from Lihir International School in New Ireland province were inspired by a visit from three Newmont female employees earlier this month, who shared their career experiences in the field of science.
Lihir’s Supervisor Geo-technical Projects Jemimah Kutkue, Senior Metallurgist Tamala Anam and Graduate Metallurgist Kathleen Aruma spoke to students as part of a collaboration between the school and Newmont’s Lihir gold operation to celebrate the International Day for Women and Girls in Science.
This global event, marked on February 11, underscores the vital role women play in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
The visit aligns with Newmont’s commitment to creating opportunities for locals in the communities in which it operates. By advocating for young women to consider STEM-related careers.
Tamala, 35, from Morobe and East Sepik provinces and a proud mother of two children, told the students that her passion for science started at an early age and grew with time as she progressed through school. After pursuing mineral processing engineering at the PNG University of Technology, she joined Lihir gold mine in 2017 and is now one of the three senior production metallurgists.
“In the mining industry, my field of profession – mineral processing engineering – is vital in metal processing and that includes troubleshooting, problem-solving, innovation and implementation of ideas, providing technical guidelines, developing strategies for stability and optimising production safely. Currently at Lihir, I am engaged in gold processing. Part of my job is to ensure safety standards, environmental policies and regulations are strictly followed,” she said.
Tamala encouraged the students, especially girls, to pursue studies in STEM.
“STEM careers can be your voice of change; you can contribute meaningfully to Papua New Guinea and the world. Embrace the challenges that come with it, learn and grow from mistakes, set your goals, maintain commitment and self-discipline, and everything else will fall in line,” she said.
Tamala, Jemimah, and Kathleen are part of a team of over 5,000 highly skilled professionals, predominantly Papua New Guineans, working at Newmont’s Lihir operations. They are dedicated to ensuring safe gold production every day, playing a key role in Papua New Guinea’s economic development and growth.
