Gabriela Love, Manager of BHP's Processing Plant and Site Infrastructure at Mt Arthur Coal mine, began her career in the 1980s as one of the first women in the country to graduate as a Mining Engineer. Her first day at university was a shock as she realised she was the only woman amongst 24 students. However, her passion for maths and science kept her going, and after her first experience on a mine site, she was hooked.

Gabriela graduated in the mid-1980s, and after 18 months of job hunting, she landed her first job in an open cut mine with the blast crew. She learned the fundamentals of mining and progressed to an engineer role, where she faced exciting challenges designing open pits and utilising computer technology.

Gabriela completed an MBA and joined the AUSIMM Women in Mining Network group, which improved her self-esteem and taught her how to advocate for herself and self-promote. She now manages the processing plant and site infrastructure at Mt Arthur, where her days are varied, starting at 6am attending pre-start meetings with maintenance and production crews, reviewing team performance, looking at cultural improvements, safety management, and looking for opportunities to improve outcomes and staff capabilities.

The mining industry is no longer a stereotypical male-dominated industry, and BHP is deliberately giving women a chance to come in and be offered roles because they bring a diverse perspective, a different group dynamic, and a healthy balance of men and women. Gabriela encourages women to put their best foot forward and think about what they bring from their work experience or achievements.

“Think of mining as a career option because it’s a wonderful industry. It’s a ticket to the world – I’ve worked internationally. It’s an industry that brings so many exciting challenges and great people together. There is no limit to what you can do in mining. It’s an adventure.”

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