Exeter professor named in mining top 100

Frances Wall, Professor of Applied Mineralogy at CSM, currently the first female president of The Mineralogical Society in Great Britain and Ireland, has been chosen for inclusion in the 2016 100 Global Inspirational Women in Mining, a publication produced to celebrate women in the mining professions.

The book, which includes a biography of 100 influential women in mining, was produced by Women in Mining (UK), a non-profit organisation dedicated to promoting and progressing the development of women in the mining and minerals sector, and was launched at a recent reception at the Mines and Money London event.

Professor Wall, who was the first female head of CSM from 2008 -2014, is featured among an international cast of women working at board and corporate level in banking and advisory positions and in a range of operational roles at mining companies.

“I am delighted to have been included and keen to make the most of the opportunity to encourage more women to progress in the mining industry,” said Professor Wall. “Practically everything we do relies on raw materials mined from the ground and we need to ensure that, worldwide, the industry is innovative, efficient, safe, environmentally sustainable and well governed.”

Professor Wall leads two major international mining-related research projects. The SoS RARE brings together academics and international industry partners to carry out research towards a secure and environmentally sustainable supply of critical rare earth elements. Her project HiTech AlkCarb, due to start in February 2016, enlists academics, the British and Danish geological surveys and European industry partners to make new exploration geo models for high-technology critical raw materials in alkaline rock and carbonatite deposits.

“There are still far too few women arriving to study mining engineering in the UK, although lots study geology. We need to do more work to encourage women to consider training for a career in the industry. Only when there are enough women entering the industry can there be enough working their way to senior positions, ” said Professor Wall in the book.

Jennifer Wyllie, Vice President of WIM (UK), commented: “Gender diversity is vital to the success of our businesses. An ever-growing body of research shows that gender-balanced teams create better outcomes, better solutions and improved financial performance. This list of inspiring women in mining shows that real progress is being made. There are now multiple role models who prove that women can and do succeed i(n building interesting and rewarding careers in mining.”