News | Women in Mining

In the News

Discover our latest press releases, reports, events, and media coverage—showcasing the talent, opportunity, and success of women in the NWT's resource sector. Share and celebrate our progress, stories, and impact across our territory and beyond.

MAY 2025

Tee Off for a Great Cause: WIM&E NWT Fundraiser – July 25!

Mark your calendars! On Friday, July 25, the Women in Mining & Energy NWT annual Golf Fundraiser Tournament is back — and you’re invited to join us in supporting diversity and inclusion in the North’s resource sector.

JAN 2025

De Beers Awards Scholarships to Three NWT Women

De Beers says it is giving scholarships each worth $4,500 to three NWT women as part of a “commitment to advancing women in science, technology, engineering and math.” The 2025 recipients are Yellowknife’s Aubrey Sluggett, Norman Wells’ Madison Menacho-Melnyk, and Symone Berube, who lives in Yellowknife but was born and raised in Fort Smith.

NOV 2024

Celebrating Leadership: Kelly Brenton Wins 2024 Max Award for Women in Mining

We're thrilled to share that Kelly Brenton received the 2024 Max Award for Women in Mining (Mining and Exploration) at last night’s ceremony — a well-deserved recognition of her leadership, innovation, and community impact.

DEC 2023

Tlicho Government’s Grace Mackenzie Wins 2023 Women in Mining NWT Award

This year’s Women in Mining NWT award went to the Tlicho Government’s mines liaison coordinator, Grace Mackenzie.

Mackenzie received the honour at the 2023 Mining and Exploration (MAX) Awards banquet, part of the annual Yellowknife Geoscience Forum, on Nov. 16.

NOV 2023

NWT and Nunavut Mining: Building bridges and careers through NAPEG

A Canada-wide initiative to increase the number of women in the underrepresented geoscience and engineer profession is gaining traction, says the president of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut Association of Professional Engineers (NAPEG).

“I think one of the big pushes that we’re seeing for engineering and geoscientists across Canada actually is promoting females in that industry,” Melanie Williams, president of NAPEG said.

AUG 2023

Gacho Kue Pre-Trades Experience an ‘Eye Opener’ for NWT Women

Three women in the Northwest Territories have recently completed an 11-day paid work placement at the Gahcho Kué Mine as part of the Building Forever: Women's Pre-Trades Program. This initiative, a collaboration between De Beers' Gahcho Kué Mine, the Government of the Northwest Territories, and the Native Women’s Association of the Northwest Territories, aims to encourage and prepare women for careers in the trades industry.

A Summer of STEM: Empowering Northern Girls Through Science & Innovation

AUG 2023

In July 2023, eight girls from Behchokǫ̀, Délı̨nę, Hay River, and Yellowknife took flight — literally and figuratively — to attend a four-day STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math) Camp at the University of Calgary.

Profile ITI Women In STEM: Beth Fisher

FEB 2023

Saturday was the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, and to celebrate, ITI is sharing the stories of female staff whose background in science has shaped where they are today.

Passion For STEM: De Beers Group Hosts First GirlEng Workshop in Canada

DEC 2022

De Beers Group was proud to host WomEng for the first time in Canada for a one-day pilot GirlEng workshop for high school girls in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories (NWT).

Lessons Learned: NWT WIM President Gaeleen MacPherson

APR 2022

Gaeleen MacPherson’s career has included a stop at every producing diamond mining company in the NWT. Her work has allowed her to travel the country and has been the source of nonstop learning opportunities. 2022 was an impressive year of accomplishments and accolades for MacPherson. But how did she get here?

Profile ITI Women In STEM: Jessica Bos

FEB 2023

Saturday was the International Day of Women and Girls in Science and since then ITI has been sharing the stories of women whose background in science has shaped where they are today.

Profile ITI Women In STEM: Melissa Clark

FEB 2023

Saturday Feb 11th has been set aside by the United Nations to recognize the achievements of women and girls in science. From summer students all the way up to its Deputy Minister, the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment has many examples of successful women in science to celebrate.

De Beers Group awards $33K in scholarships to women in STEM

DEC 2022

De Beers Group has awarded C$45,000 ($33,000) in scholarships to 10 Canadian women, as what the company says is a commitment to support women in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) studies in Canada.

A Day in the Life: Angela Bigg, Head of the Diavik Diamond Mine

FEB 2022

Yellowknife, Canada—Angela Bigg made history late last year when Rio Tinto appointed her president and chief operating officer of the Diavik Diamond Mine in Canada.

Profile ITI Women In STEM: Dinah Elliot

FEB 2023

Saturday is the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, and to celebrate, ITI is sharing the stories of women whose background in science has shaped where they are today.

Women in Mining NWT Gets National Celebration

JAN 2023

Tuesday night was historic for NWT mining, as representatives from Women In Mining Canada officially welcomed the new NWT chapter of Women In Mining to the national stage.

Women In Mining Formally Launches NWT Chapter

JULY 2022

The Northwest Territories now has an formal chapter of Women in Mining(link is external), Canada’s leading organization for the promotion and empowerment of women in in mining and affiliated industries.