Australasian Institute of Mining & Metallurgy (AusIMM) IWD 2025 event series

When: March 5, 2025

Where: Kalgoorlie, Australia

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Across Australia, Australasian Institute of Mining & Metallurgy (AusIMM) sees the return of its International Women’s Day (IWD) Event Series in 2025.

The Event Series celebrates women in mining at celebratory networking lunches held across Australia from February 27–March 14.

Now in its seventh year, AusIMM’s IWD Event Series is Australia’s largest mining-related event that celebrates the outstanding contributions of women in the resources sector.

The 2025 Event Series is expected to attract 3,000 attendees nationally, supported by new events in the regional cities of Kalgoorlie, Western Australia and Hunter Valley, New South Wales.

AusIMM’s event theme ‘Driving positive change together’ signifies the power and importance of coming together to break down barriers and champion for diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in resources.

In 2025, the Series Ambassadors, a group of remarkable women from signature partner organisations BHP, Newmont, Rio Tinto, Weir and Whitehaven Coal, will collaborate to shape conversations on actions to drive positive change across the sector.

The celebratory lunches feature inspiring keynote speakers or an industry panel and offer attendees a delicious two-course lunch and networking with industry professionals in the following locations.

Join us this International Women’s Day as we continue #DrivingPositiveChangeTogether!

WHERE:
Kalgoorlie Town Hall, 316 Hannan St, Kalgoorlie

WHEN:
Lunch and Networking from 11:30 am - 3 pm

PANELLISTS:
Allison Golsby is the President of the Hunter Student Chapter. Allison is a renowned Business Advisor, Consulting Engineer, and Director with extensive experience in the mining and engineering sectors. A passionate advocate for diversity, she has championed women in the industry throughout her career. Known for her engaging speaking style and leadership, Allison has a talent for connecting with audiences and driving meaningful discussions. As the panel MC for the AusIMM International Women’s Day event, she brings a wealth of knowledge, a commitment to equity, and a genuine passion for empowering others. Her dedication to fostering collaboration and her genuine interest in uplifting others make her an ideal choice to guide this important event.

Kylie Blackwell is the Strategic Program Lead for the Gold Technology Group at Curtin University. Kylie has been part of the mining industry for over 30 years, with experience across Western Australia, Queensland, and Tasmania. Originally moving to Kalgoorlie with a five-year plan, she’s still there 21 years later. A metallurgist by profession, Kylie has worked in production, project, and research roles across various commodities. Her career has centred on process improvement and optimisation, with a focus on linking plant performance to theory, uncovering insights that help maximise output from challenging orebodies. Currently, Kylie is the Strategic Programme Lead for the Gold Technology Group at Curtin University and is pursuing a PhD in Metallurgical Engineering at WA School of Mines. Returning to university has allowed her to deepen her lifelong love of learning. Beyond her professional work, Kylie is actively involved in several not-for-profit organisations. She leverages her project management skills to bring community initiatives to life, from securing funding to execution. Her contributions have included building playgrounds, renovating kitchens, securing grants, producing musicals, and even chairing a conference. Kylie considers her greatest accomplishment to be raising two wonderful children. Together, they share a love of travel, exploring global cuisines, and working through an ambitious list of musicals.

Ivy Chen is an Orebody Knowledge Specialist at Mineral Resources Limited. Ivy manages a specialist geological team for Mineral Resources Limited, mining iron ore and lithium. She is a member of the VALMIN Committee administering Australia’s minerals valuation code, the WA government’s Mining and Petroleum Advisory Committee, and past-director of the AusIMM, representing mining professionals in Australia and internationally. Ivy is a director for Horizon Power, WA’s  regional electricity company, Multicultural Futures, an NFP supporting migrants and refugees, Football West, and the Football Futures Foundation. In 2020 she was one of Women in Mining UK’s  100 Global Inspiration Women in Mining, and a finalist in the 2020 WA CME – Outstanding Women in Resources award.  

Donna Rathbone is the Unit Manager Surface Mining at Goldfields. Donna is a degree qualified civil construction engineer with over 39 years of experience in open cut mining operations as a shotfirer, all the way to Mine Manager with inexcess of 2500 reports. In the last decade she has spent most of her time managing large underground construction projects safely (raisebores, shaft sinking etc) both here in Australia and overseas in Mongolia. Along with her engineering degree, Donna has completed a Masters degree in Business Leadership, or better known as Organisational Psychology, and a second Masters degree in Business Administration. Donna spent her primary school years in Port Hedland, travelling to the many stations her father had worked on as a young man, spending her weekends and school holidays mustering cattle and working on the shearing shed floor. She recently started work for Goldfields at St Ives as the Unit Manager Surface Mining responsible for multiple open pits, managing both an owner mining team and multiple contractor teams for production. This is the first mine she has returned to having been at St Ives previously in charge of Drill & Blasting and Dewatering some 27 years ago. Donna has been married for 28 years and along with her husband Rob, they have a 22 year old son. For fun Donna is completely obsessed with free-diving catching crayfish by hand and fishing. She owns her own boat and will use any excuse to get out on the water.

Sandrine Symons is a Graduate Metallurgist at Pilbara Minerals Limited.