The inaugural 2024 Mining.com.au Masters of Mining Awards are the newest national awards program to recognise and celebrate people and companies that contribute to the mining and minerals processing industry within Australia and beyond.

The awards recognise organisations and individuals that excel in everything from exploration to diversity and inclusion, innovation, leadership, job creation, and sector advocacy.

Mining is a major part of Australia’s landscape, contributing a record $455 billion in export revenue in 2022-23, highlighting, once again, its importance to the nation’s economy. Australia’s resources industry directly employs more than 300,000 people and has deployed $236.3 billion in capital expenditure over the past 10 years.

Mining.com.au is a trusted mining news publication that delivers unrivalled coverage of the resources and related industries, providing up-to-the-minute news, in-depth analysis, market trends, technological advancements, environmental considerations, and expert opinions. 

Whether it’s investor-focused content, developments in various industries, market trends, or original commentary and analyses from the movers and shakers of the business community, this publication helps investors stay informed about the rapidly evolving mining landscape.

As the fastest-growing mining news publication in the country, with more than 100,000-plus unique readers per month, 40,000 social media followers, and 14,000-plus subscribers to our weekly LinkedIn newsletter, Mining.com.au sets the agenda for news in the resources sector. 

We seek to deliver up-to-the minute and valuable market intelligence that helps people understand the business world. We seek to deliver valuable market intelligence and industry trends to mining stockholders, potential investors, and industry participants.

With a forward-looking focus, we strive to identify emerging trends and map out potential unfolding scenarios about the market, based on insights from credible, trusted sources and decision-makers across the global mining supply chain. This mission is rooted in our belief that great business journalism has the power to inform the market, educate the uninitiated, and highlight overlooked companies and data. 

Mining.com.au impacts the market through industry-leading journalism, and operates in the interests of the public — as well as those who engage us for limited sponsored content — reporting stories of significance to our audiences and delivering sector-wide insights. 

With such access and insights to the resources sector, it is incumbent on Mining.com.au to celebrate those that excel across all facets of the industry. The inaugural Masters of Mining winners are . . .

Pick of the Year

First amongst equals, the coveted Pick of the Year is awarded by Mining.com.au to the most impressive mining company over the prior 12 months. The award celebrates a company experiencing success with a discovery or project, accomplishing operational goals, and which is among the top mining companies for share price performance, innovation, diversity, workplace safety, and overall excellence.

The inaugural Pick of the Year for 2024 is Emerald Resources (ASX:EMR).

The company’s share price has ballooned roughly 260% over the past three years and has grown more than 30% year-to-date.

This reporting year has been Emerald’s strongest yet across all aspects of its operations. The company met its gold production guidance and delivered an after-tax profit of $80.7 million generated from revenues of $371.1 million primarily from its 100% owned Okvau Gold Mine in Cambodia, with $33.4 million reinvested into growth and development during the year. 

On a corporate level, Emerald saw the completion of the takeover of Bullseye Mining, and the incorporation of its prospects including the Dingo Range Gold Project into Emerald’s portfolio of projects. 

During the year Emerald Resources focused exploration activities on growing the gold resources at the Okvau Gold Mine with both in- and near-mine prospects including Okvau North, Samnang, and Preak Klong. 

In July, Emerald announced a record full-year production of 114,076 ounces of gold at Okvau. This was achieved as a result of another impressive quarter in which 28,245 ounces of gold were produced.

This year the company also launched the first major carbon offset initiative that is a direct result of its commitment to achieving carbon neutrality from its operations, initially from the Okvau Project.

Emerging Explorer Award

Ora Banda Mining (ASX:OBM) is a uniquely positioned gold exploration and development company as 100% owner of the Davyhurst Gold Project in the highly productive eastern goldfields region of Western Australia.

Investors began noticing the company after it released an update on its Riverina and Sand King underground mines at the Davyhurst Gold Project. These mines are the centrepiece of the company’s Drive to 150 Project.

Davyhurst is located just 120km north-west of Kalgoorlie. Ora Banda has been aiming to take its annual production to between 140,000 ounces and 160,000 ounces in 2026.

Ora Banda Mining owns an existing centralised 1.2-million-tonnes-per-annum processing hub, as well as additional established infrastructure at Davyhurst. This has facilitated the rapid unlocking of the value contained within the known resource base held by the company.

As such, Ora Banda is the winner of the inaugural Masters of Mining Emerging Explorer Award.

The award recognises an exploration company the market is beginning to notice due to a series of successes and positive outcomes, or whose market value has increased significantly over the course of the year, outperforming their peers.

Most Vocal Industry Supporter

The winner of the inaugural Masters of Mining Most Vocal Industry Supporter award is none other than Andrew Paterson, Managing Director of Great Boulder Resources, founder of the Exploration CEO Network and a vocal industry supporter.

This award celebrates a mining industry executive who goes above and beyond to advocate, promote, and support Australia’s mining and resources industry. This can be achieved through their own organisation, individually, or via an industry association of which they are a member.

Paterson is one of the sector’s strongest advocates, which is highlighted by his founding of the Exploration CEO Network.

Under his vision (and voice), this informal yet impactful network supports CEOs and managing directors of junior resources companies, providing a collaborative framework, encouraging new corporate leaders, and increasing the visibility of women in CEO roles within the mining industry.

Paterson is a geologist with more than 25 years of experience in mining and exploration in Australia and Papua New Guinea. After graduating from the WA School of Mines in 1993, he spent several years in surface and underground gold and nickel mining operations around the Western Australian Goldfields before moving into a management role with Harmony Gold. 

Youth Leader in Mining Award

Mining.com.au‘s Youth Leader in Mining Award recognises a company, individual, or program that advocates for and facilitates employing and training young people in Australia’s mining industry.

Jordan Pedley is the inaugural winner. Before becoming the Marketing Lead for the WA Mining Club, Pedley started her career working alongside her family in their mining services and manufacturing business Striker. 

Serving on the Western Australia Mining Club Committee as the head of the club’s Young Mining Professionals, Pedley contributes to advancing industry standards and championing diversity. She takes pride in passing down her industry knowledge to incoming youth.

WA Mining Club Young Professionals is a growing international association of mining professionals which aims to advance the global profile and leadership of the mining and exploration industry. The association aspires to drive diversification and innovation within the mining industry by creating a forum supporting young professionals’ development, network, and retention.

Pedley is currently Director of Strategic Initiatives at Barakee and MAX Plant. Barakee is a proudly Australian-owned and operated Indigenous equipment hire business, strategically located in the heart of Australia’s mining engine room, Western Australia. 

Pedley has also been appointed the Lead of Women in Quarry Western Australia, and elected on the Institute of Quarrying Australia’s (IQA) executive committee. 

Women in Mining Leadership Award

The Women in Mining Leadership Award recognises a team leader, manager, or company executive who has made a significant contribution to the mining industry over the course of their career.

Joanne Bergamin, co-founder and Chair of Women in Sustainable Energy and Resources (WISER), and non-executive director at Sunshine Metals (ASX:SHN) is the winner of this award.

Bergamin is a seasoned communications and sustainability professional with expertise and experience across the resources and energy sectors in Queensland. Alongside her roles with WISER and Sunshine Metals, Bergamin has held roles with QEM (ASX:QEM) and Arrow Energy (ASX:AOE).

Established in 2023, WISER is an inclusive industry network of women in sustainability energy, resources, and related industries in Australia. Established in Queensland, the network is run by a group of like-minded women who are passionate about increasing female representation in the industry. 

Excellence in Safety Shield

Recognising a company, individual, or program that is committed to ensuring safety, removing risks, or reducing potential worker harm on a project or mine, the inaugural Excellence in Safety Shield is awarded to Russell Mineral Equipment. 

Russell Mineral Equipment director Cherylyn Russell says the company is committed to safety, and its mill relining system is designed to improve safety by reducing the need for manual labour and working at heights.

To win, a company must have a clean historic record for workplace health and safety. Individuals must have been involved in a safety function or be clearly advocating for safety for 12 months or longer prior to the nominations’ closing date.

It’s therefore fitting for RME to win the Masters of Mining Excellence in Safety Shield in 2024. 

Exceptional ESG Award

The winner of the inaugural Exceptional ESG Award is Queensland-based explorer and developer QMines (ASX:QML). 

Mining.com.au is this year recognising a company that has developed or carried out an environmentally focused sustainable program to protect, preserve, or rehabilitate the natural environment. 

QMines is focused on becoming Australia’s first zero-carbon copper and gold producer, via its two advanced assets: the Mt Chalmers copper-gold and Develin Creek copper-zinc projects.

The Mt Chalmers Project, located 17km northeast of Rockhampton, is a historical copper-gold mine that is currently transitioning into a development phase.

The project previously operated as an open pit and underground operation between 1898 and 1982. 

Indigenous Inclusion Award

Minbos Resources’ (ASX:MNB) focus on the local and indigenous community in Angola makes it a clear winner for the inaugural Mining.com.au Masters of Mining Indigenous Inclusion Award for 2024.

The award recognises either collaboration with Traditional Land Owners (or other indigenous community stakeholder organisations), or the implementation of initiatives to actively employ Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (First Nations) people or those indigenous to the country hosting an ASX-listed company’s flagship asset. 

Minbos has an ambition to end poverty and hunger, in all their forms and dimensions, and to ensure that all human beings can fulfil their potential in dignity and equality, and in a healthy environment.

The company has adopted the World Economic Forum ESG framework and has set up an impact measurement plan for each sustainability area which includes governance, anti-corruption practices, ethical behaviour, child labour, emissions, land use, ecological sensitivity, water consumption, diversity and inclusion, pay equality, and local tax payments.

Recognising a mining company, or industry association or stakeholder that champions the interests of people and their families living and working in our mining communities.

They must advocate for job creation, economic development, and local investment to ensure our towns and regions remain vibrant, prosperous and sustainable now, and for generations to come.

The inaugural Masters of Mining winner of this award Jobs for Mining Communities, which champions the interests of people and their families living and working in Australia’s mining communities. JMC advocates for jobs, economic development, as well as investment to ensure local towns and regions remain vibrant, prosperous, and sustainable.

Write to Adam Orlando at Mining.com.au

Images: Emerald, Ora Banda, Minbos & RME