CMEWA CEO Paul Everingham said the winners of the awards represented an extremely broad cross-section of the WA mining and resources community.

"Each year WIRA highlights some exceptionally inspirational stories - and 2022 is no different," he said.

"While our winners all have different stories and backgrounds, the one attribute they share in common is that they are all leaders in one shape or another."

The winners for 2022 include:

• BHP engineer Kim Tan, who won the women in resources technological innovation award;
• Shell technician Madeline Deppeler, who won the outstanding operator category;
• Newmont corporate counsel Elle Farris, who was won the outstanding young woman in resources category;
• Tianqi superintendent Kathy Lewi, named the outstanding woman in resources;
• BHP warehousing vice-president Marie Bourgoin, crowned women in resources champion; and
• Rig Technologies manager Sravani Mukkisa, who received the people's choice award. 

Tan developed a remote operated thermal lance feeder to reduce jams in the crusher, which is being used by BHP and others across the industry.

Farris is a trailblazer for increased female involvement and participation in mining and heads up Newmont's legal team.

Lewi has worked in mining for 35 years and heads up a team of 80 at Tianqi's lithium hydroxide refinery in Kwinana.

Everingham said as the sector strived to increase diversity and continue the journey towards equality, the 2022 WIRA winners showed the future of the WA mining and resources sector was in very good hands.
"In recognising and celebrating not only our winners but all our finalists, I hope that we can highlight the wide range of jobs, career pathways and opportunities that are available to women in our sector," he said.