Welcome back to our ‘Best Mining Story’ column on Kinross World! This week, we feature Rebecca ‘Becky’ Adu Dapaah, Continuous Improvement Facilitator, Chirano. She reflects on her background and experience that lead her to the mining industry and her current role.
“I was raised in a family of farmers in Africa – the second of four children, I grew up playing with my younger siblings in the soil and became fascinated with the earth and the minerals within it.
As an adolescent, I attended a career talk where the speaker encouraged women’s involvement in the mining industry, a typically ‘male-dominated’ field of study. This challenge engaged me and I began looking into studying the field of Geology and Engineering.
I was accepted to the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology for Geological Engineering. This is when I realized my dream was becoming a reality.
In 2009, I interned at Chirano Gold Mines working on a project at the Tano pit for my university thesis. As part of the findings, I provided the Geology department with the recommendation to use blast movement technology systems (BMT) to monitor ore-waste contact to minimize dilution. This was a significant milestone in my career where I saw my ideas come to life. I was very proud.
In 2011, I became a graduate trainee at Chirano and was involved in mapping areas west of the Tano pit – my work resulted in the discovery of more gold reserves than anticipated, another very rewarding moment in my career at Kinross.
I recently transferred to the Continuous Improvement (CI) team at the mine. I was hesitant at first due to my lack of experience in the role. However, after working with the team and learning from their expertise, I understood the positive impact I was making on the mine and grew to love the role as it gave me a new learning opportunity.
Throughout my ten-year career at Kinross, I have learned a lot about the industry and myself. I am very grateful for the opportunities I have received by stepping out of my comfort zone and challenging myself in various roles. I look forward to pursing my career at Kinross and finding improvements and efficiencies to reduce costs and extend mine life.”
Do you have a Best Mining Story you want shared on Kinross World? Send your submissions to KinrossWorld@Kinross.com for a chance to be featured! Submissions can range from operational achievements, to exploration adventures, safety shares or inspirational moments. We look forward to your stories!
