Modern Mining August 2021

WOMEN IN MINING

Vilencia Parsaraman Vilencia Parsaraman’s professional journey was set in motion after being selected as one of the GradStar Top 100 students in 2016. At the time, she was completing the final year of her National Diploma in chemical engineering at the Durban University of Technology. While attending a careers exhibition at an event hosted by GradStar, she was introduced to her current employer, Weir Minerals Africa, and this was where her chapter in the mining and minerals industry began. In 2017, she joined the sales team at Weir Minerals Africa as a process intern in the comminu- tion department. This was part of a two-year programme in which she completed her Bachelor of Technology in chemical engineering at the University of Johannesburg, thanks to a bursary provided by Weir Minerals.

Once her internship was over, she joined the Graduate Programme at Weir Minerals, which was for another two years. During this time, she was afforded the opportunity to further develop her skills and gain on-site experience as well as migrate to the hydrocyclone team. In November 2020, she officially completed her training programme, and was appointed to a permanent position as a junior process engineer for the cyclone team.

sessions assist in addressing challenges faced by women in the industry,” says Hatlane. Naran commends the company for participating in the “Take a Girl Child to Work Day” initiative, which gives schoolgirls a chance to experience the world of engineering and manufacturing. “For many girls, the initiative opens their eyes to the world of oppor- tunities in the STEM industries. In addition, since I began my career at Weir Minerals Africa, there has been an increasing number of female employees in

the production areas, from the pattern shop in the foundry to foundry engineers, as well as artisans in the machine shop and apprentices on the shop floor,” she says. “It is important that we continue to promote and advocate for the entry of women into previously considered male-dominant professions. There will always be challenges but the key is to remain dedi- cated and committed to your goals and aspirations,” concludes Naran. 

28  MODERN MINING  August 2021