In the stope
conduct audits was one of the aspects
of her job she enjoyed; however, she
soon realised the harsh reality of being
a woman in what was then — and
perhaps still is — a male-dominated
environment. For Hlole, one of her
biggest obstacles in her line of work
was being undermined because of her
capacity as a young woman. While
conducting audits underground, older
male miners found it difficult to consider
Hlole’s input, even though it was valid.
Another challenge Hlole was faced
with related to job security as a geologist.
She mentions that once a mine starts
operating, it doesn’t require that many
geologists anymore. During tough
economic times, mine companies often
decide to cut costs by, among other
things, retrenching workers. Hlole
explains that geologists are often part of
these retrenchments.
Although chances of retrenchment are
high for a geologist, Hlole sees this as an
opportunity to move on to other exciting
challenges. She thrives on challenges and
always looks forward to tackling them
head-on.
A passion for working
with rocks
For Hlole, being a geologist is more
than just a job — it’s a passion. Time
and again, she has emphasised her love
for working with rocks. The nature of
her job means working in different
environments and experiencing many
different encounters. One of the
highlights of her career was finding
a mineral that had been difficult to
discover. She explains that finding this
mineral of interest while working on a
project in 2017 was a challenge, because
the population had a lot of geological
discontinuity. “When we finally found
the mineral that we were looking for,
it was so glorious and joyous for me,”
she says proudly. She emphasises that
an unprocessed mineral fresh from the
earth really excites her — something
that many people do not understand.
So passionate is Hlole about her
career, that she has enrolled for an MSc
in Mining and she is completing her
MBA to advance in her career as both
a geologist and a businesswoman. She
is not fazed by being in a career where
there are no guarantees. She explains
that as a geologist, one has no control
[28] MINING MIRROR JANUARY 2019
over the outcome of an exploration — an
aspect of her job that could be frustrating
sometimes.
Regardless of the challenges and
uncertainties that come with being
a geologist, Hlole has managed to
persevere, even in the toughest of times.
She attributes this to her love and
passion for exploration, which includes
drilling, mapping, and trenching.
Focusing on things that inspire her also
kept Hlole going in tough times during
her career. “Once you find your passion
and you strive to reach your goals,
nothing will stop you,” she says.
Being a geologist is a demanding career
and often requires a lot of travelling.
Hlole has her hands full with exploration
activities, industry events, and attending
classes. When she finds time out of her
busy schedule, Hlole prefers to spend her
time on the golf course. “Being outdoors
and playing, you get peace of mind and
time to think,” she says.
For Hlole, being
a geologist is more
than just a job
— it’s a passion.
Time and again, she
has emphasised
her love for working
with rocks.
Views on the industry
In Hlole’s view, one of the biggest
misconceptions about the mining
industry is that there is a lot of money.
Another aspect of mining that some
may not be aware of is that a lot of
investment is involved prior to the
success of a mine. “In mining, before you
start making money, you need to invest a
lot of money,” she explains.
At the moment, she believes that the
mining industry in South Africa is not
doing too well. “It is quite disappointing
at the moment because of the insecure
working environment and lack of new
developments in the mining industry.”
She also believes that government is not
doing enough to help the industry, with
too many promises being made, but not
enough action. “Most of the delivered
information we heard at the Joburg
Indaba is a repetition of what we heard
at the Junior Indaba. But progress seems
to fall short of expectation.”
She also believes that beneficiation is
another area of the mining industry that
needs attention.
Despite the many challenges facing
the industry, Hlole is optimistic that
things will change and improve.
For this to happen, she reckons that
beneficiation, among other things,
needs to be taken more seriously by
the industry. “Currently, South Africa
at large does not reap the full potential
of beneficiation because we export
the majority of our raw products and
then import finished goods. If the
circumstances can change, then we could
at least reap some of the potential gain.”
She believes that a proper structure,
which is followed, implemented, and
well executed, is needed.
She also mentions the necessity of
assisting junior miners, especially when it
comes to funding because of the struggles
they face in accessing funding. “I think we
are going in the right direction. Perhaps
we will have a way forward and see the
difference that we are looking for. We
hope to see positive developments in the
near future,” she explains.
Where to from here
Hlole is currently working on an
exciting phosphate exploration. She is
also focusing on completing her studies
and making Nichnaat Consulting a
household name. She’s got her eye on
the main prize: to continue being a
successful geologist and businesswoman.
In addition to her career aspirations,
Hlole is passionate about giving back
and would one day like to open a shelter
for women and children. She says that
plans are already in place for the shelter.
For young people looking at geology
as a possible career, Hlole advises them
to travel and look for opportunities
overseas, in addition to South Africa.
“It’s a beautiful career. When you go and
study it, be open-minded,” she says. b
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