‘For women who have the drive to succeed, the opportunity is there’
Throughout Canada’s mining history, strong women leaders have made their mark in the mining industry beginning with Kathleen Rice and Viola McMillan in the early and mid 20th Century.
In the first decade and a half of the 21st Century, Judy Baker of Argo Gold and Ingrid Hibbard of Pelangio Gold, both spoke at the 2017 Canadian Mining Expo in Timmins, Ont. about their respective companies and the work they are doing to explore and bring into production their properties.
Baker and Hibbard follow the trail blazed by Kathleen Rice, a mining pioneer of the 1920s who explored nickel deposits near Thompson, Man. and set up gold mines in the Snow Lake area of Northern Manitoba; and Viola McMillan, who found several gold mines in the Timmins Porcupine camp of the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. McMillan also served as the president of the Prospectors and Developers Association for many years.
Today we will profile Judy Baker, the founder, president and CEO of Argo Gold. Later we will follow up with an examination of Pelangio Gold and its President and CEO, Ingrid Hibbard.
Argo Gold’s head office is in Toronto, Ont., but as its gold exploration activities are in Red Lake and the Wawa gold district, Sault Ste. Marie plays a major role in obtaining supplies and services in support of their exploration effort.
Judy Baker was born in Port Colborne, Ont., a city famous for the Welland Canal and the INCO (now Vale) refinery at the mouth of Lake Erie and the Welland Canal.
“I was always interested in geology,” explained Baker. “When I was in high school, I drove to Brock University in St. Catharines to take night courses in geology.” Baker’s first job in mining was in Matagami, Que. working for Noranda at its Dieu Mine.
“There was a satellite zinc discovery around the original Matagami mine,” she said. “Noranda at the time (now Glencore) was able to make a whole bunch of discoveries as a result.” With her interest in mining confirmed, Baker enrolled in geology and engineering at Queen’s University.
For the rest of this article, click here: https://www.timminstoday.com/local-news/women-in-mining-judy-baker-exploring-for-gold-in-wawa-and-red-lake-634087