Jenna Macoun GIT

Jenna was raised in Calgary, Alberta, home of the oil giant of Canada.

Jenna has always been outdoorsy and followed her hiking feet into her Geology career after deciding Veterinary Medicine wasn’t quite for her. She pursued hard rock mining contrary to many of her oil driven counterparts in University.

Jenna Currently works at the worlds largest Zinc Mine, Teck Alaska’s Red Dog in the Arctic Circle.

“Reach out to other women, get the conversation started, and don’t be afraid to ask the question.”

1.      How did you decide on pursuing your degree(s)? Did you know about geology before you entered university?

I came across geology through my secondary courses at the University of Calgary. My original degree background was Biology, specializing in Veterinary Medicine. I worked at multidisciplinary vet clinics and was fully pursuing this career path. As I am an avid hiker, I happened to be taking geology as my secondary sciences courses and began to fall in love with studying the earth and rocks beneath my feet. So, after two years in biology training for vet medicine, I made the switch to transfer into a BSc of Geology.

2.      Describe your career progression since finishing undergrad.

During my degree, I started as a Greenfields Exploration Geologist working in the interior British Columbia Spenses Gold Bridge as a summer undergraduate. Talisker Resources taught me the basics of numerous types of sampling, mapping, camp life and unforgiving shift work.

Teck Resources then hired me on as a Geologist in Training straight out of University. I joined the remote helicopter supported Schaft Creek Cu-Au-Mo-Ag project. Throughout this project, I was core logging, modelling, assisting in rig management, health and safety, environment and communities, among many other things that come along with working at a remote camp. Over the course of three years working at the project, I progressed in my career to take on more management and leadership positions.

Throughout the years working for Teck under the Schaft Creek Project, I have had the pleasure of being seconded to many other projects when work slowed down in the winter. I worked at Highland Valley Copper open pit mine in British Columbia as a core logging geologist and lead on the Hyperspectral Analysis on site. I was also sent to Texas and New Mexico to aid in a small Greenfields Cu porphyry exploration program. This grew my software and United States geology knowledge, as well as giving me the experience to start, execute and wrap up an entire program to present.

My fourth year at Teck Resources I moved on to Alaska’s Red Dog Project advancing my leadership role and learning about the largest Zinc mine in the world. I learned the process of managing seven rigs and the sampling programs that come along with them. I worked with the ore control geologists in the mine and began to understand the open pit to underground mine differences and workings that come with it.

3.      If you could go back to your first year in undergrad, would you pick the same degree and career trajectory? Why/why not?

Absolutely! I really love the path I have chosen and the opportunities to travel my career has given me.

4.      What are the three best things about your job/career? What are three things you would change? 

What do I love?

a.     Traveling to new places not many people will ever be able to go to.

b.    Making so many friends from all different backgrounds.

c.     The variety of my work and tasks I complete, my job is anything but monotonous.

What would I change?

a.     The imbalance from women to men in higher up roles, we need more women!

b.     Better promotion of the industry in school, I wish I knew what it was like when I was in University and even Highschool.

c.     Access to more information like WGC is promoting, it is great to know there are other women out there perhaps going through the same struggles as you.

5.      Why is gender balance in mineral exploration/mining/geoscience important to you? Why should it be important for everyone?

It is invaluable to have a mentor of the same gender to look up to and help guide you. They most likely experienced similar or relatable things and can lead you in the right direction. It gives the feeling like you are not alone and honestly makes it a lot easier to navigate the industry if you have someone to bounce ideas and expectations off of.

I have experienced firsthand how it feels to be one of few women on site, not having your voice heard and being noted as the “weak” one on the team. I strive to prove them wrong and gain respect for women across the board. I want to be apart of the reason someone can look at their career and see potential if another woman can do it in such a male dominated industry.

6.      What advice would you give to young women starting a career in mineral exploration/mining/geoscience?

Reach out to other women, get the conversation started, and don’t be afraid to ask the question. This career sometimes can mean a lot of field work, so make sure you are comfortable being in the field if you choose this path. Find your people also, if you work well with people, keep connected, the geology world is very small and you never know when you’ll need a hand, or they might need yours.

7.      What motivates you and keeps you busy outside of mineral exploration/mining/geoscience?

I love animals, travelling and the outdoors; I am an avid hiker and love taking my dog on hikes whenever I can. I love learning about history and different cultures which fueled my passion for travelling. I have travelled parts of Europe, Asia, North and South America, always saying yes to more travel. As I have grown as a person, I also have settled into reading whenever I am not working, outside or playing and coaching volleyball. Lastly, I used to be a professional horse rider representing both Canada and North America on a few occasions before my Geology career took hold and ultimately inhibited my ability to continue.

Jenna and her dog Chips in the Rocky Mountains