Unearthing
Neurodiversity
in the Australian
Mining Industry
Welcome
Thank you for visiting Neurodiversity in Mining.
My name is Tamzen and I am a neurodivergent geoscientist in Western Australia who is passionate about raising awareness of neurodiversity in the Australian mining industry.
"The term Neurodiversity...refers to the infinite range of differences in individual human brain function and behavioural traits."(8)
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Why Mining?
What is Neurodiversity?
The mining industry provides a uniquely challenging environment characterised by labour-intensive shift work in remote areas, for extended periods of time away from essential support systems.
Neurodiversity impacts an estimated 15-20% of the population worldwide (1). Mining employment in Australia has trebled from an average of 83,900 in 2002 to 286,100 in 2022 (2). If 10% of those employed in mining identified as being neurodiverse, this equates to over 28,600 people who are working tirelessly to fulfil roles designed for neurotypical personnel.
After learning that Neurodiversity fails to make the top four priorities for improvement in the resources industry (3), combined with first-hand experiences and observations, I was inspired to take action.
Purpose and Mission
Neurodiversity in Mining is passionate about creating a neuro-inclusive mining industry.
We aim to achieve this by:
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Educating the mining industry on what neurodiversity is and its value to companies
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Empower those who are neurodivergent to understand and embrace their valuable differences
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Improve working conditions for neurodivergent employees