Cynthia Le Sueur-Aquin: surviving the hard knocks.

• Author: Ross, Ian
• Position: WOMEN IN MINING

Cynthia Le Sueur-Aquin doesn't view herself as an inspirational role model for women. If there is a gender imbalance in today's mining industry, the president and CEO of Laurion Mineral Exploration admits she doesn't devote much time thinking about it.

"I encounter many women in the field as geologists, and I respect them greatly, but I don't know how I can be a mentor."

In her mind, the gender issue never enters the picture despite some tough personal experiences early in her professional life.

Her 35-year career has involved every facet of running mining companies from project financing to property acquistion, corporate legal work, handling negotiations and investor relations.

Laurion is a junior mining company operating in the Beardmore area, 220 kilometres northeast of Thunder Bay. Le Sueur-Aquin's focus these days is on raising money to build a gold and base metals resource around the old Sturgeon River gold mine and its flagship Ishkoday property.

"I'm far too busy trying to get through the issues of the market and exploration to even think about how to mentor someone coming through the ranks."

The South African-born Le Sueur-Aquin emerged from the hard-knock world of that country's gold mining industry in the late 1970s and early 1990s. It was during the apartheid era when some parts of society staunchly believed that a woman's place was in the home.

The deep gold mines weren't the most hospitable place for a young female mining engineer Until 1991, women were prohibited from going underground.

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There were no latrines for women and the intense heat working at depths of 3,000 to 4,000 metres could challenge anyone's physical stamina.

The workforce was a cultural mix of tribes and migrant workers, some harbouring the belief that women underground were bad luck.

"You have to understand, the South African mining industry is a subset of a very sociological complex society," said Le Sueur-Aquin.

Though never disrespected by black miners, it was the less-educated Afrikaners who gave her the most grief. "They hated to see a woman drive a car or come underground."

Inside the three-decker service cages at the large mines, it wasn't uncommon for management types to be urinated on by the miners above.

"I just hated that feeling the whole day of stinking of piss," she said.

In one instance, a forklift operator, who neglected the right-of-way rules, drove his forks through the windows of the company car she was driving.

"I...