Judy Baker: challenges in junior exploration faced by both genders.

• Author: Kelly, Lindsay
• Position: MINING

For Judy Baker, challenges in the junior exploration side of the mining industry aren't necessarily linked to gender. It's a formidable field that poses challenges for anyone who takes the work on.

"The junior exploration and mining business is a tougher segment of the industry because basically you're taking the highest risk capital available to explore for mineral wealth, and the risk factor's so high, it's tough for anyone to be in, let alone women," she said.

Baker, CEO at Superior Copper Resources, which is exploring at the former Coppercorp copper mine near Sault Ste. Marie, first developed an interest in the field while still in high school. Attending night courses in geology at Brock University the theory of plate tectonics put forward by John Tuzo Wilson--the idea that the earth's crust is comprised of a series of shifting plates--captured her interest and guided her into mining.

After completing a B.Sc. in geological engineering exploration for economic mineral deposits at Queen's University, she spent three years doing contract work for the Ontario Ministry of Mines. But a lull in work, sparked by a dip in commodity prices, sent Baker back to school to complete her MBA at the Richard Ivey School of Business at Western University.

Creativity and resourcefulness are key assets for working in the industry, Baker said.

"The cyclical nature of the industry provides challenges, on the downside, so when the commodity business cycle contracts, you have to be resourceful," she said. "So I actually went back to business school when exploration activity in Canada got cut dramatically in 1993."

Baker has now had a successful 23-year career, in several roles, in the industry.

Working at various brokerage houses in Toronto, she was involved in financing junior exploration mining companies, working as a research associate and analyst. She also spent time as an industry advocate in the gypsum and salt mines in southern Ontario and most of the mining camps in the North.

While working in the Mattagami camp in 1989, Baker was galvanized by the wealth creation that resulted when commodity prices went up and the mine had to increase production from two to three eight-hour shifts a day "I was very impressed by that," she said.

Baker acquired the first company she ran, Black Pearl Minerals (now Canada Lithium Corp), from IAM-GOLD for six million shares and $250,000 in cash. It announced July 2 it's produced its first run of 99.1 per cent, battery-grade...