Almonty Industries CEO Lewis Black / Courtesy of Almonty Industries

Women's participation in mining has been strictly restricted in Korea over the past seven decades in accordance with the Labor Standards Act, which prohibits women and minors from working inside pits, except for the purpose of medical treatments and press coverage.

While Rep. Ji Seong-ho and nine other lawmakers of the ruling People Power Party failed to pass their proposal for a revision to the law last year, Oh Se-gil, a member of the Daejeon Seo-gu Council, could not draw public attention in June to his description of the regulation as "unconstitutional."

As a result, Korea Coal Corp. defended its lowest proportion of women employees among the country's 30 major state-run enterprises. Mimi of the K-pop girl band Oh My Girl even became Korea's first woman miner working underground last year, following the rapper's appearance in a television show filmed at a now-defunct coal mine in Hwasun County, South Jeolla Province.

Amid the rigid rules, however, Almonty Industries has hired women for its Korean subsidiary set to commence the production of tungsten in June next year in Yeongwol County, Gangwon Province.

"Female employees at Almonty Korea Tungsten Corp. (AKTC) contribute significantly to key areas such as human resources, administration, finance, and community and public relations, playing essential roles in both operational excellence and strategic planning," Almonty CEO Lewis Black told The Korea Times via email.

"Currently, women make up 19 percent of AKTC's workforce, and increasing female representation is a priority for us."

According to the World Bank, women still constitute only 15 percent of the global mining workforce due to various challenges, such as grueling physical work in hazardous work environments, legislative barriers, exclusionary hiring practices and limited career advancement opportunities.

Sangdong tungsten mine in Yeongwol County, Gangwon Province / Courtesy of Almonty Industries

"Employing women in aspects of the business where there has never been a female perspective has proven to be very beneficial," Black said.

"We now regard gender diversity in the workforce as a strategic advantage."

Although the Canadian firm emphasized AKTC's compliance with Korea's labor laws and regulations, the CEO recognized that mining technology and safety standards have evolved significantly.

"Our Sangdong Mine, for instance, is one of the most technologically advanced and safest mines globally, with state-of-the-art ventilation, monitoring and emergency systems," he said.

"We aim to create an environment where anyone — male or female — can safely work in the pits in the future, once technology and automation fully eliminate traditional underground risks."

With a greater awareness of gender equality and improved labor conditions inside pits, a growing number of countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia and Scandinavian countries, have allowed women's access to the formerly forbidden areas.

In 2022, Ukraine lifted its ban on women working underground to counteract the scarcity of men in the workforce after Russia's invasion.

Coal mining companies in Illinois even paid $4.25 million in 2017 to women who claimed they were denied coal-production jobs, including underground work.

"The legal frameworks in several regions have evolved to allow women to work inside mines, provided safety measures are rigorously upheld," the Almonty CEO said.

"This progression aligns with our own belief that mining can and should be inclusive, leveraging diverse talents to achieve innovation and sustainability."