New study on the working conditions of geologists

A new study in human work science has examined how geologists perceive their professional role in relation to gender and male-dominated workplaces. Geologists typically work as experts analysing bedrock to locate, map, and assess ore deposits. They alternate between fieldwork and office work.

“My study shows that the traditional career ideal for geologists generally suits men better than women. This career ideal, which largely persists in several European countries, is based on frequent travel, being out in the field, and having irregular working hours. This requires, for example, that someone else take on the primary responsibility for family and children—and that has usually been women,” says Samuel Heimann, who has written a thesis on the subject.

Previous research on gender equality and gender in the mining industry has mainly focused on managers and miners. In Samuel Heimann’s thesis, gender and organisation within the mining industry, among other sectors, are studied through the lens of geologists’ work—a profession dominated by men. Working conditions for geologists in the mine are influenced not only by gender but also by their position as intermediaries between miners and managers.

Several European countries in the study

The dissertation examines both female geologists’ experiences of organisation and working conditions in a European context, as well as geologists’ experiences at a Nordic mine (this sub-study primarily involves men). Studies of geologists working in Europe show that many female geologists feel they must prove, compared to their male colleagues, that their work is valuable to the workplace. This involves compensating for colleagues’ and managers’ expectations that, as women, they are less available for work. Women face the perception that they prioritise family over work and feel they must prove they can live up to a masculine professional ideal, for example by demonstrating their physical ability on the job, building the right networks within the industry, and gaining their colleagues’ acceptance of their professional role.

Mine locations affect gender equality

The professional ideal and working conditions for geologists generally provide women with fewer opportunities for career advancement and interesting work assignments compared to their male colleagues. Samuel Heimann emphasises, however, that there are exceptions and that the mine can be a good work environment for both women and men who want to balance family responsibilities with a job as a geologist. There are examples of workplaces with regular office hours, the option to work from home, fewer business trips, and the right to childcare and temporary leave for sick children.

The Nordic welfare model, with a high proportion of women in the workforce, well-developed public childcare, strong labour laws, and a social safety net, is better equipped to create conditions of gender equality. The dissertation shows that the location of a mine can pose a challenge for geologists, creating different conditions regarding family formation.

“Mines located far from major urban centers and therefore lacking proximity to healthcare, childcare, infrastructure, and cultural institutions may find it more difficult to organise work in a way that deviates from the traditional male professional ideal,” says Samuel Heimann.

The thesis, titled Mining Geology – Gendered Work in Geological Occupations and Organizations, is based on a review of previous research, a survey with 203 responses from female geologists, workshops with female geologists in 16 different European countries, and a field study at a Nordic mine.

• Full text of the dissertation