Embarking on a career as a geoscientist at a time when many of the stereotypes associated with women in mining were only starting to be dispelled, Council for Geoscience (CGS) Knowledge Management Business Unit lead Muneiwa Mukwevho is thriving in this historically male-dominated field.

Describing her career path as fate after attending a university open day in high school, Mukwevho admits that there are a few challenges that come with operating on a level playing field with male geoscientists.

“Carrying my own heavy core trays, splitting my own core samples and the intimidation of working in the field alone was challenging but only served to strengthen my resolve in making it in the industry.

“Approaching the job as an equal to your male counterparts is the way to go. I ensured that I magnified my strengths and found ways around the hurdles. This allowed me to learn and grow within the profession. 

“Apart from prayer, my ability to not sweat the small stuff, learn from every mistake and remain soft, but tough, is what has seen me through the difficult times in the field.”

Mukwevho has a Bachelor of Science Honours in geology from the University of Johannesburg. This is in addition to advanced qualifications in project and management development from the Enterprise University of Pretoria and Stellenbosch University, respectively.

“My career began in coal exploration, working for Anglo American Thermal Coal in Emalahleni, in Mpumalanga, as a professional in training in 2006. I worked my way up to a project and/or production geologist and gained experience in the exploration and production environments, as well as in coal mine rehabilitation.

“I then became a geoscientific data technician where I contributed to the implementation of geological database systems in South Africa and abroad, aligning technical solutions with operational workflows, and supporting data integrity across exploration and mining projects.” 

Mukwevho joined CGS in 2021 as the section head for the National Borehole Core Depository (NBCD). The mandate of the NBCD is to preserve legacy borehole cores and samples while also actively acquiring borehole cores and samples that authentically represent South Africa’s lithostratigraphy. 

Since being appointed as CGS Knowledge Management Business Unit lead in March, Mukwevho oversees the NBCD, Geoscience Information Services, geographic information system and cartography section, and the National Geoscience Museum. 

She emphasises that a great leader must be adaptable, move with the tide, be teachable and be willing to serve. 

“The Knowledge Management Business Unit prioritises the processing, management and dissemination of data and information with integrity and accuracy, being responsible to our internal and external stakeholders.”

“We support the strategic research initiatives of the CGS and the preservation of critical geoscience data and information.”

Working across the different geoscience disciplines has given Mukwevho an appreciation of the valuable work geoscientists do for South Africa. 

From contributing to job creation at mines and identifying water sources for water-scarce communities, to ensuring safety by providing information about geohazards and land-use, working as a geoscientist highlights the important role the sciences play in the lives of South African citizens, says Mukwevho.

Inspiring Impact

Brilliant women made an impression on Mukwevho at every step of her journey.

“I remember being inspired by former Anglo American CEO Cynthia Carol. She was a woman, a geologist, and headed a big mining house. That had a big impact on my thinking as a young female geologist.”

Mukwevho strongly believes in mentorship for young women in the geosciences, as it can be daunting to enter a field that looks somewhat unstable. 

“Having access to scientists that have been in the field and understand the highs and lows may ease a path that otherwise might have been more difficult.”

The CGS has a scientific staff complement of more than 50% women, which is a testimony to the organisation’s gender-equity efforts. The organisation also strives to empower women through enabling further studies, but also by placing them in strategic positions within the organisation.

Mukwevho advises young women to keep abreast of the direction the field is moving in when venturing into the geosciences to remain current with technological advancements and innovations, such as hyperspectral technology, and remain visible.

Mukwevho’s journey as a geoscientist has taught her the benefit of always moving forward and continuously learning.

“As the field evolves, so must I.”

Advancing through Innovation

Likewise, the NBCD has incorporated cutting-edge technologies such as hyperspectral imaging (HSI) to advance into the future. 

The CGS has adopted HSI across its multi-disciplinary geoscientific programmes to enhance data acquisition and interpretation. 

“The application of HSI by the CGS has directly identified economically valuable commodities such as rare-earth elements and other critical minerals. In indirect mineral detection, HSI data has proven effective in mapping alteration mineral assemblages associated with gold and copper porphyry systems, making it a useful tool for vectoring towards mineralisation,” elaborates Mukwevho. 

Hyperspectral technology is non-destructive, non-invasive and provides highly repeatable analytical measurements. 

“The quick turnaround time associated with this technology will accelerate decision-making, resulting in reduced costs in exploration expenditure,” adds Mukwevho.

Additionally, self-organising map-based borehole imagery has supported lithological interpretation in studies, enhancing consistency and accuracy in core logging that aids the NBCD’s mandate.

The legacy boreholes curated at the NBCD hold the key to new discoveries that could invigorate exploration investment in South Africa.

“By carefully curating a diverse collection of cores spanning various geological formations, we aim to provide researchers and industry professionals with invaluable insights into the geological history and potential resources of our country,” elaborates Mukwevho.

The CGS aims to improve access to these resources by developing a virtual core library.

The council’s Data Management Portal is also improving access to geoscientific information for external stakeholders by making it available online.

The data portal provides quick and reliable access to geoscience data and information, with over 4 000 registered users across multiple disciplines, including mining, exploration, academia, infrastructure planning, shares Mukwevho.

Additionally, the CGS plans to provide a solution that presents its clients with commodity specific business cases to encourage exploration as well as ease the financial burden for investors, she adds.

The digitisation of geoscientific data and resources contributes to infrastructure planning and environmental sustainability in South Africa, says Mukwevho.

“Preserving historical reports and documents is integral to not only the CGS’s history and heritage but also to its future undertakings within the different thematic areas in the geosciences. Valuable work was done by our forebears that, in the correct formats, is easily accessible and allows the user to save time and money.”