The NSW Minerals Council ceremony was held in Sydney on Thursday night, with more than 250 people from the mining industry, community and government attending.

Michelle was presented the Gender Diversity Champion Award for her work in overseeing the introduction of the company's parental leave program which resulted in a 100 per cent return to work rate.

Michelle has championed a more flexible work-life-balance for all employees, including overseeing the first job-share arrangement in an operational role, her award citation read.

She is also Northparkes' representative on the Parkes Domestic Violence Committee.

Meanwhile, the first female mine manager at Australia's largest producing gold mine Newcrest Mining's Cadia Valley Operations, Lyndsay Potts has been named the Exceptional Woman in NSW Mining for 2022.

She's Cadia's health, safety and environment manager and has forged an untrodden path in the resources sector, taking up postings and leadership positions where there had been no female predecessor.

Lyndsay's leadership brought significant health and safety improvements to the operation and saw Cadia East achieve a record 221 days without any recordable injuries.

She has also juggled an impressive career while raising three young children and has used her leadership role at Cadia to strongly advocate for women in mining, including in her role as inclusion leader.

NSW Minister for Women Bronnie Taylor congratulated the five category winners.

"These awards are a fantastic way of highlighting the efforts and achievements of women in mining," she said.

"These incredible role models show young women and girls that there is so much potential for them in this industry.

"We need more women to aspire to leadership positions in the NSW mining industry, now more than ever as we rebuild our economy following the COVID-19 pandemic."

Other winners included Emily Jaques, also from Newcrest Mining's Cadia Valley Operations, receiving the Technological Innovation Award for developing the world's first application of HydrofloatTM technology for the recovery of sulphides.

The Outstanding Trade, Operator or Technician Award was presented to Casey Martin from Alkane Resources Tomingley Gold Operations, a pioneer for women seeking to forge a career in mining.

In her previous role at the CSA mine in Cobar, Casey was the first woman on-site to gain a Blasting Explosives User License.

In 2021, Casey joined Tomingley Gold Operations as an Underground Bogger Operator, again breaking new ground as the first woman underground at the operation.

Tamara Woods from Hetherington was named NSW Exceptional Young Woman in Mining.

The winners in the five award categories will be entered into the Women in Resources National Awards.

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