The Dyno Nobel Exceptional Woman in Australian Resources Award went to BHP maintenance manager Lydia Gentle OAM.

Queensland-based Gentle is the youngest Australian to have ever received the highest level of recognition in the engineering profession - Engineering Executive.

The Newcrest Exceptional Young Woman in Australian Resources Award went to Newmont Australia corporate counsel Elle Farris.

Farris overcame adversity to become a lawyer and worked on deals including the sale of Newmont's 50% stake in Kalgoorlie Consolidated Gold Mines.

Alkane Resources underground bogger operator and tele-remote operation Casey Martin won the Thiess Outstanding Australian Tradeswoman, Operator or Technician Award for her outstanding professional capability and support for women's career advancement.

The Maptek Women in Resources Technological Innovation Award went to Newcrest senior plant metallurgist Emily Jaques for her innovative work on improving coarse gold recovery at the Cadia operation through the use of HydroFloat technology.

The Rio Tinto Gender Diversity Champion in Australian Resources Award was handed out to CMOC-Northparke Mines superintendent, human resources, training and organisational development Michelle Wetherell for her stewardship of a large number and variety of programs that have contributed to the growing inclusion and diversity at Northparkes.

Minerals Council of Australia CEO Tania Constable said general managers, maintenance managers, superintendents, underground bogger operators, pit operators, HR managers, geologists and engineers were some of the professions represented among the finalists and winners last night.

"Twenty years ago, only 9000 women were employed by Australian mining," she said.

"Today, 57,000 women comprise 21% of the mining workforce represented at all levels - from company boards to the on-site workforces at mine sites across the country."