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AusIMM Awards

Professional Excellence Awards

AusIMM Awards

Professional Excellence Awards

Recognising professional excellence for significant contributions to the development or application of professional knowledge, practice or leadership within a specific discipline aligned to AusIMM Societies.  

These Awards may be presented to professionals at any career stage, of any discipline, who have made a measurable impact to their own or any other discipline. Such impact may include:

  • Successful implantation of innovative techniques, technologies or ideas
  • Providing thought leadership to address specific discipline challenges
  • Significant contributions to growing the capability, impact or reputation of the discipline
  • A demonstrated ability to inspire and motivate teams or new professionals to achieve outstanding success.

A geotechnical engineer may be recognised for their contribution to mining; a chemical engineer may be recognised for their contribution to metallurgy; a non-geoscience trained researcher may be recognised for their contribution to geoscience etc. 

The six Award categories are listed below. 

Societies Awards

AusIMM Mining Society Award

AusIMM Geoscience Society Award

AusIMM Metallurgical Society Award

AusIMM Social and Environment Society Award

AusIMM Health and Safety Society Award

AusIMM Consultants Society Award

Award guidelines

Please read the guidelines before submitting your nomination.
  • Nominations for Awards close on 1 June. This includes the original nomination, plus endorsement from referee(s).
  • All AusIMM members are eligible to nominate and be nominated for one or more Awards.
  • AusIMM members may nominate non-members for all Awards except the Beryl Jacka Award, which is only open to AusIMM members.
  • Nominations are to be made online using the form.
  • Self-nominations will not be accepted.
  • The nominator must be an AusIMM member; referees preferably so.
  • All nominations are strictly confidential, and it is a requirement that nominees are not informed of their nomination.
  • AusIMM is committed to increasing diversity in the industry and welcomes nominations from all professionals, regardless of discipline or background.
  • Nominations are also encouraged across AusIMM’s global membership highlighting the impact of our members’ work all over the world.
  • It is expected that nominators and/or referees will likely have professional or personal relationships with the nominee. Nominators and referees are asked to describe their relationship with the nominee for the sake of transparency.  

Highest Honours

These awards celebrate outstanding, sustained leadership and exceptional contributions to AusIMM or the resources sector. This category includes four prestigious awards:

Institute Medal

The Institute Medal is the most prestigious award and highest honour conferred by AusIMM. It may be awarded to anyone in recognition of eminent leadership of AusIMM or the resources sector. 

Honorary Fellowship

Honorary Fellowship may be conferred on any senior and influential professional who has performed notable, active and sustained service to AusIMM or made a major contribution to the resources sector.

Beryl Jacka Award

This award is named in honour of Beryl Jacka, a stalwart of AusIMM over a period of 40+ years including as Secretary. This award may only be presented to an AusIMM member who has demonstrated extraordinary and sustained service to AusIMM.

President's Award

The President’s Award may be presented to any senior and influential professional who has made a notable contribution to, or achievement within, AusIMM or the resources sector in a specific sphere of activity. This Award is bestowed by the AusIMM President. 

Professional Excellence Awards

These Awards recognise professional excellence for significant contributions to the development or application of professional knowledge, practice or leadership within a specific discipline aligned to AusIMM Societies. These Awards may be presented to professionals at any career stage, of any discipline, who have made a measurable impact to their own or any other discipline. Such impact may include:

-       Successful implantation of innovative techniques, technologies or ideas

-       Providing thought leadership to address specific discipline challenges

-       Significant contributions to growing the capability, impact or reputation of the discipline

-       A demonstrated ability to inspire and motivate teams or new professionals to achieve outstanding success

There are six awards in this category:

  • AusIMM Mining Society Award
  • AusIMM Geoscience Society Award
  • AusIMM Metallurgical Society Award
  • AusIMM Social and Environment Society Award
  • AusIMM Health and Safety Society Award
  • AusIMM Consultants Society Award

Leadership Awards

These awards recognise consistent and significant contribution to the ongoing success of AusIMM and/or the resources sector. There are three Awards in this category: Outstanding Leadership Award (x2) and Emerging Leader of the Year.

Outstanding Leadership Award (x2)

Leadership Awards may be presented to any member or group of members. They recognise consistent and significant contribution to the ongoing success of AusIMM and/or the resources sector. This may be through building better understanding and respect either among resources sector professionals, or between those professionals and the broader community.

The contributions these awards recognise might include (but are not limited to) the operations of a Community of Interest (Branch, Society, Student Chapter, New Professionals Network; Women in Mining Network; Committee) an AusIMM event, or publication.

Emerging Leader of the Year (x1)

This Award recognises the contribution by a young professional within the sector through operational, academic, service or other notable achievement.

This award may be presented to any new resources sector professional (generally aged under 30).

  • The AusIMM Awards Committee will be responsible for the Highest Honours (3 Awards) and Leadership Awards (3 Awards).
  • The President's Award will be bestowed by the President. The Awards Committee and AusIMM Board will assist with nominations and potential candidates. The final selection will be made in consultation with the Awards Committee.
  • AusIMM Societies will oversee the Professional Excellence Awards, consisting of six categories representing each Society's focus. Awards Panels will be established within each Society to review nominations and make recommendations. These selections will then be approved in consultation with the Awards Committee. 
  • If required, a request for more information may be sent to the nominator and/or referee(s).
  • No name or names of people other than those recommended by the Awards Committee for an Award shall be reported to the Board.
  • The Awards Committee may exercise discretion in awarding more or fewer than the Awards noted in each category in any year. This includes the option of no Awards in any category.
  • All unsuccessful nominations shall be reviewed at the beginning of the following year’s process and may be retained for further consideration.
  • Awards will be presented at the annual AusIMM Awards Dinner, usually held in conjunction with the annual AusIMM Congress. In 2025, the AusIMM Awards Dinner will be held in Brisbane on Friday 17 October.

Nominate now!

Ready to nominate someone? Head over to our online form before 1 June.

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