Elisabeth Viklund is a machinery operator at Mandalay's gold and antimony mine at Costerfield.

She drives a variety of machines but the one that takes the most skill is a remote controlled loader sent in after explosions.

"It allows you to go into 'unsupported' ground," she said.

"When we blast through to get the ore it creates a void that is not supported. Depending on how the blast happens it can create a very unsafe environment."

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Ms Viklund's remote-control loader shifts ore to a safer vantage point before the voids are backfilled.

She has won the "outstanding trade operator or technician category" in recognition of both her high-skills and her team leadership roles.

The 23-year-old is her crew's health and safety representative.

"I'm the link between upper management and my crew. I'm a person they can talk to if they have any safety concerns," Ms Viklund said.

"It's really nice when people put that trust in you and feel comfortable sharing any concerns they have."

Ms Viklund thanked Mandalay for supporting her to take on more advanced roles.

Mining can potentially be dangerous and Ms Viklund said people needed to always be aware of what they were doing and all safety requirements.

Meanwhile over at Fosterville's gold mine, Kirkland Lake Gold's Nikki Hartrey has won the award for "gender diversity champion".

At previous companies she worked on ways to make recruitment processes more inclusive in a bid to boost opportunities for female, mature age and Indigenous job seekers.

At Fostervile, Ms Hartrey's single biggest contribution has been her leadership with the mine's Gender Equity Consultation Kick-Off program, which improves outcomes for women at Fosterville and presents progress in a way that measures their success.

Changes have included increasing the number of female bathrooms on site and improving existing ones.

"That's been an issue at every mine I've worked at," she said.

The program has also helped Kirkland Lake Gold start a carers' room on site aimed at parents who want to return to work, a new paid parental leave program and new structures around recruitment, including methods for eliminating any unconscious bias, Ms Hartrey said.

Other award winners include Ensolve's Laura Chibnall and Stawell Gold Mines' Yan Lim.

All four winners will now progress to national awards to be held in September.

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