Two female students at Camborne School of Mines have been awarded scholarships as they embark on their first steps towards forging a successful mining career.

Jenna Roberts and Patti Suwawmongkol have each secured a scholarship worth £6,000 to assist their studies on the mining engineering course, offered at the University of Exeter’s Penryn Campus.

The scholarships are the result of donations from Women in Mining (UK), and the Camborne School of Mines Trust together with the Patron’s Fund and are designed to encourage more women into the field of mining engineering.

Jenna and Patti were presented with their scholarships by Tony Batchelor, chair of the Camborne School of Mines Trust, at a special ceremony.

Speaking after the event, Jenna said: ‘I am really grateful to Women in Mining (UK) for helping me to study mining engineering and excited to be starting the course.”

Patti added: “I was thinking of studying geotechnics but winning the scholarship has encouraged me to take the full step to mining engineering.”

Mr Batchelor said “The trust is delighted to be helping encourage more women to follow careers in mining and we are pleased to receive a £2,500 grant from the Patron’s Fund."

Professor Frances Wall of Camborne School of Mines and a member of the membership development committee of Women in Mining (UK), added: “We had a very high standard of applicant this year, resulting in two excellent winners. Mining is a ‘hi tech’ international industry, which is keen to build a reputation for sustainability best practice and contains exciting career possibilities. Women in Mining (UK) aims to encourage more women into mining and help them climb the career ladder."