Mining rescue is usually not a career that comes to mind when thinking about female employment.

A group of eight inspiring women across Canada (including two from Saskatchewan) are fighting that narrative and breaking barriers in what’s usually known as a male-dominated industry. They call themselves Diamond in the Rough (DITR).

DITR participated in the International Mine Rescue Competition and was the only all-female team out of 22 teams that competed.

Justine Fuchs, from Mosaic Esterhazy Mine Rescue, and Kirstin Hanson of the Nutrien Rocanville Mine Rescue were members of DITR in the competition.

Fuchs says that there were other women apart of teams in the competition but it was mostly male-dominated.

“Diamonds is just trying to break down these walls of male-dominated industries and accepting women into these roles,” says Fuchs.

The competition ran for three days and teams had to partake in a variety of physically demanding scenarios that could occur in mines. There were also first aid and firefighting challenges as well as a theory exam.

“We ended up finishing second in our theory and technician and third in our rope event and we ended up placing sixth overall,” says Fuchs.