Kerry Turnock

Head of Geoscience Excellence, BHP

Kerry Turnock is a seasoned resource sector leader with over 3 decades of experience spanning geoscience, operations, technical marketing, and innovation. Her multidisciplinary expertise enables her to bridge technical insight with strategic decision-making to deliver value across the entire mining lifecycle. Known for her ability to turn vision into reality, Kerry has a proven track record of delivering breakthrough projects that result in tangible benefits.

Kerry is a passionate advocate for elevating the role of geoscience in multidisciplinary decisions and leveraging scientific capability as a driver of transformation.

As part of AusIMM's International Women's Day series, Kerry is a proud ambassador, an accomplished leader, dedicated to championing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) in BHP and beyond.

Presentation Title

From siloed specialists to integrated teams: rethinking how open cut mines actually work

Presentation Synopsis

Open cut mining, including most iron ore mines, are facing increasing complexity, yet many operations continue to rely on fragmented, discipline-based operating models. This keynote challenges the effectiveness of siloed specialist structures, arguing that while technical capability has advanced, system-level performance continues to be constrained by poor integration. Misalignment between geology, planning, processing and operations drives rework, plan instability, and lost value across the mining chain.