Georgina Hope "Gina" Rinehart (née Hancock, formerly Hayward; born 9 February 1954) is an Australian mining magnate who is chairman of Hancock Prospecting, a privately owned mineral exploration and extraction company founded by her father Lang Hancock. She is one of Australia's richest people and one of the world's richest women.Rinehart was born in Perth, Western Australia, and spent her early years in the Pilbara. She boarded at St Hilda's Anglican School for Girls and then briefly studied at the University of Sydney, dropping out to work with her father at Hancock Prospecting. As Lang Hancock's only child, Rinehart inherited a 76.6% share in the company upon his death in 1992, and succeeded him as executive chairman. The company's remaining shares were transferred to a trust for her four children. Wikipedia