Ms Kivung (33) is an engaging guide as she tours around the plant, explaining how gold is eventually extracted from the large rocks dumped into a crusher.
She is one of four metallurgists working at Macraes - the only female one - and her enthusiasm for her job is obvious.
Ms Kivung studied mineral processing engineering in Papua New Guinea, her home country and, after graduating, worked at a gold mine in PNG for seven years.
She shifted to New Zealand in May 2008 and lives with her fiance in Waikouaiti.
She was drawn to the Macraes mine by the type of ore being treated and also by the complexity of it.
Her job involved working with the operators at the process plant and setting the targets for them to achieve.
The metallurgists were also always looking for ways to improve the production circuit.
As a young woman growing up in Papua New Guinea, the trend was to study engineering and move into civil, electrical or mechanical fields.
But Ms Kivung was interested in what was happening with the mining industry and why it existed.
In her culture, men were dominant - "women listen to their husbands" - and she was moving into a male-dominated industry.
She admitted it was a struggle at first.
"As a woman, to come into the industry, you have to work with them [men], not against them.
I had to earn their respect, it wasn't going to be handed over to me."
"For me, being a woman in here pushes me to work 10 times more to be at the same level because it's their industry.
"You have to work a lot harder. It's good because it does help you not having special favours.
"You do allow yourself to be pushed. You don't realise it [but] they are bringing out the potential in you."
Moving to New Zealand was a big step - especially coming to the South Island where she had no family or friends - but it meant bigger opportunities.
"For me, it was taking that step forward. You don't know what to expect, so you don't have any expectations."
The climate was a "huge shock", leaving behind high humidity and 37degC days, but she loved Otago and the friendly people.
"I look at things and try my best to be positive about changes."
