There has been a long history of women in the field, but they have tended to be under-represented.
Hence early geologists tended to be informal observers and collectors, whether they were male or female.
Notable examples of this period include Hildegard of Bingen who wrote works concerning stones and Barbara Uthmann who supervised her husband's mining operations after his death.
In addition to these names varied aristocratic women had scientific collections of rocks or minerals.
[1] In the nineteenth century a new professional class of geologists emerged that included women.