William Thomas Back died at Sanderstead, Surrey, on November 17th, 1926, at the age of 71.
He first came into touch with mining and metallurgy while acting as secretary to a gentleman engaged in mining operations in Hungary, and in 1884 he went to that country, where he was for some time occupied in experimental and laboratory work in the treatment of gold ores, etc. He was subsequently employed by a French company who were working a large quartz mine in Transylvania, Hungary, and assisted in the erection of a battery and gold-saving plant.
In 1890 he was appointed manager of the Hondal Gold Mining Co., Ltd., in Hungary, with which he was connected for about ten years, until the concern changed hands. In the next seven years he was engaged successively in analytical work, as general manager of the Serbian Dredging and Mining Co., Ltd., and in reporting on copper and dredging work in Serbia and Siberia.
In 1908 he became associated with Messrs. lnder & Henderson in connection with a large mining concession in Peru, and acted as engineer to the Inca Development Corporation of Peru, Ltd.
His activities continued until the outbreak of war, after which he did little professional work abroad.
Mr. Back was elected a Member of the Institution in 1909.
Vol. 36, Trans I.M.M. 1926-27, pp. 536-7
