Ryno de Beer, O.B.E., died on 2nd October, 1961, at the age of 71.
Born in South Africa, Mr. de Beer joined Glen Deep Gold Mining Co., Ltd., Johannesburg, in 1906 as learner, and by 1909 had held the posts of assistant assayer and chief assistant assayer. He then worked for a year at Geldenhuis Deep, Ltd., Johannesburg, as chief assistant assayer. He left South Africa in 1910 for Southern Rhodesia, where he spent the remainder of his life.
Mr. de Beer was employed for four years as chief assayer, smelter and sampler by Eldorado Gold Mining Co., Ltd., and in 1914 transferred to Shamva Mines, Ltd., as chief assayer. Promoted cyanide manager later that year, he remained in charge of metallurgical work at Shamva until 1929 and during that period was also consulting metallurgist to Goldfields Rhodesian Development Co., Ltd. He did metallurgical work for the Mayfair and Wanderer Gold Mining Companies for nine months in 1929, also serving as reduction officer to the latter company.
In October, 1929, he was appointed metallurgist to the Southern Rhodesian Government and established the metallurgical laboratories at Salisbury. He managed Antelope mine during 1931, and later the same year became manager and part owner of Red Hill mine, Selukwe. Five years later he took over the management of Kamchatka mine, at the same time carrying out consulting metallurgical work on behalf of Thistle Etna Gold Mining Co., Q.Q. Mines, Ltd., and other small mines.
Mr. de Beer was invited to join the Southern Rhodesian Government’s Roasting Plant Board on its formation in 1937 and remained a member until his death. He was appointed manager of the Government Roasting Plant, Que Que, in 1956, and at the, time of his death was consultant.
In 1945 Mr. de Beer returned to Shamva mine and worked on his own account until it closed in 1956. He also served on the board of Eastern Smelting Co. for some eleven years, and was consultant to Globe and Phoenix Gold Mining Co., Ltd.
He was awarded the O.B.E. in 1955 for his services to the mining industry. Mr. de Beer was elected to Associate Membership of the Institution in 1914 and transferred to Membership in 1938. He was also a Member of the South African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy.
Vol. 72, Trans I.M.M. 1962-63, pp. 58-59
