George Australia Darling died in hospital at Kleinfontein on March 21st, 1915, aged 56 years, after having been in ill-health for some time.
His training commenced in 1874, when he was for three years apprentice and assistant at a chemical laboratory in Edinburgh, and later he studied at the Andersonian University, Glasgow. Before his actual entry into the profession, he spent a few years on the temporary staff of a telegraph works, and in 1888 accompanied a cable-laying expedition to the West Indies and Venezuela. In 1889 he went to South Africa, where he spent the whole of his professional career, his first appointment being on the battery of the Salisbury Gold Mining Co. at Natal Spruit. After this he was associated for about a year with Mr. S.H. Pearce at the South African Metallurgical Co. In 1890, Mr. Darling joined the Gold Recovery Syndicate, and obtained his first experience of the cyanide process at the experimental plant erected by the Cassel Gold Extraction Co. on the Salisbury Mine. Subsequently he was placed in charge of the cyanide plant erected by his syndicate on the Robinson Mine, and remained in charge of the plant as cyanide manager when it was taken over by the Robinson Company shortly afterwards, until 1906.
After leaving the Robinson Mine, he was successively engaged in cyaniding and assaying on the Lisbon-Berlyn, New Goch, Spes Bona Tribute, and New Kleinfontein Mines, remaining on the latter during the three years previous to his death.
Mr. Darling was elected a Member of the Institution in 1900.
Vol. 24, Trans IMM 1914-15, p.504
