Fearnside Irvine died in November, 1929, at the age of 69.
His training, and the larger proportion of his life work was in the direction of civil and mechanical rather than mining engineering. He served his apprenticeship with A. Shanks, of Arbroath, and J. & G. Thompson and P. & W. Maclellan, of Glasgow, and his first appointment was as assistant engineer to the Eastern Extension and Maintenance Cable Co., Singapore.
He was next appointed assistant inspector of machinery to the Indian Government, then assistant engineer to the Calcutta Waterworks, and assistant engineer to the Southern Mahratta Railway. He went to South Africa as engineer to the contractors engaged on the construction of the Capo Government Railways, and thence transferred his activities to the Rand, and mining.
For upwards of nine years he was engaged in Johannesburg as a mechanical and mining engineer, during which period he held appointments as mine manager and engineer for the African Gold Recovery Co., and with Messrs. H. Eckstein & Co. While with the latter firm, he equipped a number of mines with complete surface plant, including cyanide works. He designed and introduced direct filling and double treatment for cyanide works, and also designed and constructed the Crown Reef slime works, the first of that nature to be erected on the Rand. Returning to England, he started in London as a consulting engineer, among his interests, apart from the Corner House, Johannesburg, afterwards the Central Mining & Investment Corporation, being several tramway enterprises at Santiago (Chili), in Mexico, Cape Town, and Lisbon, and later the complete reorganization and equipment of the Prestea Gold Mines, Gold Coast Colony.
Mr. Irvine was elected a Member of the Institution in 1901.
Vol. 39, Trans IMM 1929-30, pp.694-5
