Octavius Thorold Gorton died in Rio de Janeiro on 21st September, at the age of 74.
He was educated at Burton-upon-Trent Grammar School and studied Birmingham University and Birmingham Technical College between 1900 and 1901 before receiving his mining training at the Camborne School of Metalliferous Mining. He gained a first-class Diploma in 1903.
After leaving Camborne Mr. Gorton was engaged for four years at collieries near Edinburgh and near Burton-upon-Trent, and in 1907 was appointed surveyor and assistant manager of Thornthwaite lead and zinc mine, Cumberland. Between 1907 and 1908 he was assistant manager of British Mining and Metal Co., Ltd, Cornwall, and in 1909 worked for a few months as deputy and underground surveyor at the Cannock and Rugeley colliery, Staffordshire.
Mr. Gorton prospected in Northern Nigeria in 1910 for Burton Development Syndicate and also visited Australia. He returned in 1912 to work as a timberman and rock driller at South Crofty mine for a short period, also prospecting in Cornwall.
He left in 1912 for Portugal, where he worked for 15 years. He was first engaged as surveyor and assayer by Wolfram Mining and Smelting Co., Ltd., late becoming assistant manager, and in 1919 was appointed underground manager to Anglo-Peninsula Mining and Chemical Co., Ltd., two years later taking over the management of Caveira, Ltd. From 1925 to 1927 he again worked for Wolfram Mining and Smelting Co., this time as underground manager.
Mr. Gorton then went to Uganda where he managed Mwirasandu mine for three years for Kagera (Uganda) Tinfields, Ltd. After a year’s workship course in mechanical engineering at Battersea Technical School, London, he returned to Africa in 1932 as chief assayer for Tanganyika Concessions, Ltd., working in Kenya until 1934. He was then engaged on field work in Tanganyika for National Mining Corporation, Ltd.
The rest of his career was spent in Brazil. He was engaged in a temporary position in 1938 on sampling work for St. John d’el Rey Mining Co., Ltd., and it 1939 took up the appointment of resident engineer in complete charge of properties of Itabira Iron Ore Co., Ltd. Four years later Mr. Gorton was made manager of a St. John d’el Rey subsidiary — Cia de Mineração Novalimenso, where he was in charge of mine and mill, treating asbestos ore. In 1945-46 he spent a year examining and opening up a gold prospect near Paraiba, and during the following 12 months worked as assistant mining engineer for Cia Minas da Passagem. He then did mining consulting and real estate work for some years before retiring.
Mr. Gorton joined the Institution as a Student in 1902, was elected to Associate membership in 1908, and transferred to Membership in 1930.
Vol. 68 Trans IMM 1958-59, pp.122-23
