Eric Mackay-Heriot died at Minas Peña del Hierro, Huelva, Spain, on 24th March, 1954, at the age of 80.
He studied mining at Clausthal, Germany, from 1891 to 1896 and was then appointed assistant superintendent to Almaraz Tin Mining and Smelting Co. of Spain, afterwards becoming assistant manager. From 1898 to 1901 he superintended deep boring in North Germany, and then spent a year as manager of Anduiza Larrumbido & Cia at Bilbao, leaving Spain for Norway in 1902 to take up the position of manager of Vigsnœs Kobberverk. He remained there for two years, and from 1904 to 1905 was employed at the Solway works at Bernburg, Germany, on deep shaft sinking.
In 1905 Mr. Mackay-Heriot returned to Spain on his appointment as sub-manager, afterwards manager, of the mines and works of the Calamon Mining Co. of Spain at Posadas, and remained there for five years. In 1910 he mined in Spain on his own account and in 1911 was appointed manager of the Berenguela silver lead mines at Linares. From 1914 to 1916 he was assistant to the general manager of the Rio Tinto Co., Ltd., and from 1916 to 1919 manager of the San Miguel copper mines. He then joined Peña Copper Mines, Ltd., and held the position of general manager until 1932. He remained in Spain as consulting engineer with headquarters at Valparaiso, and in 1948 resumed the position of general manager of Peña Copper Mines, which he held until his death.
Mr. Mackay-Heriot was elected to Membership of the Institution in 1911.
Vol. 64, Trans IMM 1954-55, p.83
