Ernest Victor Neelands died in Toronto on 25th May, 1957, at the age of 78.
Mr. Neelands was educated at Lindsay Collegiate Institute and received his professional training in Toronto at the School of Practical Science and the University of Toronto, graduating in 1901 with the degree of B.A.Sc. He remained at the University during 1902 and 1903, holding a Fellowship in Surveying. While studying, he did practical work surveying in the Rainy River District and later at Hudson’s Bay, and mining at Le Roi mine, Rossland, B.C. In 1900 he accompanied an exploration party of the Ontario Bureau of Mines to Lake Superior and Hudson’s Bay.
After leaving University Mr. Neelands took a post as shift boss at Stratton’s Independence mine, Victor, Colorado, then examined other properties in the State. He was superintendent at Massey Station Mining Co., Ltd., from 1904 to 1905, and for the following three years was manager of Black Queen Mining and Reduction Co. at Crystal, Colorado. After some reporting work in Colorado, Cobalt and Gowganda in 1908, Mr. Neelands was appointed manager of Hargrave Silver Mines, Ltd., and of Drummond Mines, Ltd., and Cobalt Comet concurrently until 1915.
He spent a short time at Peters mine, Georgetown, as general manager of British Guiana Gold Concessions Co. in 1915-16, but returned to North America to set up in practice as consulting engineer in Toronto, and during the period 1916-1922 carried out examinations and explorations in Canada, the U.S.A., Venezuela,
Colombia, and Honduras, and drilling and ore reserve estimating at Flin Flon, Manitoba.
He took up the position of assistant general manager, Consolidated Asbestos, Quebec, in 1923, and from 1924 to 1932 was manager of Keeley Silver Mines, Ltd., Ontario, and of Nipissing Mining Co., Cobalt, and travelled widely making examinations.
From 1933 until his retirement in 1948-49 from executive positions Mr. Neelands was consulting engineer to Ventures, Ltd., and associated companies, president of Canadian Malartic Gold Mines, Ltd., vice-president of Frobisher Exploration Co., Ltd., president of Metal Recoveries Pty., Ltd., and director of various associated companies. He was a director of Nipissing Mining Co., Ltd., and Nipissing Mines, Ltd., consulting engineer to Giant Yellowknife Gold Mines Ltd., and a director of Sherritt Gordon Mines, Ltd.
He was well known for his many activities, particularly in Ontario, having served as President of the Ontario Mining Association in 1945-46, and President of the Mines Accident Prevention Association of Ontario for 1944-45, and serving on the Council of Professional Engineers of Ontario in 1925, He was a Member of Council of the Canadian Institute of and Metallurgy in 1937-38, director of Western Quebec Mining Association, and a Past-President of Temiskaming Mining Association.
Mr. Neelands was joint author, with Mr. J.P. Millenbach, of a paper entitled ‘Mining methods at Canadian Malartic’, published in the Transactions of the Institution (vol. 48, 1938-39).
He was elected is Membership in 1914.
Vol. 67, Trans IMM 1957-58, pp.651-2
