Matthew Terence O’Regan died on 4th June, 1959, at Milford-on-Sea, Hampshire, following a serious illness. He was 58.
An Irishman, born in Bermuda, Mr. O’Regan attended Kelly College, Tavistock, Devon, between 1914 and 1919, and received his professional training immediately afterwards at the Camborne School of Metalliferous Mining, gaining a first-class Diploma in 1922.
He left England for Brazil, and worked for nearly four years as assistant assayer and surveyor at the Ouro Preto Gold Mines of Brazil, Ltd. In 1926 he was appointed general assistant at Abakaliki in Southern Nigeria for Nigerian Base Metals, Ltd., and two years later went to Yugoslavia as engineer-in-charge of concessions held by Selection Trust, Ltd.
Between 1932 and 1934, Mr. O’Regan was engaged as underground section manager and mine captain at Nurupi gold mine in Korea, for the Chosen Corporation, Ltd., and he then returned to Brazil reporting on gold mines for the Brazilian Gold Exploring Syndicate, Ltd. He worked again in Yugoslavia for Selection Trust, Ltd., between 1935 and 1936, as engineer-in-charge at Zletovo mine and assistant engineer at Belo Brdo tunnel.
After a year in North Wales as surveyor at Halkyn District United Mines, Ltd., Mr. O’Regan went in 1938 to India, where he was a surveyor at Ooregum gold mine on the Kolar Gold Field until 1941. His work with Messrs. John Taylor and Sons was interrupted by service during the war with the Auxiliary Forces in India as second lieutenant, Kolar Gold Field Battalion, and later captain in the Indian Army Ordnance Corps. He resumed his civilian position on demobilization but in 1947 was appointed by Mianrai Teoranta to manage Avoca mine, Co. Wicklow, Ireland, three years later becoming manager at Glendalough mine. He left Ireland in 1952 and, for a few months in 1953 acted as technical mining advisor in Goa, Portuguese India.
Mr. O’Regan was appointed Senior Inspector of Mines, Nigeria, in 1955, and in 1958 was made Principal Inspector of Mines in charge of the North Eastern Inspectorate for the Federation of Nigeria, and held this appointment at the time of his death.
Mr. O’Regan joined the Institution as a Student in 1922, and was elected an Associate Member in 1926.
Vol. 69, Trans IMM 1959-60, p.259-260
