Frederick Danvers Power died at Burwood, New South Wales, on 29th June, 1955, at the age of 94.
After a period of study at the Public Analyst’s Office, Swansea, he was trained at the Royal School of Mines, from 1880 to 1881, and at the Royal Mining Academy, Claustal, Germany, from 1881 to 1884.
He went to Australia and from 1885 worked as assayer at Wallace Bethanga Mining and Smelting Co. for two years and subsequently managed Benambra gold mine, Victoria. He then set up as consulting mining and metallurgical engineer with offices in Melbourne, and travelled widely in the Commonwealth and the South Sea islands. He continued his consulting practice for very many years. In 1902 he was appointed lecturer in mining in the University of Sydney, a position he held for 32 years until his retirement. He was also Examiner for the New South Wales Mine Manager’s Certificate.
Mr. Power had been a Member of the Institution since 1896. He was also a member of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, having joined in 1893 at its inception and having held the office of President for two terms, 1897 and 1904; he was later made an honorary member. He was a ‘Legion of Honor Member Class of 1891’ of the American Institute of Mining and Metallurgical Engineers, and a Fellow of the Geological Society of London.
Among his many technical papers, Mr. Power contributed two to the Transactions of the Institution: ‘The mineral resources of New Caledonia’ (vol. 8, 1899-1900), and ‘Coral island phosphates in the making’ (vol. 29, 1919-1920). He was the author of the well-known Packet book for miner: and metallurgists which, since its publication in 1892, has run to five editions; also of Coalfields and collieries of Australia, published in 1912.
Vol. 65, Trans I.M.M., 1955-56, p.392
