R. Arthur Thomas, O.B.E., died on 30th May, 1949, at Polstrong, Cornwall, at the age of 82.
His early career after graduating from the Camborne School of Mines was spent in South Africa, where from 1888 to 1891 he was manager of City and Suburban Gold Mining Co., Ltd., Johannesburg, and acted as consulting engineer to several small companies. In 1891 he returned to manage lead and blende mines in Wales for two years, and in 1895 became manager of Dolcoath Mines, Ltd., Camborne, Cornwall. He was appointed to the board and later became managing director, but when the mine had to close down during the depression after the 1914-18 war he became principal of the Camborne School of Mines. He retired in 1935 and became a director of Jantar (Cornwall), Ltd. He served on several national committees set up to enquire into various aspects of the mining industry and was awarded the O.B.E. in 1933. He was consulting engineer to South Crofty for some years, and was well known in Cornwall for his long service on the Council of the Cornish Chamber of Mines, of which he had been Chairman since 1928.
He contributed three papers to the Transactions of the Institution; ‘Causes and prevention of miners’ phthisis’ (written jointly with Dr. J.S. Haldane) (vol. 13, 1903-04); ‘On crushing and concentration at Dolcoath mine, Cornwall’ (vol. 7, 1898-99); and ‘Dust in the air and gases from explosives in a Cornish mine (Dolcoath), and the efficacy of methods of dealing with them’ (written jointly with W.P.O. Macqueen) (vol. 13, 1903-04).
Mr. Thomas was elected to Membership of the Institution in 1899, and served as Member of Council for the three sessions 1917-1920.
Vol. 59, Trans IMM 1949-50, p.?
