Walter Henry Beasley, D.S.O., died at his home at Henley-on-Thames, Oxon., on July 15th, 1945. at the age of 54.
He began his professional training in 1906 as a pupil for two and a half years at the London Metallurgical Works and Assay Office, and in February, 1909, took up the position of assayer, with control of the reduction plant at the London Refinery and Metallurgical Works, Ltd. Ten months later he commenced work on the Gold Coast as sampler and assistant surveyor to Fanti Consolidated Mines, Ltd., being appointed assayer and chemist to Broomassie Mines, Ltd., in May, 1911. In January, 1913, he transferred to the position of chief assayer to Abbontiakoon Mines, Ltd., where he was subsequently promoted senior underground shift boss.
He had been a member of the Gold Coast Volunteer Corps, but in 1915 left West Africa to join the Royal Engineers as second lieutenant. He landed in France in September, 1915, and was promoted lieutenant and acting captain in February, 1916, gaining the D.S.O. in April of that year for conspicuous gallantry, also being mentioned in despatches. He was promoted temporary captain in September, 1917, and later was second-in-command of the 177th Tunnelling Company, followed by the 7th, 228th and 75th Field Companies, with the rank of Major.
Mr. Beasley re-entered civil life in March, 1920, joining the metallurgical staff of Minerals Separation, Ltd., where he was first placed in charge of research work in connection with flotation of tin ore at South Crofty, Cornwall, and later was assistant metallurgist on the first coal flotation plant installed at Powell Duffryn, South Wales. Subsequently he was in control of the coal cleaning plant for Midland Coal Products, and then became works manager of the London testing works of Minerals Separation, Ltd. In 1923 he visited Calumet and Hecla mines, Michigan, and then proceeded to Western Australia in charge of testing plant of Metals Production Processes, controlled by Minerals Separation, Ltd. From there he went to France in charge of a coal flotation and briquetting plant at Nantes, and returned to London in 1924 in the capacity of adviser to the managing director. He held the position of engineer and works manager for six months, then for a short period was chief reduction officer at Prestea and Abbontiakoon mines, but returned again in August, 1925, to the position of engineer at the London office. Six months later he was appointed metallurgist to the Bwana M’Kubwa Copper Mines, Ltd., in N. Rhodesia, returning to England in 1928 as advisory metallurgist in Cornwall to Anglo-Oriental, Ltd. From 1929 to 1930 he was consulting metallurgist in Rhodesia to Luiri Gold Areas, Ltd., and in the following year held the position of engineer to Minerals Separation, Ltd. He was employed for the next three years on the Gold Coast, from 1931 to 1932 as consulting engineer to Abbontiakoon Mines, Ltd., and from 1932 to 1934 as chairman and managing director of Tarkwa Gold Areas, Ltd. Mr. Beasley returned to England in 1934 and set up in private practice as consulting mining and metallurgical engineer.
He was elected a Student of the Institution in 1911, and was transferred to Associateship in 1914 and to Membership in 1925.
Vol. 55, Trans I.M.M. 1945-6, pp. 561-2
