Thomas Andrew Clarke died at the age of 71 at his home in Cornwall on 6th March, 1948, after a long illness.
His career was begun in India when he was apprentice, at the age of 15, to Messrs. John Taylor & Sons. He took a course of practical engineering front 1892 he 1893 at Indian Gold Mines Co., Ltd., at Wynaad, and later transferred to the Balaghat Gold Mines Co., Ltd., Mysore State. From 1893 he worked through all branches of mining and milling at the Nundydroog Gold Mining Co., Ltd., and completed his training by a two year course at the Camborne School of Mines Cornwall.
He was then employed, from 1898 to 1909, as chief reduction officer, cyanide chemist and surveyor to Mysore West and Mysore Wynaad Gold Mining Co., Ltd., Kolar Gold Field. He was then appointed chief reduction officer to the Om Nuburdi mine of the Sudan Gold Field Co., Ltd., Sudan, and from 1913 was also underground agent and assistant superintendent to the company. In May, 1919, he was appointed assistant manager of the Gabait Tributing Syndicate and general manager of Gabait and Oyo mines, and in 1922 became general manager of the Syndicate at Port Sudan. He left their employment in 1938 and for some years was engaged in private mining in the Sudan, but in 1935 took up the position of general manager to Kiassala (Sudan) Gold Mines, Ltd.
Two years later he went to the Gold Coast on his appointment as manager of the Central Wassau gold mine. From 1941 to 1945 he held the position of manager of a gold mine in Egypt, and his last appointment was again with the Gabait gold mine, Sudan, in 1946. He returned to England early in 1947.
Mr. Clarke was elected to Associateship of the Institution in 1910.
Vol. 58, Trans I.M.M. 1948-9, p. 584
