Lt.-Col. Ernest Hibbert, widely known throughout the mining world for his work in developing Noranda Mines, died at his home in Toronto on 2nd February, 1948, at the age of 69.
He was born in England and received his professional training in London, obtaining the Associateship in Physics of the Royal College of Science in 1898, mid the Associateship in Mining of the Royal School of Mines in 1900. He did practical work underground for a few months in Carn Brea and Bassett mines, Cornwall, and from 1900 to 1902 was a demonstrator in mining and mine surveying at the Royal School of Mines.
In October, 1902, he was appointed assistant; to the Caylleinu Silver Mining Co., Ltd., Peru, becoming mill superintendent in the following April. He returned to England in 1904 and gained the A.R.S.M. in Metallurgy in the following year, and in July, 1905, took up the position of assistant engineer at the Yuspenssky mine of Spassky Mines, Ltd., Siberia. Two years later he was appointed general manager to Etruscan Copper Estates in Italy, but left after six months to go to Canada, where he became assistant manager and mine superintendent of Le Roi No.2, Ltd., Rossland, B.C. From there he went to British Columbia Copper Co., Ltd., Greenwood, as superintendent of the Mother Lode mine mid general superintendent of mines, and in February, 1913, joined British America Nickel Corporation, Ltd. Sudbury, as superintendent of mines.
On the outbreak of war in 1914 he resigned to enlist, in the Army. Mr. Hibbert received his commission and landed with the Canadian Expeditionary Force in France in February, 1915. He was wounded in June, 1916, and returned to Canada in 1917. He resumed his position with British America Nickel Corporation, Ltd., until 1925, when he joined the group which had taken over the Horne-Mitchell interests, and assumed the managership of what became Noranda Mines, Ltd., Quebec. He held the position of general manager until 1931, when he was made consulting engineer to the Company, an appointment from which he retired in 1938.
Mr. Hibbert was elected to Studentship of the Institution in 1903, and was transferred to Associateship in 1906 and to Membership in 1918, and he served the Institution as Member of Council for Canada from 1930 to 1934. He was the brother of the late Lt.-Col. Arthur Hibbert, M.Inst.M.M., whose death was reported last month.
Vol. 58, Trans IMM 1948-49, pp.587-8
