Edwin Graham Kearney was killed in an accident at Port Cartier, Quebec, on 27th January, 1961. He was 47.
Born in Canada, Mr. Kearney was educated at Haileybury High School, Ontario, and at the University of Toronto from 1932 to 1936, where he graduated with the degree of B.A.Sc. in chemical engineering. Mr. Kearney had previously worked for a year in 1932-32 in the assay department of Lake Shore Mines, Ltd., Ontario, and while at Toronto University was employed in his summer vacations in varied underground and treatment plant work at Wright-Hargreaves Mines, Ltd., Kirkland Lake.
In 1936 he joined Capps Gold Mine, Ltd., Charlotte, North Carolina, as assayer, and in the following year was appointed their assistant mill superintendent. In 1939 he worked for six months as analytical chemist on small-scale production of ground mica with Mineral Mining Corporation, Kershaw, South Carolina.
From 1939 to 1942 Mr. Kearney was chief assayer and chemist at Macassa Mines, Ltd., Ontario, but joined the Royal Canadian Engineers and served as lieutenant in the Canadian Army until 1946. He re-joined Macassa Mines, Ltd., as assistant mill superintendent and in the following year was appointed mill superintendent of the newly opened Renabie Mines, Ltd., a subsidiary of Macassa Mines, Ltd., with full charge of the treatment plant. He remained there until 1950 when he was transferred back to the parent company, again in the capacity of mill superintendent. Mr. Kearney left Canada in 1953 to take up the position of senior metallurgist with Rhoanglo Mine Services, Ltd., Kitwe, and was immediately seconded to Rhokana Corporation, Ltd., as development metallurgist in the cobalt plant then being brought into operation. He was appointed assistant concentrator superintendent at Rhokana in August, 1955, and remained in that position until December, 1957.
He returned to Canada and worked as mill superintendent of Spanish American mine, Northspan Uranium Mines, Ltd., Spragge, Ontario, for two years. In May, 1959, he was appointed beneficiation engineer with Quebec Cartier Mining Co., Montreal, and was residing at Gagnon, Quebec, at the time of his death.
Mr. Kearney was elected to Membership of the Institution in 1955, and was also a member of the Canadian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy. He had contributed several papers to Canadian technical journals based upon his experience at Renabie Mines, Ltd.
Vol. 71, Trans IMM 1961-62, p.500
