Robert James Morgan died in London on September 4th, 1939, at the age of 52.
In 1894 he entered the service of the Waihi Gold Mining Co., Ltd., and while thus employed he underwent a course at the Waihi School of Mines. In 1909 he visited Australia and obtained further experience at Cobar and at the same time studied at Auckland University under Professor Arthur Jarman. In 1912 he joined the staff of the Spassky Copper Mine, Ltd., as assistant metallurgist and remained with that company until 1919, when he escaped from the revolutionary forces by a long trek across Eastern Turkestan and the Gobi Desert to Pekin.
On his return from China to England he called at Odessa in the hope of rejoining his family, who were sent there in the early days of the Russian revolution. On landing, however, he was arrested and imprisoned on suspicion of espionage, but after some months he managed to effect his release by undertaking to examine gold placers in the Trans-Baikal district for the Government of the Russian Far Eastern Republic. He was eventually able to send his family to England via Moscow, but could himself only leave the country by travelling again to China in 1922. On reaching China he returned to New Zealand to take up consulting work. In 1926 he became associated with the Anglo-Oriental group in London, and on their behalf carried out work in Bolivia, East Africa, Spain and Portugal. Later he returned to New Zealand in connexion with H.E. Proprietary and thence went to Manchuria and Korea. In 1934 he was appointed manager of Tanganyika Concessions, Ltd., and held that post until his death.
Mr. Morgan was admitted to Studentship of the Institution in 1910; he was elected an Associate in 1916 and was transferred to Membership in 1929.
Vol. 49, Trans IMM 1939-40, p.738
