Robert Macfee died on June 30th, 1940, at the age of 57.
He passed through the metallurgical course at the Manchester College of Technology, and from 1903 to 1908 was assistant chemist and subsequently metallographer to the Broughton Copper Company, Manchester. In 1908 he went to South Russia as chief chemist and assayer, and after 1910 as smelting works manager to the Caucasus Copper Company until 1913, when he was appointed chemist and metallurgist to the Russo-Asiatic Corporation and engaged in copper smelting and testing work on complex lead-zinc ores in Russia and Siberia.
In 1916 he returned to the Caucasus Copper Company in his former capacity and as assistant general manager, but in 1918 the company, which had been working on munitions for the Russian Government, was closed down as a consequence of the Revolution. He attempted to leave the country but was captured by the Turks and held as a prisoner of war for eight months until hostilities ceased.
Returning to England he was re-engaged by the Russo-Asiatic Consolidated as metallurgist and occupied for eighteen months in London on ore-testing, and later went for the same Corporation to Algeria and Southern France, where he was engaged on mill erection and extension work for the Mines de Villemagne. Returning to England he worked for some time in South Wales on the manufacture of pigments, following which he was occupied until his death on research at the Britannia Lead Co., Northfleet.
Mr. Macfee was elected an Associate of the Institution in 1914, and was transferred to Membership in 1927.
Vol. 50, Trans IMM 1940-41, p.550
