James Phoenix died in Western Australia after a short and painful illness on September 30th, 1918, aged 50.
He was for about seven years from 1884 engaged at the Westminster Colliery, Wrexham, Wales, on various kinds of work, including timbering, etc., and assisting the foreman. In 1891 he went to Tasmania to some chemical works, and in his leisure attended the technical schools in Launceston for about a year, and from 1892 to 1897 was occupied in all branches of practical mining at the East Chum, Volunteer and Pinafore mines at Lefroy.
In 1897 he removed to Australia, where he engaged in mining at the Tarna-gulla, Llanelly and St. Arnaud gold mines in Victoria. From 1900 to 1905 he was contracting for shaft sinking and other work at Zeehan, and in that period gained the Diploma of the Zeehan School of Mines and Metallurgy. For two subsequent years he was respectively underground and mine manager of the Maninga
Morley Mine, Black Range, Western Australia; in 1907 he became mine manager of the Golden Treasure, Zundamindera; and in 1911 mine manager of the Royal Oak Mine, Black Range.
In 1913, he returned home and for three years was mine manager of the Van mines at Llanidloes, Wales, following this engagement with another in a similar capacity at the New Castell Mine, Ponterwyd. Early in 1918 he went back to Western Australia, where he died.
Mr. Phoenix was elected an Associate of the Institution in 1918.
Vol. 29, Trans I.M.M., 1919-20, p.435
