George M. Richards died in New Brunswick on October 12th, 1920, at the age of 36 years.
An American citizen though the son of a British subject, he was educated in the United States. From 1901 to 1904 he took the course in mechanical engineering at the Stevens’ Institute of Technology, Hoboken, N.J., and in September, 1904, entered the Columbia School of Mines, Columbia University, N.Y., in advanced standing. From May to December, 1905, he acted as topographer and geologist to the Wallace Expedition to Labrador, and on the return of the expedition he reverted to the School of Mines.
During 1907 and 1908 he was engaged in underground surveying, etc., for the Consolidated Mining & Smelting Co, of Canada, Ltd., at Rossland, B.C., and with the Standards Mammoth Mine, Mace, Idaho, and the Speculation Mine, Butte, Montana. Returning to the Columbia School of Mines in 1908-9, he graduated with the degree of E.M. After a prospecting trip in the Yukon Territory, he was engaged successively in the inspection of mineral properties in Tennessee and Alaska.
In 1912 he went to Central Africa as chief engineer in the Upper Congo for the Cie. des Chemins de Fer du Congo Superièur aux Grands Lacs Africains of Brussels. The range of his activities included a geological and mineralogical survey extending from the Equator to 4° South, taking in 8° of longitude, and the mining work consisted of prospecting and the valuation of placer and lode deposits, more particularly of gold and iron. In 1916 he left Africa to take charge of development work on a copper property in Central Cuba, and from 1918 to 1920 he was engaged in examinations of properties in Canada and the United States.
Mr. Richards was elected an Associate of the Institution in 1912.
Vol. 35, Trans I.M.M., 1925-26, p.449
