Edward George Wilkins died on 11th November, 1950, at Kumasi Hospital, Gold Coast, at the age of 57.
He was trained at the School of Metalliferous Mining (Cornwall) from 1911 to 1915, and worked from 1916 to 1919 as a chemist to Metals Recovery, Ltd., at Greenford, Middlesex. In 1920 he was assayer to the Goldbrite Metal & Powder Co., Ltd., and in 1921 took up the position of assistant surveyor with Premier Hydraulic Tin Mines of Nigeria, Ltd.
He returned to the United Kingdom in 1923 and joined the staff of the Cambrian Electrolytic Zinc Co., Ltd., Cardiganshire. From 1924 to 1926 he was employed as metallurgist to Shropshire Mines, Ltd., subsequently joining the staff of the Lagares tin mines in Portugal. Later he was for a few months mill foreman with British Non-Ferrous Mining Corporation, Ltd., in Spain, and in 1928-29 was mill superintendent to Eagle Lead Co., Ltd., Wales, later in 1929 working in Romania as assistant engineer to International Selection Trust, Ltd.
He acted as observer for the late Mr. H.M. Ridge in 1931 on a zinc recovery process in England, and in 1932 took a course in cyaniding at the Royal School of Mines. From 1934 to 1946 Mr. Wilkins worked in the ore dressing laboratories of Messrs‘. Fraser & Chalmers, Ltd., and then went to the Gold Coast on his appointment as assistant metallurgist to Ashanti Adowsena (Banket) Goldfields, Ltd., returning in 1937 to take up employment in Wales as mill superintendent at Roman Deep mine of British Goldfields (No.1), Ltd. He stayed there for two years and in 1939 returned to the Gold Coast, working until 1942 as metallurgist at Konongo Gold Mines, Ltd. From 1942 to 1945 he was assistant assayer at the Royal Mint, and from 1945 was again on the Gold Coast, until 1947 on the staff of Bibiani (1927), Ltd., and until his death at Nanwa Gold Mines, Ltd.
Mr. Wilkins was elected to Associate Membership of the Institution in 1925.
Vol. 60, Trans IMM 1950-51, p.100
