Established Materials Technology: Front Page
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In Memory of T.R.A. Davey
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By Rod Grant and John Floyd
.gif "TMS Spotlight Image")
Posted on:
4/20/2013 12:00:00 AM...
The distinguished and well-known Australian extractive metallurgist, T.R.A. (Ron) Davey, died in Melbourne on January 7, 2013, at the age of 87. Ron’s papers, patents, and plant improvements made lasting contributions to industrial operations and he became a world-recognized authority on the extraction and refining of lead and other base metal.
Ron earned a BSc and BEng (1944), a Master MetEng (1954), and a Doctor of Applied Science (1967) from the University of Melbourne. He had many links to the metallurgical industry in the USA and Canada and was a very active member of AIME/TMS, joining in 1970. He served on a number of AIME (American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical, and Petroleum Engineers) committees, including the World Advisory Committee on Lead-Zinc Symposium (1968-70), the TMS Extraction & Processing Division (EPD) Pyrometallurgy (1969-72), Standing Committee on Environmental Protection (1969-72), Awards (1969-1992), and Lead-Zinc-Tin (1969-1992). He was professor of Metallurgical Engineering at the Colorado School of Mines (1969-72), and from that position, consulted to a number of leading metallurgical companies, including Cominco, Asarco, St Joe, NL Industries, Metmex Penoles, Hoboken, and Britannia Refined Metals. He was also a United Nations expert advisor to a special project in Bolivia at that time. Throughout his career, he took a very active part in AIME/TMS conferences.
He also held significant positions in other organizations outside Australia. He had many links to the metallurgical industry in Germany and Europe since his work on the refining and smelting of complex materials as a betriebsingenieur at Norddeutsche Affinerie early in his career (1954-57). He worked in Avonmouth, England, with the Imperial Smelting Corporation (1957-58 as development metallurgist, and 1960-63 as head of process development and a consultant). In Australia, he worked for seven years after graduating and two years after returning from Germany on research and development for lead smelting and refining at BHAS, Port Pirie. He also held senior positions over 12 years at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) in Melbourne. He was visiting professor of metallurgy at the University of Melbourne (1979-80), and then became an independent consultant and the Australian agent for METSIM. Failing eyesight led to his full retirement in 2000.
Ron published more than 60 technical papers, many regarded as seminal in his area of work. He also produced 26 patents, many leading to new operating plants or improvements. In addition to his service with AIME/TMS, he was a committee or council member for many of the organizations he belonged to, including the Australian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (AusIMM) and the University of Melbourne. He was a prominent organizer and contributor to international conferences. He received many awards throughout his career, including the inaugural Gold Medal of AIME (1955), the Hofmann Prize Consortium Special Medal (1987), the TMS EPD Distinguished Lecturer (1988), and AusIMM President’s Medal (1988).
Ron married Kathleen Ann Bonython in 1954. They had a son, two daughters, four grandchildren, and two great grandchildren.
The metallurgical world has lost one of its most distinguished scientists and engineers.
Editor’s Note: This article was prepared with assistance from Kathleen Davey, Jim Happ, and Denby Ward.
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