Hubert Whitfeld
WHITFELD, Prof. Hubert Edwin BA, BE, MIEAust, MAusIMM (1875-1939)
Born in Sydney and educated at Sydney High School, Whitfeld studied engineering and arts at the University of Sydney, graduating in civil engineering, mining and metallurgy in 1902. In the same year he started work underground in Kalgoorlie at Associated Northern Blocks (WA) Ltd (ECGF Boulder) and in the cyanide plant of Shamrock GM Co Ltd at Kanowna (NECGF). He was foreman of the Golden Crown cyanide plant at Kanowna, and then, in 1903, assayer for the Murchison Associated GM at Day Dawn (MGF). He worked in the bromo cyanide plant at the Ivanhoe Corporation (ECGF Boulder) in 1904. He was acting manager and metallurgist at the Croesus South GM Ltd (ECGF Kalgoorlie) and manager of the cyanide plant at North Boulder GM Co Ltd.(ECGF Boulder).
Whitfeld went prospecting in the East Murchison Goldfield in 1906 and located a promising prospect in the Black Range District. A company, Sandstone Development Gold Mining Co, was floated in Sydney with Whitfeld manager and attorney. The mine infrastructure was designed and built and, in three years, 15,000 fine ounces of gold were produced from 26,000 tons of ore with a yield of 12dwt per ton. However, in 1910, the works ran into unstable underground conditions in which it was impossible to continue mining, and the mine was closed.
Whitfeld moved to Perth and, in 1912, was appointed the first Professor of Engineering and Mining in the newly established University of Western Australia. He was Vice Chancellor of the university between 1913 and 1915 and again between 1925 and 1935. He worked for the British Ministry of Munitions between 1916 and 1919, first as an inspector of munitions in the United States and then as a technical adviser to the British Government in London.
On his return to Australia, in 1919, he investigated, with T. Blatchford (q.v.), ground water problems at the Edna May gold mines at Westonia. Whitfeld and Blatchford recommended a government supported scheme of pumping.
Whitfeld was a founder member of the Western Australian Institution of Engineers in 1910 and also of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, in 1919.
His published papers include: 'British inspection of steel in America' TWAIE 10, pp.94 112; 'Proposal for the improvement of the status and remuneration of Engineers' TIEAust 1, 1920, p.476 (abst).
References:
Carroll, Brian, The Engineers: 200 Years at Work for Australia, pp. 153-154;
JCMWA 1913;
Fraenkel, P.H., Chairman's address, Perth Div., IEAust, 1935;
WWA 1938, pp.526;
Obit' TIEAust 12, 1940, p.333;
Australian Dictionary of Biography, Whitfeld, Hubert Edwin
Alexander
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