Alan Francis Bovell died in South Africa on 22nd July, 1956, at the age of 68.
Mr. Bovell was born in South Africa. He attended the South African School of Mines from 1905 to 1909, taking the Diploma course in mining engineering and working underground during this period at Rietfontein, Simmer East and Langlaagte Deep mines.
After a few months as assistant sampler and surveyor at Crown Mines, Mr. Bovell held the post of head surveyor at Sub Nigel, Ltd., from 1910 to 1912, and obtained the Transvaal Government Mine Surveyors Certificate in 1911. He was subsequently shift boss at Van Ryn Deep Gold Mining Co., Ltd., for two years, then in 1914 did resampling work at Bantjes Consolidated Mines for a month before joining H.M. Forces in August, serving in the Artillery until June, 1919.
He was employed by Union Miniere du Haut Katanga from 1919 to 1931. For the first three months he was assistant manager, Kambove copper mine, then manager of Fungurume mine, at that time in the development stage. In May, 1921, he was made manager of Sankishia collieries and from September to December, 1923, was at head office revaluing three copper mines. Mr. Bovell then spent four years as manager of Busanga tin mine and from August, 1928, managed Kayumbo and Kikole tin mines also.
He left the Belgian Congo in August, 1931, and until 1940 practised as a consultant in South Africa and Southern Rhodesia from his address in Johannesburg. In 1940 he joined the South African Engineer Corps and served until late in 1946. He resumed his consulting practice, concentrating chiefly on a number of mining syndicates which he himself had initiated. More recently he had withdrawn from active work and had accepted a retainer in a technical advisory capacity to a Johannesburg firm of mining financiers and their subsidiary companies, continuing in this capacity until his death.
Mr. Bovell was elected to Membership of the Institution in 1930.
Vol. 66, Trans I.M.M. 1956-57, p. 359
