Hans Pirow died in South Africa on January 7th, 1945, at the age of 52.
He was born in South Africa, and received his professional training at the South African School of Mines and Technology, obtaining the Diploma, in mining engineering and Associateship of the School in 1914. In December, 1914, he took up the appointment of assistant surveyor to East Rand Proprietary Mines, Ltd., at Boksburg, and later transferred to City Deep Gold Mining Co., Johannesburg. In 1917 he held the position of chief surveyor to Luipaards Vlei Estate and Gold Mining Co., Ltd., Krugorsdorp, from March to August, and then for four months was employed as assistant surveyor to Brakpan Mines, Ltd., subsequently returning to City Deep as shift boss. In March, 1918, he became lecturer in physics at University College, Johannesburg, but again returned, in December of that year, to City Deep as shift boss on development. Five months later, in June, 1919, he went for a year as government research scholar to University College, Johannesburg, being awarded the degree of M.Sc. in mining engineering.
In August, 1920, he joined the South African Mines Department as an Assistant Inspector of Mines. In 1923 he was awarded the degree of D.Sc. in mining engineering of the University of the Witwatersrand on a thesis, and was given a year’s leave in 1924 to take up a Dominion Science Scholarship at the Royal School of Mines. For his research work in London he received the Diploma of the Imperial College. Dr. Pirow then returned to South Africa and was appointed assistant consulting engineer to the Union Corporation. Ltd., in 1926, and in the following year took up the appointment of Government Mining Engineer which he held until 1937. On his retirement he joined the Central Mining-Rand Mines Group, with which he was actively associated until his death, being chairman or director of many companies.
He was elected to Membership of the Institution in 1925, and was also a Past-President of both the Chemical, Metallurgical and Mining Society of South Africa, and the Geological Society of South Africa, which societies published much of his work.
Vol. 55, Trans I.M.M., 1945-46, pp.576-7
