William Robert Wilson Ronald Scott died suddenly at San Jose, Costa Rica, on November 13th, 1945, at the age of 69.

He was born in Scotland, and from 1894 to 1898 served an apprenticeship with Messrs. John & G.H. Geddes, mining engineers, of Edinburgh. He then entered the employment of Messrs. John Lancaster & Co., Ltd., first as assistant overman and later as assistant manager at their Blaina and Six Bells collieries, Monmouthshire.

In July, 1899, he took up the position of manager of the Sabiwa mine at Granada, Rhodesia, in the service of Rice-Hamilton Exploration Syndicate, Ltd., until, in 1902, he became for two years engineer for the Gwanda district for Rhodesia, Ltd.

In the autumn of 1904 he reported on properties in Mexico, later becoming general manager of the Premier Development Corporation of Mexico, Ltd., and in 1909 he returned to England Where he was engaged as consulting mining engineer in London.

He took up cotton planting in North Carolina in 1910, where he stayed for two years, and from 1912 to, 1913 conducted a general importing business in Sydney. He resumed mining employment in 1913 at Webb’s Consols mine, N.S.W., and carried out experimental work on molybdenite.

He left Australia in 1916 to join the Royal Engineers, holding a commission in the 252 Tunnelling Coy., B.E.F. In 1923 he went to Costa Rica. Central America, where he remained until his death.

He was elected an Associate of the Institution in 1917.

Vol. 55, Trans I.M.M., 1945-46, p.578

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