Adolphus Paton
PATON, Adolphus Ernest BE, FSASM, MAusIMM, MIMS (1882–1972)
A E (Adolphus) Paton was born on May 13, 1882 in Adelaide the son of Rev David Paton and his wife Isabella Annie McGhie Paton nee Robertson. Paton was educated at Prince Alfred College, Adelaide, and studied engineering and science at the University of Adelaide and the South Australian School of Mines from which he graduated BSc in 1902 (upgraded to BE in 1915).
Paton joined the metallurgical staff of Kalgurli GMs Ltd (ECGF Boulder) in 1904 and in 1911 was employed as surveyor and mechanical draughtsman at both Kalgurli GMs and Hainault GM Ltd (ECGF Boulder). He was a foundation member of the Institute of Mining Surveyors in 1917. In 1919 he was appointed manager of Sand Queen GMs Ltd (NCGF Menzies) at Comet Vale. The mine closed in 1920 having produced 102,000 fine ounces of gold over ten years.
In 1914 he married Ida Marie Poynton at Norseman.
After establishing a private practice in 1920 Paton was appointed assistant manager at Kalgurli Gold Mines in 1921. He was metallurgist at Oroya Links Ltd (ECGF Kalgoorlie) in 1923 and then held the same position at South Kalgurli Consolidated Gold Mines Ltd in 1924.
Paton was elected a member of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy in 1933 and in 1937 was engineering consultant for Norseman Gold Mines Ltd (DGF Norseman) which was then approaching its peak annual production of 34,000 fine ounces. He was assistant general manager at South Kalgurli Consolidated in 1938 and in 1942 he was manager of Croesus Pty GM (ECGF Kalgoorlie) which was owned by South Kalgurli. He was also a consultant metallurgist to Loloma Gold Mining NL in Fiji.
In 1941, after the death of his first wife in 1939, he married Ethel Whitfield in Perth.
Paton was a member of the executive committee of the Western Australian Chamber of Mines in 1946, and was a director and consulting engineer for North Kalgurli from 1960 to 1965.
Adolphus Paton died in Perth on July 19, 1972
References:
WArg 5 Feb1920;
CEMR Dec 1935 p.43; 1937 p.214, 1938 p.193;
CMWA 1939, 1946;
IRMYBA 1960, 1965;
ArcAusMM
