13 December 2021
CIM is more than an organization – it is a community of people who share a common passion for the mining industry. We would like to extend our condolences to friends and family of the deceased as we remember those who have passed away. Though they are no longer with us, their work and accomplishments live on.
We do our best to publish all the names of recently deceased CIM members and apologize if there are any we have missed. Please send notices to membership@cim.org.
Merv Spady passed on October 13, 2021 after a long battle with Parkinson's. Merv became a member of CIM in 1974. He worked at Quintett Coal and Syncrude Research during his summers while at University. He worked at Fording Coal for 8 years, received his Mining Engineering Degree in 1981, then worked at Forestburg Colliers and Curraugh Resources in Faro, Yukon. He then joined Syncrude Canada in 1987 where he worked for 24 years until his retirement in 2012. He became a Life Member in 2014 and he belonged to the Underground Mining Society.
Robert Middleton joined CIM in 1971 and became a Life Member in 2005. He belonged to the Geological Society. He passed away on November 19, 2021.
Donald Joseph Worth (Past CIM President 1996-1997) passed away on October 22, 2021.
A graduate of the University of Toronto in mining engineering, Don joined CIM in 1964 and became a Life Member in 2010. He was appointed as trustee in 1997 for the CIM Foundation and also served as CIMF president. He was the recipient of the following awards:
- Robert Elver Mineral Economics Award – May 13, 1986
- CIM Distinguished Service Medal – May 13, 1989
- CIM Fellowship – May 23, 2011
- Fifty Year Club – May 12, 2014
He belonged to the Underground Mining, the Management and Economics and the Surface Mining Societies of CIM.
Philip John MacIntyre from Victoria, BC passed away peacefully on March 5th 2021 from cancer with his family by his side.
Phil graduated in 1974 from Queen's University as a Mining Engineer. Phil and Gayle made their way out to the interior of BC. Working originally as a metallurgist, he then occupied a number of managerial positions for Placer (Fraser Lake, Merritt, and Houston), Westmin Resources (Stewart, Campbell River), Royal Oak (Yellowknife). They then moved to Australia to work for Placer Dome (Porgera, Kidston). From there they moved to Thailand for Kingsgate Consolidated where he became the Mine General Manager. He retired as the Chief Operating Officer, General Manager for Akara Gold Mine.
During his working life, he always believed doing the right thing was leaving the ground better than how you found it. He was a member of SME for 42 years.
Phil and his wife Gayle retired to Victoria in 2013 to spend time with their family and travel to places that they had not seen.
Derek Kerfoot passed away on July 23, 2021. He joined CIM in 1983, became a Life member in 2014 and his preferred society was Metallurgy and Materials Society (MetSoc). He was the winner of the Sherritt Hydrometallurgy Award in 2009 and the MetSoc Airey Award in 1997.
John A. Nightingale passed away on July 2, 20210. He joined CIM in 1962 and became a Life member in 1999. He was the recipient of the Distinguished Service Award in 1991.
Thomas W. Shaw joined CIM in 1959 and became a Life Member in 1996. He belonged to the Rock Engineering, Surface Mining and Underground Societies of CIM. He passed away in 2019.
Robert A. Ferguson passed away on May 29, 2021. He became a CIM Member in 1972 and a Life Member in 2010. He belonged to the Management & Economics & Underground Mining Societies.
John Mossop, a CIM Fellow and Life Member, was a great mentor and inspiration to many young mining engineers. During the 1990’s he was very involved in the CIM Montreal Branch, becoming a board director in 1992, Branch Vice-Chair in 1993-1994 and Chair in 1994-1995. He remained a director until 2003.
Andy Mular was a CIM Life Member who taught mineral processing at Queen's University and the University of British Columbia (UBC) from 1962 to 1996. He passed away on June 4, 2020. A UBC memorial website and a scholarship endowment fund have been established in Andy's honour.
Robert Moffatt joined CIM in 1970 and became a proud Life Member in 1999. He was in the mining industry since 1944 working at Steep Rock Iron Mines during its development, right up until his passing as President of Fern Elizabeth Gold Exploration.
John G. Kelly passed away on May 6, 2021. He joined CIM in 1970 and became a Life Member in 2020. He was a member of the Canadian Mineral Processors Society.
Ron J. Elliott passed away on April 15, 2021. He joined CIM in 1991 and became a Life Member in 2020. He was a member of the Geological Society.
Dr. David Hedley passed away on February 22, 2021 in Craven, Saskatchewan. Born in 1939, he lived and worked in Elliot Lake for most of his career at CANMET Labs and contributed greatly to the field of rock mechanics. He was a CIM Life Member.
Gordon M. Ritcey passed away on February 15, 2021 in Bay View, Nova Scotia. Born in 1930, he joined CIM in 1957. A pioneer in the metallurgical field, he became known as one of the world's foremost solvent extraction authorities. He was the recipient of numerous awards, including the Sherritt Hydrometallurgy Award in 1977, the MetsSoc Award for Research Excellence in 1985 and the MetSoc Silver Medal in 1994. He was a member of CIM's Fifty Year Club and became a CIM Fellow in 2002.
Bruce Clarence Bernard, a CIM Fellow and treasurer of CIM's Surface Mining Society, passed away on Saturday, January 2, 2021 at the age of 64 years, in Camrose, Alberta.
