Person

Ball, Lionel Clive (1877 - 1955)

Born
12 January 1877
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Died
February 1955
Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Occupation
Geologist

Summary

Lionel Ball worked briefly as a metallurgist with Broken Hill Proprietary before joining the Geological Survey of Queensland in 1900, ultimately becoming Chief Government Geologist in 1931. He became a noted authority on the rare mineral ore deposits in north Queensland. During his time as Deputy Chief, Ball was heavily involved in investigating Queensland's oil potential. Other interests included fossil footprints of probable Jurassic theropods. As Chief, Ball instigated program of decentralisation, establishing district offices at Rockhampton and Charters Towers. From 1934 he played a central role in the Aerial, Geological and Geophysical Survey of North Australia, a joint surveying venture of the Queensland, Western Australian and Australian federal governments. Ball published prolifically, with nearly 200 papers in the Queensland Government mining journal. For extended periods he was also his department's representative on the Artesian Water Supply Committee and the Great Barrier Reef Committee.

Details

Chronology

1890s
Education - Mining and metallurgical engineering studies at the University of Sydney
c. 1899
Career position - Metallurgist, Broken Hill Proprietary Company Limited
1900
Career position - Assistant Government Geologist, Geological Survey of Queensland
1921
Career position - Deputy Chief Government Geologist, Geological Survey of Queensland
1931 - 1946
Career position - Chief Government Geologist, Geological Survey of Queensland
1934 - ?
Career position - Queensland Representative, Executive Committee, Aerial, Geological, and Geophysical Survey of North Australia

Related Corporate Bodies

Archival resources

Geological Survey of Queensland

  • Lionel Clive Ball - Records, 1931 - 1946; Geological Survey of Queensland. Details

John Oxley Library, Manuscripts and Business Records Collection, State Library of Queensland

  • Lionel Clive Ball - Records, 1900 - 1901, OM70-27; John Oxley Library, Manuscripts and Business Records Collection, State Library of Queensland. Details
  • Lionel Clive Ball - Records, 1948 - 1949, OM65-6/2; John Oxley Library, Manuscripts and Business Records Collection, State Library of Queensland. Details
  • Lionel Clive Ball - Records, 1949 - 1951, OM64-28/2; John Oxley Library, Manuscripts and Business Records Collection, State Library of Queensland. Details

Published resources

Journal Articles

  • Denmead, A.K., 'The Chiefs of the Geological Survey of Queensland From 1899 to 1955', Proceedings of the Royal Society of Queensland, lxviii (10) (1956), 51-60. Details

Resources

Gavan McCarthy [P004098] and Helen Cohn

EOAS ID: biogs/P000035b.htm

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