Person

Richardson, Lewis A. (1907 - 1971)

Born
29 January 1907
Spring Farm, near Narellan, New South Wales, Australia
Died
January 1971
Occupation
Geophysicist

Summary

Lew Richardson was a geophysicist who played a central role in the discovery and exploitation of major ore deposits in Australia. After initially training as a surveyor, Richardson was employed by the Imperial Geophysical Experimental Survey before joining the Aerial, Geological and Geophysical Survey of Northern Australia (AGGSNA). At Tennant Creek his testing of magnetic anomalies revealed the presence of gold and copper at deeper depths than previously found: this ultimately led to the establishment of Peko Mines Ltd. In 1950, having worked for the Bureau of Mineral Resources for five years, Richardson founded his own consulting firm. Clients included most of Australia's large mining companies. For Peko Mines Richardson was involved in the development of ore bodies at Tennant Creek, Ranger 1, North Parkes and Cowal. Richardson's consultancy was responsible for ground-breaking developments in areas of magnetics, gravity, electromagnetics, downhole and airborne geophysics.

Details

Chronology

1928 - 1930
Career position - Field Assistant, Imperial Geophysical Experimental Survey
1935 - 1941
Career position - Applied Geophysicist, Aerial, Geological and Geophysical Survey of Northern Australia (AGGSNA)
1937
Career position - Associate, Institute of Physics, United Kingdom
1942 - 1946
Career position - Transferred with other AGGSNA staff to Mineral Resources Survey
1946
Career position - member, Australian Scientific Mission to Japan
1946 - 1950
Career position - Geophysicist, Bureau of Mineral Resources
1950 - 1971
Career position - Independent consultant

Published resources

Books

  • Ashford, Oliver M., Prophet or Professor? The Life and Work of Lewis Fry Richardson (Bristol: Adam Hilger, 1985), 314 pp. Details

Journal Articles

  • Richardson, Bob, 'Lewis Albert Richardson: a pioneer of exploration geophysics in Australia', Preview, 181 (2016), 38-41. Details

Resources

Resource Sections

Rosanne Walker and Helen Cohn

EOAS ID: biogs/P002237b.htm

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