Person

Whitehead, Sylvia Gladys (1921 - 2012)

Born
1921
Kerang, Victoria, Australia
Died
12 November 2012
Occupation
Mineralogist and Petrologist
Alternative Names
  • Whincup, Sylvia (Subsequent name)

Summary

Silvia Whitehead was a petrologist with wide experience of mineral exploration, particularly in South Australia. For a few years to 1950 she was Curator of Minerals at the National Museum of Victoria, before moving to South Australia. In 1958 Whitehead re-entered the workforce as Petrologist for Broken Hill Proprietary Company Limited in Whyalla, investigating banded iron formations from Iron Monarch, South Australia, and carbonate rocks. It was while employed by Anaconda Australia Inc. that she discovered the world's largest deposit of willemite, a rare zinc silicate lacking sulfides. From 1968 to 1981 Whitehead was petrologist at Australian Mineral Development Laboratories, where she concentrated on the microscopic identification of rocks and minerals.

Details

Chronology

1942
Education - Bachelor of Science (BSc), University of Melbourne
1943
Education - Master of Science (MSc), University of Melbourne
1946? - 1950
Career position - Curator of Minerals, National Museum of Victoria
1950 - 1958
Life event - Home duties
1952 - 2012
Career position - Foundation Member, Geological Society of Australia
1958 - 1965
Career position - Petrologist, Broken Hill Proprietary Company Limited (BHP), Whyalla
1965 - 1967
Career position - Petrologist, Anaconda Australia Inc.
1968 - 1981
Career position - Petrologist, Australian Mineral Development Laboratories (AMDEL)
1981
Life event - Retired

Related Corporate Bodies

Published resources

Journal Articles

  • Johns, R. K. and Dalgarno. C. R., 'Sylvia Whitehead 1921 - 2012', TAG: the Australian geologist, 166 (2013), 50. Details

Helen Cohn

EOAS ID: biogs/P006982b.htm

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