OBITUARY

Courtney Williams died on 03/07/2019.

Courtney John Denton (Ned) Williams was born in Cardiff in 1923 and became one of the foremost pyro-metallurgists in the world. He was a globally recognised authority on suspension smelting of non- ferrous metals, particularly nickel and copper.

In 1947 he graduated from Sydney Technical College with an Associateship qualification. Mr Williams worked as a Smelter Superintendent at Electrolytic Refining & Smelting from 1965 to 1971 and Resident Manager at the Western Mining Corporation, Kalgoorlie Nickel Smelter from 1971 to 1980. He later became Deputy General Manager of the Nickel Division at Western Mining Corporation.

Mr Williams was responsible for developing major technical innovations on the Outokumpu Process, a method of smelting ores that contain sulfur. This culminated in the construction and highly successful operation of what was then the largest pure nickel flash smelter in the world. The major conceptual changes Mr Williams developed became standard design for this type of furnace.

Highly regarded with his pyro- metallurgical peers worldwide, Mr Williams provided advice to the Chinese Government. He also served as Chair of the Nickel Producers Environmental Research Association (NiPERA), a worldwide organisation of nickel producers dedicated to researching nickel’s effects on health and the environment.

Mr Williams was elected a Fellow in 1984 and was a member of the West Australian Division.

He was awarded a Centenary Medal in 2001, and in 2003 became a Member of the Order of Australia “for service to the Australian mining and metallurgical industries, particularly as a leader in the development of suspension smelting of non-ferrous metals”.

Mr Williams died on 7 March 2019, aged 95. The loving husband of the late Margaret was survived by his sons Bruce and Ian, four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.