Kenyon E. Richard

(1915-1993)

2001 Inductee from Mining's Past

Kenyon E. Richard was born in San Francisco in 1915. While attending the University of Nevada, he excelled at track, setting a record for the high jump that stood for 25 years. Richard graduated magna cum laude from Mackay School of Mines in 1937, receiving a Bachelor of Science degree in geology. He joined Consolidated Coppermines Corporation in Ely, Nevada, and rose to the position of Chief Geologist before joining ASARCO in Tucson in 1945. He soon became Chief Geologist of that group, before being elevated to the position of Chief Geologist of ASARCO in New York in 1963, a position from which he managed the company’s activities worldwide until his retirement in 1967. Subsequently, he consulted for the UN and a number of major mining companies for a period of 11 years.

It was while in Tucson, in association with Harold Courtright, that the two of them perfected exploration techniques appropriate for the identification of buried porphyry copper deposits.  Their efforts led to the discovery, development, and/or recognition of the favorable economics of a number of world class deposits. Deposits with which Kenyon is known to have been associated include:  Silver Bell, San Xavier, Sacaton – Santa Cruz, Florence (Poston Butte), and Mission in the southwestern United States; East Jersey, Canada; Toquepala, Quellaveco, Michiquillay, Toro Moca, and Morochocha, Peru; and Santo Tomas, El Arco, Mexico; and Tayson in the Philippines.

Richard was a member of AIME, the Geological Society of America, the Arizona Geological Society, and he was a Charter Member of the Mining Club of the Southwest. He was author of a number of geologic publications, many in association with Harold Courtright.

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