Allen J. Clark Papers

Collection

Identifier: 5014

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

This collection contains annual operating costs for 1907 through 1917 (there are no cost reports for 1914), published works with Clark's notes, records of experiments from the Homestake Slime Plant, materials related to mines in South Africa and Canada, and correspondence sent to both Clark and Superintendent Grier from companies wishing to offer their equipment or other services to Homestake Mining Company. A small amount of correspondence to Slime Plant employees is also included.

Dates

1896 - 1932

Creator

Clark, Allan J. (creator, Person)

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is housed at the Homestake Adams Research and Cultural Center with no restrictions to access. The collection may be utilized during normal operating hours or by appointment.

Biographical / Historical

Allan J. Clark was born on April 12, 1874 in New Jersey. After receiving a bachelor’s degree in mining engineering from the Columbia University School of Mines in 1896, Clark worked for the Tennessee Coal and Iron Company for a year. In 1898 he moved to Lead for a job as an assayer and chemist with the Homestake Mining Company. By 1901 Clark’s strong work ethic and ideas on how to improve the output of gold had impressed Superintendent Grier who promoted Clark to an assistant position in the Metallurgy Department. In 1907 Clark became the Chief Metallurgist for Homestake, a position he remained in until his retirement in 1942.

During his time as Chief Metallurgist, Clark improved upon a number of methods used by the company and found ways to cut costs and increase efficiency. He did so by studying the failures of other mining companies and implementing results from his own experiments and assays. Beginning in 1921, Clark and R.G. Wayward designed and oversaw the construction of the South Mill, Cyanide No.3, and the rebuilding of Cyanide No.1. Clark was the sole designer of the flow sheet for the South Mill.

Clark was a published author of a number of articles, most notably The Metallurgy of the Homestake Ore, co-written with his assistant W.J. Sherwood in 1912. The article was awarded the Consolidated Gold Field Medal from the Institute of Mining and Metallurgy of London. As new discoveries were made in cyanide treatment Clark would update and edit this article. Some of the documents found in the Allen J. Clark papers pertain to these writings. Clark's work inspired numerous other engineers’ work and scholarly articles. He was a well respected member of the American Institute of Mining and Metallurgical Engineers and part-owner of patents for both a process for cyanidation of ores with refrigerated solutions, and the Clark-Todd Gold Amalgamator. In 1940, South Dakota School of Mines awarded Clark an honorary Doctor of Engineering.

Outside of his role as Chief Metallurgist, Clark served as a consulting metallurgist for Homestake offices in California and Colorado and as a board member of the Homestake Employees Aid Fund for a number of years. During WWI he was appointed to the consulting board of the South Dakota Organization for Preparedness, a role that often took him away from Lead for meetings in Pierre. Clark passed away on March 3, 1950.

Extent

0.62 Linear feet (2 Boxes)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

The Allan J. Clark Papers include documents created or utilized by Clark during his time working for the Homestake Mining Company. The materials are dated between 1896 and 1932 with the bulk of material dating between 1909 and 1917. Documents include annual cost reports, correspondence, drawings, records of experiments conducted by Clark and others, research files on mines in other countries, and published works regarding the use of different forms of energy.