Summary written by Geological Society of Nevada
Douglas R. Cook, past President of the Geological Society of Nevada and of the Society of Economic Geologists, passed away on Sunday, May 16, 2010 in Reno, Nevada. He was 84 years old, left two sons, two daughters and nine grandchildren. His wife, Margaret, pre-deceased him.
Born and raised in England, Doug graduated from the University of Durham with a Mining Engineering degree in 1945, and after working three years in an alluvial diamond operation in Sierra Leone, West Africa, moved to. Canada. After a MS in Mining Geology at the University of Toronto in 1948, he joined the Ontario Dept of Mines, and on a ski slope he literally ran into his future wife Margaret. Moving to the United States with his new wife in 1950, he earned a D.Sc. at the Colorado School of Mines in 1952. His dissertation was entitled "The Geology of the Pride of the West Vein System, San Juan County, Colorado."
Doug joined Bear Creek Mining Company in 1952, working in the Bonanza mining district of Colorado and the Tintic district, Utah. He then served as Northwest District Manager and was involved in the discovery by Bear Creek of several deposits in the Ambler district on the south flank of Alaska's Brooks Range. After leaving Bear Creek in 1967, Doug worked for Exxon Minerals, first in Denver, and then as Australian Exploration Manager.
He joined the Freeport Minerals Company in 1973, as Vice President in New Orleans and in 1974 as President of Freeport Exploration Co. in Reno. During his thirteen years managing the global exploration activities of the Freeport group of companies, Doug lead a highly successful exploration program that was at the forefront of a "gold rush" in the Great Basin of Nevada that continues to this day. Upon retirement from Freeport McMoRan Gold in 1986 Doug continued to serve the industry as a consultant, and a member of the boards of directors of several mining companies.
In 1982 Riz Bigelow described Doug as "a geologist who exhibited a propensity for finding mineralization others missed", and the list of mineral discoveries that Doug was involved with certainly supports this: Jerritt Canyon and Big Springs, Nevada [gold]; Karonie, Western Australia [gold]; Bow River, Western Australia [diamonds]; Ertsberg East/GBT, Indonesia [copper]; and Burgin and Trixie, Utah [lead, zinc, silver].
Doug's passion for sailing started in 1973 but bloomed after his retirement from Freeport. He was happiest at sea, and sailed his last 53 foot cutter-rigged sloop, the Caro Vita, from New Zealand, where he purchased her, to French Polynesia, Hawaii, and to her home port, Sausalito, California. Over the years he sailed to Alaska, the Marquesas, Tahiti, the Cook and Society island, and Tuamoto. Using volunteer crews, often exploration geologists, he became an expert and inspiring seaman – the ultimate "Captain Cook". On one leg of his first crossing from New Zealand, Caro Vita came close to sinking in a cyclone before making land-fall on a remote island in the Austral group.
Although Doug's involvement in the discovery of several mineral deposits is notable, his greatest contributions to the profession of economic geology were in the development, teaching and mentoring of geologists. He was an advocate of "applied exploration research" conducted by his exploration staff members – a method he used to educate staff on ore-forming processes. He maintained the highest levels of personal and professional ethics, and by his example we learned the same. In every way Doug was a gentleman of the highest caliber, as well as an excellent geologist. Although he has passed on, his legacy will be felt for many more years by those of us who had the privilege of serving with this fine man.
-----------
Douglas R. Cook passed away on Sunday, May 16. A memorial service to celebrate his life will be held at Hope Chapel, 1125 Stanford Way in Sparks, at 1:00 PM on Saturday, June 12.
Douglas R. Cook, past President of the Geological Society of Nevada and of the Society of Economic Geologists, passed away on Sunday, May 16, 2010 in Reno, Nevada. He was 84 years old, left two sons, two daughters and nine grandchildren. His wife, Margaret, pre-deceased him.
Born and raised in England, Doug graduated from the University of Durham with a Mining Engineering degree in 1945, and after working three years in an alluvial diamond operation in Sierra Leone, West Africa, moved to. Canada. After a MS in Mining Geology at the University of Toronto in 1948, he joined the Ontario Dept of Mines, and on a ski slope he literally ran into his future wife Margaret. Moving to the United States with his new wife in 1950, he earned a D.Sc. at the Colorado School of Mines in 1952. His dissertation was entitled "The Geology of the Pride of the West Vein System, San Juan County, Colorado."
Doug joined Bear Creek Mining Company in 1952, working in the Bonanza mining district of Colorado and the Tintic district, Utah. He then served as Northwest District Manager and was involved in the discovery by Bear Creek of several deposits in the Ambler district on the south flank of Alaska's Brooks Range. After leaving Bear Creek in 1967, Doug worked for Exxon Minerals, first in Denver, and then as Australian Exploration Manager.
He joined the Freeport Minerals Company in 1973, as Vice President in New Orleans and in 1974 as President of Freeport Exploration Co. in Reno. During his thirteen years managing the global exploration activities of the Freeport group of companies, Doug lead a highly successful exploration program that was at the forefront of a "gold rush" in the Great Basin of Nevada that continues to this day. Upon retirement from Freeport McMoRan Gold in 1986 Doug continued to serve the industry as a consultant, and a member of the boards of directors of several mining companies.
In 1982 Riz Bigelow described Doug as "a geologist who exhibited a propensity for finding mineralization others missed", and the list of mineral discoveries that Doug was involved with certainly supports this: Jerritt Canyon and Big Springs, Nevada [gold]; Karonie, Western Australia [gold]; Bow River, Western Australia [diamonds]; Ertsberg East/GBT, Indonesia [copper]; and Burgin and Trixie, Utah [lead, zinc, silver].
Doug's passion for sailing started in 1973 but bloomed after his retirement from Freeport. He was happiest at sea, and sailed his last 53 foot cutter-rigged sloop, the Caro Vita, from New Zealand, where he purchased her, to French Polynesia, Hawaii, and to her home port, Sausalito, California. Over the years he sailed to Alaska, the Marquesas, Tahiti, the Cook and Society island, and Tuamoto. Using volunteer crews, often exploration geologists, he became an expert and inspiring seaman – the ultimate "Captain Cook". On one leg of his first crossing from New Zealand, Caro Vita came close to sinking in a cyclone before making land-fall on a remote island in the Austral group.
Although Doug's involvement in the discovery of several mineral deposits is notable, his greatest contributions to the profession of economic geology were in the development, teaching and mentoring of geologists. He was an advocate of "applied exploration research" conducted by his exploration staff members – a method he used to educate staff on ore-forming processes. He maintained the highest levels of personal and professional ethics, and by his example we learned the same. In every way Doug was a gentleman of the highest caliber, as well as an excellent geologist. Although he has passed on, his legacy will be felt for many more years by those of us who had the privilege of serving with this fine man.
-----------
Douglas R. Cook passed away on Sunday, May 16. A memorial service to celebrate his life will be held at Hope Chapel, 1125 Stanford Way in Sparks, at 1:00 PM on Saturday, June 12.
Summary written by Geological Society of Nevada
Douglas R. Cook, past President of the Geological Society of Nevada and of the Society of Economic Geologists, passed away on Sunday, May 16, 2010 in Reno, Nevada. He was 84 years old, left two sons, two daughters and nine grandchildren. His wife, Margaret, pre-deceased him.
Born and raised in England, Doug graduated from the University of Durham with a Mining Engineering degree in 1945, and after working three years in an alluvial diamond operation in Sierra Leone, West Africa, moved to. Canada. After a MS in Mining Geology at the University of Toronto in 1948, he joined the Ontario Dept of Mines, and on a ski slope he literally ran into his future wife Margaret. Moving to the United States with his new wife in 1950, he earned a D.Sc. at the Colorado School of Mines in 1952. His dissertation was entitled "The Geology of the Pride of the West Vein System, San Juan County, Colorado."
Doug joined Bear Creek Mining Company in 1952, working in the Bonanza mining district of Colorado and the Tintic district, Utah. He then served as Northwest District Manager and was involved in the discovery by Bear Creek of several deposits in the Ambler district on the south flank of Alaska's Brooks Range. After leaving Bear Creek in 1967, Doug worked for Exxon Minerals, first in Denver, and then as Australian Exploration Manager.
He joined the Freeport Minerals Company in 1973, as Vice President in New Orleans and in 1974 as President of Freeport Exploration Co. in Reno. During his thirteen years managing the global exploration activities of the Freeport group of companies, Doug lead a highly successful exploration program that was at the forefront of a "gold rush" in the Great Basin of Nevada that continues to this day. Upon retirement from Freeport McMoRan Gold in 1986 Doug continued to serve the industry as a consultant, and a member of the boards of directors of several mining companies.
In 1982 Riz Bigelow described Doug as "a geologist who exhibited a propensity for finding mineralization others missed", and the list of mineral discoveries that Doug was involved with certainly supports this: Jerritt Canyon and Big Springs, Nevada [gold]; Karonie, Western Australia [gold]; Bow River, Western Australia [diamonds]; Ertsberg East/GBT, Indonesia [copper]; and Burgin and Trixie, Utah [lead, zinc, silver].
Doug's passion for sailing started in 1973 but bloomed after his retirement from Freeport. He was happiest at sea, and sailed his last 53 foot cutter-rigged sloop, the Caro Vita, from New Zealand, where he purchased her, to French Polynesia, Hawaii, and to her home port, Sausalito, California. Over the years he sailed to Alaska, the Marquesas, Tahiti, the Cook and Society island, and Tuamoto. Using volunteer crews, often exploration geologists, he became an expert and inspiring seaman – the ultimate "Captain Cook". On one leg of his first crossing from New Zealand, Caro Vita came close to sinking in a cyclone before making land-fall on a remote island in the Austral group.
Although Doug's involvement in the discovery of several mineral deposits is notable, his greatest contributions to the profession of economic geology were in the development, teaching and mentoring of geologists. He was an advocate of "applied exploration research" conducted by his exploration staff members – a method he used to educate staff on ore-forming processes. He maintained the highest levels of personal and professional ethics, and by his example we learned the same. In every way Doug was a gentleman of the highest caliber, as well as an excellent geologist. Although he has passed on, his legacy will be felt for many more years by those of us who had the privilege of serving with this fine man.
-----------
Douglas R. Cook passed away on Sunday, May 16. A memorial service to celebrate his life will be held at Hope Chapel, 1125 Stanford Way in Sparks, at 1:00 PM on Saturday, June 12.
Douglas R. Cook, past President of the Geological Society of Nevada and of the Society of Economic Geologists, passed away on Sunday, May 16, 2010 in Reno, Nevada. He was 84 years old, left two sons, two daughters and nine grandchildren. His wife, Margaret, pre-deceased him.
Born and raised in England, Doug graduated from the University of Durham with a Mining Engineering degree in 1945, and after working three years in an alluvial diamond operation in Sierra Leone, West Africa, moved to. Canada. After a MS in Mining Geology at the University of Toronto in 1948, he joined the Ontario Dept of Mines, and on a ski slope he literally ran into his future wife Margaret. Moving to the United States with his new wife in 1950, he earned a D.Sc. at the Colorado School of Mines in 1952. His dissertation was entitled "The Geology of the Pride of the West Vein System, San Juan County, Colorado."
Doug joined Bear Creek Mining Company in 1952, working in the Bonanza mining district of Colorado and the Tintic district, Utah. He then served as Northwest District Manager and was involved in the discovery by Bear Creek of several deposits in the Ambler district on the south flank of Alaska's Brooks Range. After leaving Bear Creek in 1967, Doug worked for Exxon Minerals, first in Denver, and then as Australian Exploration Manager.
He joined the Freeport Minerals Company in 1973, as Vice President in New Orleans and in 1974 as President of Freeport Exploration Co. in Reno. During his thirteen years managing the global exploration activities of the Freeport group of companies, Doug lead a highly successful exploration program that was at the forefront of a "gold rush" in the Great Basin of Nevada that continues to this day. Upon retirement from Freeport McMoRan Gold in 1986 Doug continued to serve the industry as a consultant, and a member of the boards of directors of several mining companies.
In 1982 Riz Bigelow described Doug as "a geologist who exhibited a propensity for finding mineralization others missed", and the list of mineral discoveries that Doug was involved with certainly supports this: Jerritt Canyon and Big Springs, Nevada [gold]; Karonie, Western Australia [gold]; Bow River, Western Australia [diamonds]; Ertsberg East/GBT, Indonesia [copper]; and Burgin and Trixie, Utah [lead, zinc, silver].
Doug's passion for sailing started in 1973 but bloomed after his retirement from Freeport. He was happiest at sea, and sailed his last 53 foot cutter-rigged sloop, the Caro Vita, from New Zealand, where he purchased her, to French Polynesia, Hawaii, and to her home port, Sausalito, California. Over the years he sailed to Alaska, the Marquesas, Tahiti, the Cook and Society island, and Tuamoto. Using volunteer crews, often exploration geologists, he became an expert and inspiring seaman – the ultimate "Captain Cook". On one leg of his first crossing from New Zealand, Caro Vita came close to sinking in a cyclone before making land-fall on a remote island in the Austral group.
Although Doug's involvement in the discovery of several mineral deposits is notable, his greatest contributions to the profession of economic geology were in the development, teaching and mentoring of geologists. He was an advocate of "applied exploration research" conducted by his exploration staff members – a method he used to educate staff on ore-forming processes. He maintained the highest levels of personal and professional ethics, and by his example we learned the same. In every way Doug was a gentleman of the highest caliber, as well as an excellent geologist. Although he has passed on, his legacy will be felt for many more years by those of us who had the privilege of serving with this fine man.
-----------
Douglas R. Cook passed away on Sunday, May 16. A memorial service to celebrate his life will be held at Hope Chapel, 1125 Stanford Way in Sparks, at 1:00 PM on Saturday, June 12.
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Advertisement
