Intrepid Explorer: The Autobiography of the World's Best Mine Finder

When seven-year-old Dave Lowell was camped out at his father’s mine in the hills of southern Arizona in 1935, he knew he had found his calling. “Life couldn’t get any better than this,” he recalls. “I didn’t know what science was, but wisps of scientific thought were already working into my plan.” So began the legendary career of the engineer, geologist, explorer, and international businessman whose life is recounted in his own words in this captivating book.

An Arizona native with family roots in territorial times, Lowell grew from modest beginnings on a ranch near Nogales to become a major world figure in the fields of minerals, mining, and economic geology. He has personally discovered more copper than anyone in history and has developed multibillion-dollar gold and copper mines that have changed the economies of nations. And although he has consulted for corporations in the field of mining, he has largely operated as an independent agent and explorer, the architect of his own path and success.

His life’s story unfolds in four stages: his early education in his field, on-the-job learning at sites in the United States and Mexico, development of exploration strategies, and finally, the launch of his own enterprises and companies. Recurring themes in Lowell’s life include the strict personal, ethical, and tactical policies he requires of his colleagues; his devotion to his family; and his distaste for being away from the field in a corporate office, even to this day. The magnitude of Lowell’s overall success is evident in his list of mine discoveries, as well as in his scientific achievements and the enormous respect his friends and colleagues have had for him throughout his lengthy career, which he continues to zealously pursue.

1119480792
Intrepid Explorer: The Autobiography of the World's Best Mine Finder

When seven-year-old Dave Lowell was camped out at his father’s mine in the hills of southern Arizona in 1935, he knew he had found his calling. “Life couldn’t get any better than this,” he recalls. “I didn’t know what science was, but wisps of scientific thought were already working into my plan.” So began the legendary career of the engineer, geologist, explorer, and international businessman whose life is recounted in his own words in this captivating book.

An Arizona native with family roots in territorial times, Lowell grew from modest beginnings on a ranch near Nogales to become a major world figure in the fields of minerals, mining, and economic geology. He has personally discovered more copper than anyone in history and has developed multibillion-dollar gold and copper mines that have changed the economies of nations. And although he has consulted for corporations in the field of mining, he has largely operated as an independent agent and explorer, the architect of his own path and success.

His life’s story unfolds in four stages: his early education in his field, on-the-job learning at sites in the United States and Mexico, development of exploration strategies, and finally, the launch of his own enterprises and companies. Recurring themes in Lowell’s life include the strict personal, ethical, and tactical policies he requires of his colleagues; his devotion to his family; and his distaste for being away from the field in a corporate office, even to this day. The magnitude of Lowell’s overall success is evident in his list of mine discoveries, as well as in his scientific achievements and the enormous respect his friends and colleagues have had for him throughout his lengthy career, which he continues to zealously pursue.

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Intrepid Explorer: The Autobiography of the World's Best Mine Finder

Intrepid Explorer: The Autobiography of the World's Best Mine Finder

by J. David Lowell
Intrepid Explorer: The Autobiography of the World's Best Mine Finder

Intrepid Explorer: The Autobiography of the World's Best Mine Finder

by J. David Lowell

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Overview


When seven-year-old Dave Lowell was camped out at his father’s mine in the hills of southern Arizona in 1935, he knew he had found his calling. “Life couldn’t get any better than this,” he recalls. “I didn’t know what science was, but wisps of scientific thought were already working into my plan.” So began the legendary career of the engineer, geologist, explorer, and international businessman whose life is recounted in his own words in this captivating book.

An Arizona native with family roots in territorial times, Lowell grew from modest beginnings on a ranch near Nogales to become a major world figure in the fields of minerals, mining, and economic geology. He has personally discovered more copper than anyone in history and has developed multibillion-dollar gold and copper mines that have changed the economies of nations. And although he has consulted for corporations in the field of mining, he has largely operated as an independent agent and explorer, the architect of his own path and success.

His life’s story unfolds in four stages: his early education in his field, on-the-job learning at sites in the United States and Mexico, development of exploration strategies, and finally, the launch of his own enterprises and companies. Recurring themes in Lowell’s life include the strict personal, ethical, and tactical policies he requires of his colleagues; his devotion to his family; and his distaste for being away from the field in a corporate office, even to this day. The magnitude of Lowell’s overall success is evident in his list of mine discoveries, as well as in his scientific achievements and the enormous respect his friends and colleagues have had for him throughout his lengthy career, which he continues to zealously pursue.


Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781941451038
Publisher: Sentinel Peak Books
Publication date: 09/10/2015
Edition description: Reprint
Pages: 496
Product dimensions: 6.10(w) x 9.20(h) x 1.10(d)

About the Author


J. David Lowell works full time as the CEO of an active mineral exploration company with offices in Paraguay, Peru, Mexico, Canada, and Arizona. He is the author of more than fifty articles and parts of four books on geology and mining. He and his wife, Edith, live on a cattle ranch near the Mexican border, sixty miles south of Tucson.

Table of Contents

Foreword Joaquin Ruiz ix

Introduction John M. Guilbert xi

Book I 1935-1961

Chapter 1 3

First Exposure to Mineral Exploration, 1935-1949

Gumming and Lowell Families

Childhood in the Great Depression

Summer Jobs

Education in the College of Mines

Chapter 2 55

Marriage to Edith, 1948

Summer Job in Aguas Calientes, Chihuahua, Mexico, with Edith

Life in Tucson and Graduation

Chapter 3 73

Mining Engineer, Shift Boss, and Night Foreman, Santa Eulalia Mine, Mexico, 1949

Exploration Geologist with U.S. Atomic Energy Commission

Chapter 4 111

MS Geology at Stanford, 1954-1955

Ran wick Inc., Menlove Mine, and Southwest Ventures

Geologist and District Geologist, Utah Construction Company, 1959-1961

Book II 1961-1972

Chapter 1 137

Initial Development of the Porphyry Copper Model

A Consultant on Five Minutes' Notice, 1961-1969

The Kalamazoo Discovery

The Vekol Hills Discovery

The Kaiser Project and Bajo Alumbrera

Daniel Jackling Award

Chapter 2 175

Fame and Professional Advancement from the Lowell-Guilbert Porphyry Copper Model

Thayer Lindsley Lecturer for the Society of Economic Geologists

Canadian Mining and Metallurgical Society Distinguished Lecturer

Consulting for Bethlehem Copper and the JA Orebody Discovery

Associate Editor of Economic Geology

Book III 1973-1991

Chapter 1 185

Exploration in the Canadian Bush and a Unique Career Formula

The Covered Area Project and the Casa Grande West Discovery

Exploration Strategy

Moving out of the United States

Adventures in the Philippines

Fieldwork in Luzon

"Godfather" of Lepanto's Far Southeast Orebody

Chapter 2 215

Consultant for Codelco's Mines in Chile

The Atacama Project

La Escondida, the Largest Copper Mine in the World

Zaldívar, Another World-Class Deposit

Two Partial Medium-Sized Discoveries, San Cristobal and Leonor

The María Rosa Project

Chapter 3 257

Stories from Chile

Tales from Honduras to East Asia

Mules, Grizzly Bears, Elephants, and Cobras

Chapter 4 283

Independent Illegal Miners throughout the World

Gaby and the 1,400 Petroleros

King King, Where There Were 3,000 Illegal Miners

High Graders in the United States and the Saga of Fraction Brown

Book IV 1992-2014

Chapter 1 297

Los Calatos Discovery in Peru and Inadequate Financing

Further Exploration in Southern Peru

Exploration for Gold in Northern Peru and the Discovery of the Pierina Orebody

Barrick Launches a "Hostile" Takeover

Consummating a Billion-Dollar Takeover

Doctor Honoris Causa at Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Peru

Election to the National Academy of Engineering

2000 Society of Economic Geologist Exchange Lecture Tour in Australia

Chapter 2 337

Zamora River Project in Ecuador 1999-2014

The Warintza Discovery in Ecuador

The Mirador Discovery in Ecuador

University of Arizona Honorary Doctor of Science Degree, 2000

Robert M. Dreyer Award

Mining and Metallurgical Society of America Gold Medal

Chapter 3 351

Toromocho Discovery in Peru, 2002-2006

One-Year Due Diligence Study

Privatization from the Peruvian Government

120,000-Meter Drilling Project and Detailed Geological Analysis

Increase in Ore Reserves by Ten Times to Over 2.2 Billion Tons of Ore

Sale to Chinalco, the Largest Chinese Mining Company

American Mining Hall of Fame Inductee

SEG Penrose Gold Medal

Chapter 4 369

Alto Paraná Titanium Iron Discovery in Paraguay, 2006-2014

Potentially Largest Titanium Resource in the World

Australian Academy of Science 2009 Haddon King Medal

National Mining Hall of Fame Inductee

London Mining Journal Lifetime Achievement Award

Chapter 5 389

Formation of Lowell Copper Ltd.

The Warintza Project in Ecuador

The Ricardo Project in Chile

The Santa Marta Copper Project in Mexico

Chapter 6 391

History of Our Atascosa Ranch

Chapter 7 407

Collecting Mine Lamps

Lifelong Exercise Program

Skin Diving and the Gulf of California

Other Recreations and Close Personal Friends

Sea Cloud Trips

Chapter 8 423

Susan Lowell Humphreys and William Ross Humphreys

William David Lowell

Douglas Glenton Lowell Roxanne Chernin Lowell

Epilogue 433

Appendixes

J. David Lowell Family Tree 438

Associations with the University of Arizona 440

Discoveries 444

Honors and Awards 445

J. David Lowell Publications 446

Acknowledgments 451

Index 453

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