AIG members are advised, with sadness, that Dr Patrick Williams passed away in the UK late last week, following a protracted illness.

Dr Williams (Pat) joined the staff at James Cook University (JCU) in 1989 and continued in a lecturing role until the amalgamation of Earth Science with TESAG around 2007 when he resigned to become a consultant.

He was a major contributor to the Key Centre in Economic Geology, the Predictive Mineral Discovery CRC and the Economic Geology Research Unit (EGRU) team  at JCU. He supervised and mentored  many honours and doctoral students during his academic career, and was much valued in that role. He was also much valued as an academic colleague by this who worked with him – always good council,  supportive of group activities and delivering of the tasks on his plate.

Pat is recognised by his colleagues for a major contribution to undergraduate teaching in mineralogy, petrology and economic geology. Pat developed a strong research interest in mineralization in the Mount Isa Inlier and became a widely acknowledged expert on IOCG deposits, an ongoing interest that he carried into his post-academic consulting life.

Dr Williams will be missed by the economic geology community in Australia and beyond, and his many friends in North Queensland.

Bob Henderson