Derek RomerDerek Romer, an outstanding geologist who was responsible in 1970 for the discovery of Europe's largest lead-zinc deposit near Navan, has died recently at his home in Kilmaley, Co Clare.
Born in Bristol in 1935, he grew up in England, Canada, the US and South Africa, and received his secondary education at Blackrock College. He graduated from Manchester University in 1959 with a degree in geology and then moved to Imperial College, London, to work with Prof David Williams in mineral exploration.
A Pat Hughes Group company asked him to set up a geochemical laboratory at Ennis, Co Clare, that same year and it was here that he met Ann Moloney. They married in 1962 and four children followed: Richard, Niall, Jane and Aishling.
His record in mineral exploration is outstanding. In 1964 he discovered a copper orebody at Gortdrum in Tipperary which became Ireland's second producing mine after Tynagh, Co Galway. He joined the Canadian company Denison Mines in the mid-1960s and directed their exploration programme here until 1969 when he joined Tara Exploration and Development.
One year later he made his biggest discovery when he found the lead-zinc deposit near Navan, Co Meath. Until then Ireland's eastern region had been largely overlooked. Later he made a gold strike near Westport, Co Mayo, and shortly afterwards found a substantial talc deposit south of the same town. His input had a key role in the discovery of lead-zinc ore at Lisheen and Galmoy.
His passionate interest in exploration took him all over the globe as a consultant for large mining companies. Whether it was at the annual Toronto Prospectors' Convention or elsewhere he gripped the attention of his listeners with his enthusiasm and energy.
But he was much more than a geologist. In his first year at Manchester a Chemistry professor was so impressed after a brief encounter he offered him a place in first-year Chemistry, but Romer's heart was in geology. One of his idols was an electrical engineer, Eric Laithwaite, who was demonstrating the feasibility of magneto hydro dynamics as a novel solution to railway traction in the Williamson Laboratory.
He had a great belief in and respect for the power of nature. Some 34 years ago he started planting a forest on bogland near his home. After retirement in the mid-1980s he devoted much time to this resource, which now contains the largest variety in Clare.
He was always community-minded and considered this a civic duty. He believed the people could exploit their local assets economically if their energy could be focused and applied.
In the early 1960s he was upset by the massive flow of Irish emigration and started Hill Concrete Products, which employed more than 40 at one time. In the late-1990s he and some neighbours formed a wind energy group to generate cheap electric power for Kilmaley.
He was generous, kind and far-seeing. His enthusiasm was highly contagious. Perhaps his most prized possessions were a keen judging ability, a scientifically curious mind and a desire to ask probing questions. He is survived by his wife Ann and his four children.
Derek Romer: born August 8th, 1935; died April 22nd, 2004