The Society of Economic Geologists 2001 Awards* R.A.F. Penrose Gold Medal for 2001 Citation of Hubert L. Barnes

Abstract

Mr. President, ladies and gentlemen, my esteemed colleagues, and associates: It is a great honor and privilege to introduce my friend and colleague, and world-class skier, Hubert L. Barnes, this year’s recipient of the Society’s Penrose Gold Medal. The Penrose Gold Medal is the highest honor bestowed on a person for his or her lifetime achievements in and contributions to the field of economic geology. Hu Barnes received a B.S. degree in geology from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1950 and went to work as a mining geologist for the Peru Mining Company in Hanover, New Mexico. After two years, Hu returned to graduate school and received a Ph.D. in economic geology from Columbia University in 1958. He spent four years at the [Carnegie Institution] Geophysical Lab as a postdoctoral fellow doing some of the earliest experimental work on sulfide solubility. He accepted a position as Assistant Professor of Geochemistry at Pennsylvania State University in 1960, and was rapidly promoted to Associate Professor in 1963, and to full Professor in 1966. He was named the Distinguished Professor of Geochemistry in 1990. He was also the Director of the Ore Deposit Research Section for 30 years. Although there is a rumor that he officially retired from Penn State about three years ago, there is very little evidence to support this. He has maintained his hydrothermal laboratory in our department, and comes to the department every day to check if I am taking a nap in my office and to have scientific discussions with his colleagues at lunch time. As President of Applied Research and Exploration, Inc., which sells a unique method of trace level metal determination, …