11 December 2025

Compiled by Michele Beacom

CIM is more than an organization—it is a community of people who share a passion for the mining industry. As we remember those who have passed away, we would like to extend our condolences to their families and friends. Though they are no longer with us, their work and accomplishments live on.

CIM Life Member George Delorme passed away on Oct. 17, 2025. He began his career with Wire Rope Industries in 1968, leaving in 1996 to become president of Haggie Rand North America. Delorme was a longtime active member in CIM and the Maintenance, Engineering & Reliability Society of CIM. He was awarded a CIM Fellowship (1990), a CIM Distinguished Lecturer (1999), the McParland Memorial Award for Excellence in Maintenance, Engineering and Reliability (2011) and was inducted into CIM’s 50 Year Club in 2025.

R. (Bob) Dengler passed away on May 15, 2025, at the age of 84. Dengler graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Mining Engineering from Queen’s University. He went on to work at Redpath Mining until 1980, when he co-founded Dynatec Mining Limited. Dengler lectured tirelessly on mining safety and was recognized for his contributions with the McParland Memorial Award for Excellence in Maintenance, Engineering and Reliability in 1990.

Piers Ebsworth died on Nov. 10, 2025, at the age of 95. Ebsworth graduated in mining engineering from the Royal School of Mines, London, and emigrated to Canada in 1955, where he worked for various mining companies until 1979, when he was hired by the SNC Group. He worked with SNC-Lavalin until his retirement in 2000. Ebsworth was a CIM Life Member, an active Montreal Branch member, and in 2019, he was awarded a CIM Fellowship.

Retired United Steelworkers International president Leo Gerard died on Sept. 21, 2025, at the age of 78. Gerard, the son of a hardrock miner, started out as a smelter worker at Inco Ltd., in Sudbury, Ontario, and went on to be an internationally respected labour activist. He advocated for governments in Canada and the United States to strengthen health and safety laws and is commonly recognized as being instrumental in the birth of modern health and safety regulations. In 2023, Gerard was appointed a Companion of the Order of Canada.

Peter Gillin passed away on May 2, 2025, at the age of 76. His career started in investment banking but took a turn to mining, beginning with his role as CEO of Tahera Diamond Corp., which built the first diamond mine in Nunavut. Later, he was a director and chairperson at numerous mining companies, including Sherritt International, Dundee Precious Metals, Turquoise Hill Resources and Wheaton Precious Metals.

Harold Keevil, a valued director of Teck Resources, died peacefully at home on July 9, 2025, at the age of 79. He and his brothers helped to build his father’s company, Teck Resources, into one of Canada’s largest mining companies.

Georges Kipouros died on July 24, 2025, at the age of 77. Born and raised in Greece, in 1974 he emigrated to Canada, where he earned his master’s and doctoral degrees from the Department of Metallurgy and Materials Science at the University of Toronto. After a postdoctoral position at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, he returned to Canada for a faculty post at Dalhousie University. He was honoured with many awards, including the CIM Distinguished Lecturer (2009), the Canadian Metal Chemistry Award (2007) and a CIM Fellowship (2016).

Paul J. Murphy, the chair of Alamos Gold’s board, died on Dec. 13, 2024, at the age of 74. Murphy served as National Mining Leader at PricewaterhouseCoopers from 2004 to 2010.

Ralph Richard Potter passed away on Oct. 29, 2025, at the age of 92. Potter had worked for engineering and mining firms in Canada, the United States and Mexico. He directed several large programs to promote the development of New Brunswick’s mineral industry and was the author of more than 50 publications on geology, mineralogy, metallurgy and mineral resource development. Potter served as a director of the then Geological Society of CIM and served as chair of the CIM New Brunswick branch. In 1991, he received the Dr. W. J. Wright Award for distinguished contributions to the mineral industry of New Brunswick and, in 1998, he was awarded a CIM Fellowship.

James (Jim) Stockton Redpath died on Aug. 2, 2025, at the age of 88. Redpath founded Redpath Mining Contractors and Engineers at the age of 26. The company, which he started in his basement in 1962, has gone on to become a global leader in mining services. Redpath was awarded the CIM President’s Role Model Award in 1981.

Graham Wheelock, a longtime board director of K92 Mining, passed away on Apr. 30, 2025. Wheelock had an extensive career as a geologist and mining professional, working for several international mining companies.

We do our best to publish the names of recently deceased CIM Members and apologize if there are any we missed. Please send notices to membership@cim.org.