Edgar Arthur Ashcroft

Edgar Arthur Ashcroft (5 September 1864 – 24 August 1938) was an Australian electrical engineer who developed an electrolytic process for extracting zinc metal from its sulphides.

History Ashcroft was born in Sunderland, England, a son of George Ashcroft and his wife Sophia, née Davey. After qualifying as a mechanical and electrical engineer, he was brought out to Australia by Broken Hill Proprietary Ltd to install an electric lighting plant at its Broken Hill facilities. While there, he and John Howell developed a steam generator using slag from the smelters as a source of heat. he developed a wet electrolytic method of extracting the metal, which he patented in 1894. He left BHP and in 1895 founded the Sulphide Corporation (Ashcroft Process) Limited with a capital of £1,100,000, with which it purchased Ashcroft's patents and the Broken Hill Central Mine. the process was deemed a failure and the plant largely dismantled. The Sulphide Corporation continued in the business of refining zinc ore, but reverted to the roasting method.

Ashcroft returned to England amid controversy, and with James Swinburne continued experimentation, but despite being based on sound scientific principles, commercial success eluded them.

Ashcroft retired to Ancrum House, Roxburghshire, Scotland, and died in nearby Polton, survived by his wife Irene, née Dulier.

Memberships Australasian Institute of Mining Engineers (London) Institution of Mining and Metallurgy