James Hyndes Gillies

James Hyndes Gillies (11 November 1861 – 26 September 1942) was the pioneer of hydro-electricity in Tasmania, Australia and a metallurgist who patented a method for the electrolytic extraction of zinc. He was granted approval in 1909 by the Tasmanian parliament to construct and operate the Great Lake Scheme (which became known as Waddamana Power Station) in the Central Highlands of Tasmania, which served the state until 1960.

Early life Gillies parents had migrated from the Isle of Skye and had a traditional Presbyterian upbringing on a farm in Maitland, NSW. At 24, Gillies married Annie Griffiths and after a number of years working in real estate in Eastern Sydney, qualified as a metallurgist from the NSW School of Mines and moved to regional NSW with Annie and their four children. Gillies' process involved first crushing complex zinc-lead ore into coarse screenings, partially roasting it, fuming off the zinc and lead as oxides, dissolving the zinc oxides in sulphuric acid, filtering the solution to remove lead sulphate, arsenic, antimony and cadmium, then passing an electric current through the remaining solution to cause deposition of pure metallic zinc on the cathode. A syndicate of backers to the process later became known as the Complex Ores Company. The process required large amounts of electricity however. insisted the scheme be privately constructed and operated

When the bill was introduced into the House of Assembly, there was agreement on both sides that the State was in debt to Gillies for his great contribution to its advancement. The Bill passed all stages in the House of Assembly without opposition, it was however, rejected in the Legislative council on three occasions, once without debate. Albert Ogilvie who as Attorney General introduced the first Bill, became Premier in 1934. In 1935 he introduced a similar bill which went through both houses quietly, ten years after it was first introduced.

Death

Gillies died at the age of 79 on 26 September 1942 at South Camberwell, Melbourne, his remains were cremated. He was survived by his wife, three sons and a daughter.