Vincent Ellis McKelvey | |
|---|---|
 McKelvey as Director of USGS, 1971 | |
| 9th Director of the United States Geological Survey | |
| In office 1971–1978 | |
| Preceded by | William Thomas Pecora |
| Succeeded by | Henry William Menard |
| Personal details | |
| Born | April 6, 1916 Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, US |
| Died | January 23, 1987 (aged 70) St. Cloud, Florida, US |
| Alma mater | Syracuse University University of Wisconsin |
| Known for | McKelvey diagram |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Geology |
| Institutions | U.S. Geological Survey |
| Thesis | Stratigraphy of the phosphatic shale member of the Phosphoria formation in western Wyoming, southeastern Idaho, and northern Utah (1947) |
Vincent Ellis McKelvey (April 6, 1916 – January 23, 1987) was an American geologist and earth scientist. Recognized as an international authority on deep-sea mineral deposits, he spent 46 years with the United States Geological Survey. From 1968 to 1982, he served as scientific adviser and senior deputy to the United States delegation to the Law of the Sea Conference of the United Nations, where fellow delegates often depended on his ability to render complex scientific issues into plain English.
He joined the US Geological Survey, a branch of the Department of the Interior, in 1941. He was placed in charge of its explorations for uranium after World War II, was assistant chief geologist for economic and foreign geology by 1962 and was named senior research geologist three years later. McKelvey was named chief geologist of the Geological Survey in 1971 shortly before he became its ninth director, a post he held through 1977.[1]
The McKelvey diagram (or box), a visual representation of how to classify a particular mineral resource based on the value of its production (economic, marginal, etc.) and the geologic certainty of its presence (measured, inferred, hypothetical, etc.), is named after him.[2][3]
- ^ Saxon, Wolfgang (1987-01-26). "Obituary: Dr. Vincent E. McKelvey, 70; Once Led Geological Agency". The New York Times. Retrieved 2009-01-10.
- ^ McKelvey, V. E. (1972). "Mineral Resource Estimates and Public Policy: Better Methods for Estimating the Magnitude of Potential Mineral Resources Are Needed to Provide the Knowledge That Should Guide the Design of Many Key Public Policies". American Scientist. 60 (1): 32–40. JSTOR 27842943. Retrieved September 2, 2021.
- ^ Hall, Matt (18 October 2011). "McKelvey's reserves and resources". Agile* Blog: Views and news about geoscience and technology. Retrieved 2 September 2021.