Background
He was born in Shunning, Yunnan, China on May 10, 1895.
He was born in Shunning, Yunnan, China on May 10, 1895.
Wei-yuan Lo went to Japan and studied at Akita Mining College, where he received his degree in mining engineering in 1915. Then he went to America in 1922 and entered Columbia University school of mines, where he received his Master of Arts degree in 1924.
In 1925 Mr. Lo was employed by the U.S. Metal Refining Co., Carteret, N.J. in the electrolytic copper refinery and in the electrolytic parting plant. In 1928 he returned to Columbia University for research work and received his Doctor of Philosophy degree. While he was in America he invented a process for the treatment of low grade oxidized complex lead-tin ores, which was patented both in the United States and China.
Mr. Lo was awarded a silver cup for his engineering paper on "The Electrolytic Refining of Tin" by the Engineering and Chemical Society of China in 1925. On his return from America he travelled in Europe and studied tin mining practice in the Federated Malay States. Returning to Yunnan he was appointed vice-president of Yunnan Kotchiu Tin Trading Company, Kotchiu, Yunnan in 1927.