Background
Of Cornish descent, he was born in London.
Of Cornish descent, he was born in London.
He died at his home, Crinnis House, near Street Austell, on 12 April 1916 and is buried in Campdowns cemetery, Charlestown. He was at various times the Secretary or President of the three learned societies of Cornwall – Royal Geological Society of Cornwall (President from 1903–1904, and 1911–1912), the Royal Cornwall Polytechnic Society and the Royal Institution of Cornwall. Collins was the founding Secretary of the Mineralogical Society of Great Britain and Ireland in 1876 and was involved in founding the Institution of Mining and Metallurgy, becoming its Vice-President in 1892.
He also lectured for, and was secretary of, The Miners Association.
Collins pioneered systematic exploration for china clay in the Street Austell area, and had a long association with the area, as well as introducing both the filter press and the monitor to the china clay industry. From 1881–1884 he was the chief chemist and metallurgist for Rio Tinto mines in Spain but left due to ill health, possibly malaria.
( This work has been selected by scholars as being cultur...)
( This work has been selected by scholars as being cultur...)
(This book was digitized and reprinted from the collection...)
( Title: A Handbook to the Mineralogy of Cornwall and Dev...)