Background
Hidden, William Earl was born on February 16, 1853 in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Son of James Edward and Abbie S. (Angel) Hidden.
Hidden, William Earl was born on February 16, 1853 in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Son of James Edward and Abbie S. (Angel) Hidden.
Educational public schools, Providence, New York and Washington.
Engaged as mineralogist, since 1872. Discovered, 1880, mine producing emeralds and a transparent emerald-green gem, variety of spodumene (now known as hiddenite) in Alexander Company, North Carolina. Sent out by Edison, 1879, on a 5 months’ search for platinum mines in Appalachian belt of North Carolina, South Carolina., Georgia and Alabama.
Discovered monazite (thought to be excessively rare) in commercial quantities in North Carolina, and this mineral now furnishes thoria for incandescent gas lights.
Describer of iron meteorites known as the Lick Creek Iron (North Carolina), the Chulafinnee (Alabama), Laurens Company (South Carolina.), Elmo (Arkansas), Maverick Company (Texas), and the thought-to-be “bielid” of Mazapil, Mexico, in American Journal of Science. Company-discoverer and co-describer (with late Doctor James B. Mackintosh) of minerals hanksite, sulphohalite, yttrialite, thorogummite, nivenite.
Also (with late Samuel L. Penfield) of hamlinite. (with Doctor West. F. Hillebrand) of rowlandite and mackintoshite.
(with Doctor J. H. Pratt) of the new gem rhodolite, and its associated minerals.
Discovered the 2d known locality for sperrylite (the only known ore of platinum) in Macon Company, North Carolina. With Professor John West. Judd of London discovered and described new mode of occurrence of ruby in Cowee Mountains of North Carolina. Discovered new mineral Yttrocrasite, a new yttrium-thorium-uranium titanate, from Burnet Company, Texas, an analysis by Professor C. H. Warren, American Journal Science, December 1906.
Solving the mineral, and geological problems of Cobalt, Ontario, since 1906.
In August 1911, traced the occurrence of the rich ore of thorium, auerlite, to its source in the Green River Zircon belt of Henderson Company, North Carolina, and found it in place there and mined several tons of zircons which were used in electric light glowers and in making “zircon-glas.” Consulting mining geologist to Sunshine Copper Company of Lavic, California, where is pursuing a mineral reconnaissance.
Fellow Geological Society, London.
Married Josephine West. Morton, October 30, 1883.