James Boyd—distinguished geologist, executive, educator—left a remarkable record of service to the mining industry, which stands today as evidence of a lifetime of dedication.​

Born in Australia, he came to the U.S. in 1922 and became a citizen five years later. A graduate of The California Institute of Technology, with the M.S. and Ph.D. from the Colorado School of Mines, he began his career as and educator at CSM in 1929, served as Dean from 1946-47, and was awarded the Distinguished Service Award in 1949. During World War II, he held nearly every important mining-effort post in Washington and was awarded The Legion of Merit with Oak Leaf Cluster for his contributions to settling immediate post-war problems in Germany. In 1947, Boyd became the dynamic new Director of The Bureau of Mines. At the time of his appointment, he was Special Assistant to the Secretary of the Interior and later served as Defense Minerals Administrator.​

In 1951, he joined Kennecott Copper Corporation as Manager of Exploration, moving up to Vice President of the department in 1955. Great changes were underway at Kennecott, largely through exploration and diversification. For nearly 10 years, Boyd headed the exploration department where his many successes are a tribute to his ability to inspire teamwork. High caliber geologists flocked to Kennecott because of his reputation.​

In 1960, he accepted the presidency of Copper Range Company, succeeding to Chairman in 1970. He headed the expansion of the White Pine Copper Mine in Michigan, making Copper Range the fifth largest copper producer in the nation. Under his leadership, the company acquired a major interest in the Round Mountain gold deposit in Nevada, one of the nation’s largest gold mines.​

During the 1960s, he served as President of the Mining and Metallurgical Society and of the AIME After retiring from Copper Range in 1971, he served as director of the National Commission on Materials Policy, known as the “Boyd Commission,” and was instrumental in the development of the National Materials and Minerals Policy Research and Development Act of 1980. He was also a Founder of the National Mining Hall of Fame and Museum and in 1975, Jim Boyd received the prestigious Hoover Medal for his many contributions to mining.​

Click here to visit Boyd's oral history, which is preserved at the Bancroft Library at the University of California, Berkeley.