Obituary - Frances Perry ProfGrad IMMM

It is with great sadness that we share the news of Frances Perry ProfGrad IMMM passing away earlier this year.

Frances Perry ProfGrad IMMM
1955-2025

Frances Perry (nee Olver) is fondly remembered by members and the IOM3 team as our Information Advisor for minerals and mining. Her knowledge and anecdotes will be sorely missed. Frances joined our predecessor organisation in 1981, completing more than 40 years of service at the time of her retirement.

It was with a sense of sadness and loss that IOM3 learnt the news of the death of Frances on 8 January 2025 following a short battle with cancer. In life, Frances was a dynamo, collecting information as she moved between the London and Grantham offices with armfuls of paper, journals and books. You never quite knew what might appear from her rucksack of wonders.

At IOM3, Frances provided technical information on minerals and mining. She had an encyclopaedic knowledge of our collections, reeling off references and stacking numbers in a flash when asked where something might be. Frances studied at Cambridge, and later trained as a geologist which she described as meaning she could 'tell you all about how the Earth cooks up mineral deposits - think Bake-Off writ large.'

Frances initially found her niche at the Institution of Mining and Metallurgy (IMM) library, and always spoke fondly of colleagues from that time and described a chaotic but thriving library with frequent international visitors. When IMM merged with the Institute of Materials Frances moved too and expanded her knowledge base to incorporate some non-earth-based materials. Frances joined in 1981, completing more than 40 years of service at the time of her retirement.

Frances loved to garden, share knowledge and help people. The IOM3 Mining Technology Group benefitted hugely from her support as did her local church and the array of friends she amassed.

Frances is survived by her husband Brian and three children Helen, Anna and Alan.