A native of Victoria, B.C., Fairbairn was known for his strong views on gold exploration and he frequently advised fellow engineers “never to cut when assaying drill cores.”
Fairbairn was known as an authority on sampling techniques and he wrote a number of papers on the subject.
During a career which spanned five decades, the University of British Columbia engineering graduate was involved in a number of successful exploration projects including the Zeballos gold rush on Vancouver Island. He also helped to develop the Acadia gold mine in Nova Scotia.
After a brief stint in Australia during the 1930s, he worked as a surveyor at the Pioneer gold mine in Bridge River, B.C., before taking charge of a number of tungsten operations which were part of the government’s Strategic War Program.
After the Second World War he spent 10 years with the Domtar organization before working independently as a surveying consultant and prospector. Despite the loss of an eye, he found time to become an outstanding amateur golfer and tennis player. He was a trophy winner in the 1988 Canadian Open Seniors tournament in Nova Scotia.
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