Julius Kruttschnitt II

Julius Kruttschnitt II (1885–1974) was an American-born mining manager, who helped to establish the mining industry in Queensland, Australia.

Kruttschnitt was born 7 May 1885 in New Orleans, Louisiana. He was the son of Julius Kruttschnitt and his wife Wilhelmina. The elder Kruttschnitt was a railway engineer who would go on to become the Chairman of the Southern Pacific railroad company, which also laid tracks for their line in Mexico. After an early education in Belmont, California, Julius Kruttschnitt II went to Yale University, graduating with a B.Phil. in 1906. After a year of postgraduate work, he took a position as a mine surveyor with the Arizona Copper Company. Kruttschnitt married Marie Rose Pickering in San Francisco, California in 1907. He would join the mining department of the American Smelting and Refining Company (ASARCO) at their Reforma lead mine in Mexico in 1909. He then moved to Asientos, Mexico to oversee their silver mine. Kruttschnitt was recalled back to Tucson, Arizona in 1912 to oversee the company's mining department and remained there until 1930.

In July 1930, Kruttschnitt took a position for ASARCO in Australia as general manager of Mount Isa Mines Ltd, Queensland. It is probable that it was described as a short term position. However the company was close to bankruptcy. After an agreement by ASARCO to make a million dollar loan to Mount Isa Mines Ltd, the mine and smelters began producing their first lead bullion in mid 1931. Under Kruttschnitt's management, it would take six years until the mine cleared a profit in 1937 largely due to worldwide ore prices and the need for better extraction and milling methods, and another ten before dividends were paid to investors. Kruttschnitt was well liked by the mine's employees, as he took an interest in providing better housing for employees and their families and improving community relations, while General Manager. Kruttschnitt was appointed a director of Mount Isa Mines Ltd in 1931. He was later appointed chairman of the board in 1937, remaining in the role until 1953 when he retired as chairman. He continued on the board until 1967.

His wife Marie (née Pickering), also had a popular role in the Mt Isa community. She was active in the Country Women's Association, the Australian Inland Mission and, during the start of World War II, in the Australian Comforts Fund. She died on 4 September 1940 from pneumonia; her body was returned to the USA for burial. In March 1941, a women's club which she had a major role in establishing was named the Marie Kruttschnitt Club in her memory. In 1944, he married his secretary Mrs Edna May Roger (née Maxted) in a private ceremony with Presbyterian rites at his home in Mount Isa. They moved to Twigg St, Indooroopilly in Brisbane after his retirement in 1953. This home was inundated by floodwater during the Brisbane floods of 1974.

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