An unforgettable metals millionaire

Goldfinger. What’s it like, working for a man in the metals world who was the real life model for the character of that name in the James Bond story?

The author, Ian Fleming, ex- British naval intelligence, like a number of rich and famous Britons and Americans, went on holiday to the new resort area on the north shore of Jamaica after the Second World War where he met Charles Engelhard of the United States, millionaire head of a large metals operation bearing his father’s name.

Engelhard had served in a U.S. army air force unit in Britain during the war. Fleming was fascinated by Charlie’s true stories of his gold- trading operations associated with his precious metals plants in the U.S., Britain, etc. They seemed almost unbelievable at the time, but Fleming was well experienced at checking things out. Inco connection

Clearly, Engelhard was remarkable and successful. For years, he worked closely with the International Nickel Co. of Canada, now Inco Ltd., then the world’s largest mine producer of platinum.

(Not the least of these research efforts was the enormously successful platinum-palladium — often with rhodium — automobile exhaust catalytic converters, now mandatory on all new cars in many countries, that clean the exhaust fumes and thus help the environment. This application is now the world’s single largest use of platinum.)

Engelhard was a friend and adviser to countless U.S. senators, congressmen, President Lyndon Johnson, Wall St. leaders, members of the British and Canadian parliaments, wealthy businessmen such as Harry Oppenheimer of the Anglo-American Corp. of South Africa, and a number of foreign leaders, particularly Indira Gandhi, prime minister of India, daughter of the famous statesman Pandit Nehru, and mother of the present prime minister of that country.

Charlie’s father came to North America as an immigrant from Hanau, near Frankfurt, Germany, an expert in precious metals. His bride was from the famous Heraeus precious metals family of the same town. Dramatic value

Sensing the dramatic value of all this, Fleming decided to fashion a tale out of it and, in the style of the adventure series, he greatly exaggerated everything, although major components such as the transfer of physical gold “bullion” were based on actual situations.

Yes, he did legally export large quantities of solid gold pulpit tops and other “art objects” from South Africa. The export of bullion bars was forbidden. These “art objects” were melted down in places such as Hong Kong, into small gold bars, which made a handsome profit. This ploy was also imitated in the export of solid gold “mini-Eiffel towers” in the film The Primrose Hill Gang. The book and film were highly successful and grossed millions of dollars, providing a couple of hours of entertainment for countless people in many countries.

Charlie also enjoyed his nickname “Mr Platinum.” The stewardesses on his private DC-9 (yes, a DC-9) sometimes wore T-shirts so entitled when they were not serving on flights carrying certain VIPs.

His was the largest platinum operation in the U.S., with platinum trading in the millions of dollars, especially in various countries in western Europe. His Engelhard Canada operation has contributed significantly to progress in precious metals.

Engelhard died at age 52, leaving more than $400 million(US), but he had given millions to charities during his lifetime, although few knew of it. I find it difficult to forget a fine metals man like that.004 00 3/8

T. P. (Tom) Mohide, a former president of the Winnipeg Commodity Exchange, served as a director of mining resources with the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources prior to his retirement in 1986.