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William W. Atkinson, Jr. papers, 1916-2021

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Atkinson, William W., Jr.
Title
William W. Atkinson, Jr. papers
Dates
1916-2021 (inclusive)
Quantity
30.32 cubic ft. (32 boxes)
Collection Number
12955
Summary
William W. Atkinson, Jr. was a professor of geological sciences at the University of Colorado Boulder who specialized in mineral deposits and the chemistry of ore deposition. This collection contains William Atkinson’s professional papers, including work he did with Anaconda Mining Company, other mining companies, and his teaching materials from CU Boulder.
Repository
American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming
American Heritage Center
University of Wyoming
1000 E. University Ave.
Dept. 3924
Laramie, WY
82071
Telephone: 3077663756
ahcref@uwyo.edu
Access Restrictions

There are no access restrictions on the materials for research purposes, and the collection is open to the public.

Languages
English
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Historical Note

William W. Atkinson, Jr. was a professor of geological sciences at the University of Colorado Boulder who specialized in mineral deposits and the chemistry of ore deposition. After earning a bachelor’s degree in chemistry and both a master’s degree and PhD in geology, Atkinson spent eleven years working for the Anaconda Mining Company before joining the faculty of the University of Colorado Boulder’s Geology Department in 1978. At CU Boulder he taught courses focused on ore deposition and geological mapping and regularly led students on field trips to mines across the western United States. He was known for mentoring graduate students and supporting students from underrepresented backgrounds, including women and international scholars, while helping guide them toward careers in industry, government, and academia. Over the course of his career, he supervised nearly fifty graduate students. He retired in 2004 and became professor emeritus, and the university later established the William (Bill) W. Atkinson (Jr.) Fellowship Fund to support graduate students in the geology department.

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Content Description

This collection contains William Atkinson’s professional papers, including work he did with Anaconda Mining Company, other mining companies, and his teaching materials from CU Boulder. Included are samples, maps, correspondence, student work, data, books, articles and newspapers related to Atkinson’s work.

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Use of the Collection

Restrictions on Use

Copyright Information

The researcher assumes full responsibility for observing all copyright, property, and libel laws as they apply.

Restrictions on Use

Statement on Potentially Harmful Language and Images Found in Collections

The American Heritage Center aspires to approach all areas of our work in ways that are respectful to those who create, use, and are represented in our collections. For a variety of reasons, however, users may encounter offensive or harmful language or images in some of our finding aids, catalogs, and collection materials.

Note that the AHC does not censor or alter contents of the collections as they provide context and evidence of a time, people, place, or event. Therefore, we encourage users to bring questions and concerns about descriptions in our finding aids to our attention via email or anonymous web-form. For more information, read our full statement.

Preferred Citation

Item Description, Box Number, Folder Number, Collection Name, Collection Number, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.

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Administrative Information

Acquisition Information

This material was received from the University of Colorado Boulder Geology Department in 2025.

Processing Note

The collection was processed by Brittany Heye in March 2026.

Related Materials

There are no known other archival collections created by William W. Atkinson, Jr. at the date of processing.

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Detailed Description of the Collection

Names and Subjects

Subject Terms

  • Education
  • Geological mapping
  • Geology
  • Mines and mineral resources

Corporate Names

  • Anaconda Mining Company
  • University of Colorado (Boulder campus). Department of Geology
  • University of Colorado Boulder

Processed by Brittany Heye
2026

CC Attribution
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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