Keith R Long Ph.D.

Keith R. Long, Ph.D.

4/30/1957 to 3/29/2019
Keith Richard Long passed away in the presence of his devoted wife Kay in Tucson from complications related to colon cancer.  Keith loved the Lord Jesus and his wife Kay as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for her.

Born to Walter A. Long and Edith Berridge in Wichita Falls, Texas, Keith grew up in Santa Clara, California and graduated from University of California Santa Cruz with a double major of a B.S. in Earth Sciences and a B.A. in Political Economy (1979). He completed his M.S. in Geoscience at University of Michigan (1984), and his Ph.D. in Mineral Economics at The University of Arizona (1988). He married Kay Ellen Lindley in Tucson on Oct. 2, 1999.

Keith joined the U.S. Geological Survey in Tucson in 1988, to work in the Center for Inter-American Mineral Resource Investigations where he participated in cooperative studies in Central and South America, especially Mexico and Bolivia. Keith devoted his career to studying mineral resources and specializing in the economic aspects of mineral resource assessment. Focus of his research in recent years included work on the economics of porphyry copper deposits, economic filters for evaluating mineral deposits, the environmental aspects of historical mine tailings, and characterization of rare earth element deposits and significant metal deposits of the U.S.  He wrote over 100 publications ranging from country-specific studies of the mineral resources of Bolivia and the United States to work identifying and classifying abandoned mines in California (upcoming). Keith also published an English-Spanish dictionary of mining and geologic terms. He ended his career as a Research Specialist in rare earth minerals.

He was active in professional societies including the Society of Economic Geologists, Arizona Geological Society, the Mining History Association, and the International Assoc. of Mathematical Geologists where he served as Editor for Natural Resources Journal. He presented numerous, well-researched talks on minerals and mining history.

Keith was an intelligent, thoughtful, kind, godly person with a quiet sense of humor. An avid reader, he was interested the natural sciences, history (especially world history, technology, military, mining, Biblical archaeology). He was respected and admired by his colleagues and friends. His Christian faith and love of the Scriptures buoyed him during his illness and he was grateful for the prayers and support of his faith family.

Predeceased by his mother and brother-in-law David Lindley, Keith is survived by wife Kay, his father, sisters Suzanne Long Huntington (Steve) of San Jose and Karin Long Schubert (Alex) of Granite Canyon, Wyo., brother Walter Scott Long (Maria) of Fremont, Calif., nephews Andrew and Brian Long, and brother-in-law Delvin A. Lindley of Tucson.

Memorial service will be held at 2pm, Sunday April 14 at Grace Community Church, 9755 N. La Cholla Blvd.  In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in Keith’s name may be made to Tucson Gospel Rescue Mission or the Mining History Association.

Arrangements by Marana Mortuary & Cemetery.