| Edgar Stanley Freed | |
| Birth Date: | 8 August 1889 |
| Birth Place: | Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Death Date: | November 2, 1950 (aged 61) |
| Death Place: | María Elena, Antofagasta, Chile |
| Nationality: | American |
| Education: | University of Tennessee (B.S.), MIT (M.S., PhD) |
| Alma Mater: | University of Tennessee, MIT |
| Known For: | Creation of the solar evaporation system, Freed cement, and study of caliche ore by-products |
| Spouse: | Amalia González |
| Occupation: | Chemical Engineer |
Edgar Stanley Freed was an American engineer known for his significant contributions to the nitrate extraction industry. He played a pivotal role in the development of solar evaporation ponds, a groundbreaking technology in the 1940s, which remains a critical component in the production processes of iodine and specialty fertilizers. His work, including the creation of the Solar Evaporation System, Freed Cement, and the study of caliche by-products, has left a lasting legacy in the non-metallic mining industry.[1]
Freed was born on August 8, 1889, in Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania. He attended the University of Tennessee, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry in 1912, gaining a strong reputation in theoretical chemistry among both students and faculty. After graduation, he remained at the university for two more years, assisting in teaching and completing postgraduate work, and received the degree of Chemical Engineer in 1914. In the fall of 1914, Freed enrolled at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology for graduate studies, where he obtained a Master of Science degree in 1916 and a Ph.D. in Chemistry in 1918.[2]
Freed made significant contributions to the fields of chemistry and engineering through his research and publications. The following is a selection of his notable works: