He was at various times the Secretary or President of the three learned societies of Cornwall - Royal Geological Society of Cornwall (President from 1903-1904, and 1911-1912),[REF] the Royal Cornwall Polytechnic Society and the Royal Institution of Cornwall.
Collins pioneered systematic exploration for china clay in the St Austell area, and had a long association with the area, as well as introducing both the filter press and the monitor to the china clay industry [REF].