Geologist John Rowntree discovered seven major mineral deposits in Australia and Greenland during his 40+ active career years as a minerals explorer. 

His lifetime contribution to mining exploration started in 1963, before he even graduated from the University of Toronto in 1965, with ACA Howe International as an exploration consultant on a number of projects such as the Bernic Lake Tantalite Project inManitoba and nickel exploration in the Sudbury Basin, Ontario.

HIs 1969 tantalite discovery at Wodgina in Western Australia established his 50+ years of collaboration between Australian and Canadian mining industry colleagues on operations in Australia, Canada and Greenland.

He now focuses on his legacy work as senior advisor to Life Rocks School, a not-for-profit he founded in Australia in 2001 to develop earth science learning and teaching resources for early learners. He believes that to foster life-long curiosity and respect for planet Earth, we must cultivate a love for earth sciences in children through their earliest learning years.