In 1982, John Dryver joined North Flinders Mines as company mining engineer, and became operations manager after the mine was commissioned in 1986. Over the next 10 years, he managed the operations as well as developing further discoveries in the region including the Callie Mine. In 1987, Mr Dryver was invited to join the board of North Flinders to become executive director of operations. In 1997, after Normandy Mining took over North Flinders, Mr Dryver became executive general technical manager and led a team of specialist geologists, mining engineers and metallurgists in operational support, technical review and due-diligence activities. In 2003, after the takeover of Normandy by Newmont Corporation, Mr Dryver set up his own mining consultancy business.