Person
Johns, Robert Keith (Keith) (1927 - 2023)
OAM
- Born
- 24 April 1927
Port Pirie, South Australia, Australia - Died
- 9 May 2023
Adelaide, South Australia, Australia - Occupation
- Geologist, Public servant, Science administrator and Science historian
Summary
Keith Johns was a geologist whose career was in mining in South Australia. Starting with the Geological Survey of South Australia in 1948, he retired in 1992 as Director General of the South Australian Department of Mines and Energy. Projects in which he was involved included: the Leigh Creek Coal Field: expansion of iron ore mining in the Middleback Ranges; uranium mining at Radium Hill; oil and gas discoveries in the Cooper Basin; and Olympic Dam. Johns was also a noted historian of mining in South Australia. He published works on Geological Surveys in Australia, and on mineral exploration and the Cornish miners in South Australia. Active in local professional organisations, Johns held executive office in the Adelaide Branch of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy and the Royal Society of South Australia. A member of the Geological Society of Australia from 1952, he contributed often contributed articles to several of its journals.
Details
Chronology
- 1947
- Education - BSc (Honours), Adelaide University
- 1948 - 1972
- Career position - Geologist, Geological Survey of South Australian
- 1949 -
- Career position - Member, Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy
- 1950 - 2023
- Award - Fellow, Royal Society of South Australia
- 1952
- Career position - Foundation Member, Geological Society of Australia
- 1960
- Education - MSc, University of Adelaide
- 1969 - 1973
- Career position - Secretary, Adelaide Branch, Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy
- December 1973 - 1977
- Career position - Deputy Director of Mines and Deputy Government Geologist, South Australian Department of Mines
- 1975
- Career position - Chairman, Adelaide Branch, Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy
- 1977 - June 1983
- Career position - Deputy Director of Mines and Deputy Government Geologist, South Australian Department of Mines and Energy
- June 1983 - April 1992
- Career position - Director General, South Australian Department of Mines and Energy
- 1987
- Award - Sir Joseph Verco Medal, Royal Society of South Australia
- 1992
- Life event - Retired
- 2009
- Award - Bruce Webb Medal, South Australian Division, Geological Society of Australia
- 2009
- Award - Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for service to the mineral resources and energy sector in South Australia through a range of research and administrative roles
Related entries
Published resources
Books
- Johns, R. K., Cornish mining heritage (Adelaide: Department of Mines and Energy South Australia, 1986), 50 pp. Details
- Johns, R. K., Croweaters from Cornwall of mine: Keith Johns' ancestry and autobiography (Klemzig, S.A.: O’Neil Historical & Editorial Services, 2013), 80 pp. Details
- Johns, R. Keith, A Mirage in the Desert? The Discovery, Evaluation and Development of the Olympic Dam Ore Body at Roxby Downs, South Australia, 1975-88 (Adelaide: O'Neil Historical & Editorial Services, 2010), 64 pp. Details
Edited Books
- Johns, R.K. ed., History and role of government geological surveys in Australia (Adelaide: South Australian Government Printer, 1976), 111 pp. Details
Journal Articles
- Johns, R. K. and Dalgarno. C. R., 'Sylvia Whitehead 1921 - 2012', TAG: the Australian geologist, 166 (2013), 50. Details
- Johns, R. Keith, 'Uranium in South Australia - politics and reality', Journal of Australian mining history, 3 (2005), 171-84, https://search.informit.org/doi/epdf/10.3316/informit.775486611943385. Details
- Johns, R. Keith, 'Leslie Wedgwood Parkin OA, MSc, ASTC 15 April 1916 - 18 October 2013', TAG, 170 (2014), 42-3. Details
- O'Neil, Bernard and Bell, Peter, 'Keith Johns OAM (1927 - 2023)', Newsletter, Australian Mining History Association (2023), 3-5, https://www.mininghistory.asn.au/wp-content/uploads/AMHA-News-June-2023.pdf. Details
Helen Cohn
Created: 21 July 2026