He supervised exploration and mining programs in Canada and many other countries, including South Africa, Greece, Guyana, Chile, Peru, and Greenland.
It was the first time in Canada that structural data from government, university, and industry sources were combined and synthesized.
He was a part of the acquisition and development of the Rio Algom's bit uranium mines in the Elliot Lake area of Ontario.
In 1960, he left Rio to be a founding partner of the consulting firm Derry Michener Booth & Wahl.
Dr. Derry spent three years researching, compiling, funding and publishing the World Atlas of Geological and Mineral Deposits.