The report is a record of the investigational work undertaken by the department over a 10 year period from August, 1941, when interest in the field was revived as a consequence of the uncertainty of adequate and regular supplies of coal from New South Wales during the early years of the Second World War. The discovery of substantial reserves of shallow coal and their successful exploitation by open-cut mining methods-has led to the field becoming an important source of fuel for South Australia's rapidly expanding industrial economy. Its development has aroused interest both within and outside South Australia, and this record of detailed geological work will be of considerable value to all those interested in the development of new coal deposits. The Electricity Trust of South Australia is responsible for the coal production activities on the field, with the Department of Mines carrying out the exploratory work and geological and geophysical surveys. The Leigh Creek coalfield lies on the main northern railway 360 miles north of Adelaide and about 169 miles north of Port Augusta. From the time of the discovery of the coal deposits towards the end of the last century, until the beginning of the present decade, the factor of distance has been the chief in preventing other than spasmodic and limited interest in the field. Includes CHAPTER VIII: LEIGH CREEK COAL UTILIZATION AND RESEARCH, (Dickinson, S. B.)