The Musgrave Block in South Australia's far North-West has been identified by Primary Industries and Resources South Australia (PIRSA) as one of the State's most highly prospective regions for mineral exploration, along with the Gawler Craton and Curnamona Province. Since 1994, PIRSA's Mineral Resources Group (MRG) has been working closely with the traditional owners, the Anangu Pitjantjatjara - Yankunytjatjara (APY), to further mineral exploration and development in the Musgrave Block. In recent years, through the efforts of the MRG Musgrave Team, a number of important milestones have been achieved - the Musgrave Block airborne geophysical surveys of 2000-01, MANN Drilling Program, field mapping, 16th Australian Geological Convention field excursion, and the appointment of a Mining Liaison Officer for the APY Lands. Processing of mineral exploration licence applications has been slow, but throughout all discussions with the APY representatives there has been a strong commitment from most traditional owners to further mineral exploration and development. It became apparent over the course of these discussions that many of the APY representatives had no real concept of what mainstream mining actually looked like. So in July 2003 a tour of nearby mining operations in the Northern Territory was organised by PIRSA, to help these people gain a better understanding of mining and its social and environmental impacts. APY Community empowerment through knowledge was a fundamental factor underpinning the choice of tour content. Through clearer understanding of the resources industry, APY Community members will be better equipped to explore and negotiate options for future economic initiatives on their lands. The aims of the tour planning exercise were threefold: - To develop a tour program that enabled APY representatives to make direct observations of resources projects which employ best practices in mining, oil and gas extraction, and environmental and sacred site management, that are also inclusive of the participation of Indigenous people. - To provide a comparison of mainstream modern mining practices with those of the more familiar opal mining industry of South Australia. - To meet with Indigenous identities who have direct involvement in the resources industry and high standing in a cultural capacity within their own communities. This was considered a high priority, as it would give a cultural counterpoint and perspective to the resource industry components of the tour. An itinerary was developed which would allow a group of APY representatives, chosen through the APY Executive, to see at first hand some large modern mining enterprises and to meet and interact with responsible people in the central Australian resources industry, during guided visits to the Mereenie oil and gas field, the Yuendumu Mining Company operations, and the Granites gold mine. Following a reconnaissance trip by some of the organisers and an APY facilitator/translator, to visit the tour sites and to establish introductory contact with appropriate company representatives and local traditional owners, which was carried out in early June 2003, the full group tour took place from 13 to 21 July 2003. The tour group comprised 15 representatives of the APY Community, six PIRSA staff from MRG and Rural Solutions, a single representative from the Northern Territory Government and a contracted tour operator. This report documents the history and participant responses of the tour experience, and describes from a strategic perspective, with regard to the desired APY empowerment process and potential for a better future, some perceived outcomes and related possible new iniatives which may be acted on further.