While South Australia is well known as having within its borders major iron oxide - associated copper-gold (IOCG) deposits such as Olympic Dam, Prominent Hill, Carrapateena and Hillside, there has until now been a lack of publically accessible exploration-based material that could provide understanding in the public domain about what the traits of the broader hydrothermal systems involved with IOCG metallogenesis look like, in the rocks located away from the mineralised centres. For instance, there is currently very little information available on the characteristics, size and spatial distribution of the mineral alteration patterns and associated geochemical signatures of IOCG deposits in South Australia. This significant knowledge gap means that an explorer's task of distinguishing from rock sample evidence between regional alteration and near-miss intersections is difficult. In addition, the overall paucity of comprehensive geochemical and mineralogical data presently available in the public domain limits the opportunity to identify and evaluate the full range of possible alteration and geochemical vectors, which is clearly needed to aid drillhole targeting. This DET-CRC funded project was commenced with the objective of contributing data to begin to fill the knowledge gap in characterising rock alteration parameters related to IOCG mineral systems. The approach adopted was to collect additional data on drillhole samples, initially from a spread of 43 holes, that would come principally from publically available samples held in State Government drill sample storage facilities. The focus was on the eastern Gawler Craton, broadly within the Olympic Cu-Au Province. This type of systematic regional investigation of alteration had not previously been attempted by others working on rocks from within the province. Key datasets acquired as part of the project were sample multi-element geochemistry and visible to infrared spectral data, with interpreted mineralogy, the latter being measured on drill core using the HyLoggerTM system. These data were combined with regional inversion models of potential field geophysical data to form integrated 3D models, which will be described in subsequent reports.