As part of ongoing regional Tertiary stratigraphic appraisal work, an area located to the south and east of the Beverley uranium deposit was explored for economic roll-front style sedimentary uranium mineralisation by conducting resistivity surveys followed by step-out open hole rotary and diamond core drilling and downhole geophysical logging (81 holes completed during September 1975, May-June 1976, September-October 1976 and March 1977 for a total penetration of 20,718 m, including 19.5 m of coring). The target was the deeper Tertiary sedimentary section on the eastern side of the Poontana lineament in the southern part of the licence, within which previous drillhole 77-44 had encountered encouraging radioactivity over the depth interval 160-275 m, with grades calculated from the gamma ray log of ~0.021-0.048% equivalent U3O8. The first appraisal drilling campaign of 36 holes was able to define three narrow correlatable anomalous zones within Eyre Formation ?deltaic sands, having radioactivity readings greater than 10 x background in six holes, other radioactivity readings equal to or greater than 20 x background in two holes, and calculated grades of mineralisation ranging between 1 and 13 lbs/ton eU3O8 over 0.2 to 7.3 m wide intercepts. Significant radiometric anomalies (> 1500 cps) were recorded in the middle and highest zones in holes 209-8 and 209-12 during June 1976. Infill drilling of this uranium mineralisation occurrence with 27 holes during September 1976 delineated an envelope of mineralisation, designated Paralana 'A' prospect, that is at least 400 m long by 200 m wide, at depths of between 205 and 225 m below surface, as intersected by twelve of the drillholes. The entire mineralised interval was cored in hole 209-31, from 200 to 219.5 m depth, but core recovery was poor (48%). 36 samples taken from the core were analysed by Amdel using both XRF and radiometric methods. The results indicated that the uranium was not in secular equilibrium with its daughter products, giving radiometric grades that on average were slightly higher than those determined using XRF. The highest grade material, as determined by XRF, contained 6.9 kg/tonne U3O8. A preliminary mineragraphic study of five samples of the core suggested that the uranium impregnates the carbonaceous matter, porous leucoxenes, and the amorphous cement binding some of the common framboidal pyrite crystal aggregates. No uraninite could be discerned in the samples. Other drilling carried out during October 1976 in an area 4 km to the east (5 holes on what was designated the Paralana 'B' prospect) also encountered similar uranium mineralisation in one hole, but at shallower depths (155 m and 178 m below surface). The clear implication was that prospective sand bodies seemed to be well developed in this part of the licence. BP Minerals initially considered that the Tertiary sand horizons containing these new discoveries were stratigraphically equivalent to the horizons containing the Beverley uranium deposits, i.e. hosted by the Miocene basal Namba Formation paludal/estuarine/deltaic sediments. No palynological evidence was seen for the existence of sediments of the targeted Eyre Formation near the Poontana structure, although they may occur elsewhere on the licence. Palynological identification by SADM of marine Early Cretaceous samples in two drillholes was attributed to probable reworking of older assemblages into the Early Miocene sedimentary sequence. BP Minerals concluded that the 'aureole' of uranium mineralisation at Paralana A prospect is contained in palaeochannel sands which are interpreted to lie within the equivalent to the lowest two sub-members of Beverley Sand d, while the 'aureole' of uranium mineralisation at Paralana B prospect is contained in a palaeochannel sand which is interpreted to be the equivalent of Sand b at Paralana A, although one of the significant radiometric anomalies there also occurs in a sand thought to be equivalent to Sand c. A second campaign of evaluation drilling was carried out at the Paralana A and B prospects during March 1977, aimed at confirming the positions of mineralised palaeochannels and at extending the area of proven mineralisation through stepout drillholes. However, the results for the latter were very disappointing, with no significant channel extensions intersected. Only one of eleven holes drilled at Paralana A found ore grade mineralisation, in Sand d at 217 m depth, suggesting that this palaeochannel features trends southwards. Trace levels of radioactivity were logged towards the east of this prospect, but they occur in a silt/clay bed at 160 m depth in hole 209-62, and within a thin clay band at 137 m depth in hole 209-63. The two holes drilled at Paralana B prospect produced better encouragement, since the larger of two radioactivity anomalies occurs within Sand c at 178 m depth in hole 209-66, close to where this sand unit pinches out. There appear to be several palaeochannel sand bodies present at this prospect, but drilling to date is insufficient to allow accurate prediction of their locations. In view of the knowledge situation achieved so far, further drilling at both prospects in the southern part of EL 209 was strongly recommended, at sites chosen both on a close-spaced grid and on a more regional spacing.