As part of ongoing exploration of three areas in the western and northern Murray Basin, an open-file data review, in conjunction with the acquisition and interpretation of previous aeromagnetic and gravity data, provided a basis for CRAE's siting of 5 rotary mud vertical open drillholes totalling 1073 m which aimed to investigate the lignite potential of the tenements. The only significant such drilling intersection made was a 5.27 m thickness of (poor quality) lignite occurring below 195.34 m depth in hole 81MBR36 on Sturt Vale EL 1038. Next, two crossed 10 km long gravity traverses centred on this drillhole were read, and an inferred faulted depression within basement was defined. Follow-up drilling (2 rotary mud vertical open holes for 453.6 m, plus a partial re-core of the MBR 36 location, to TD 203 m) established that the lignite seam occurrence is merely a localised thickening of a thin, widespread lignite/clay unit deposited in the Tertiary upper Renmark Beds. The kerogen content of this lignite is high (yielding 108.7 litres/tonne from a sample taken over 4.4 m downhole width) and its shale oil yield upon Fischer distillation was 5-15 litres/tonne, but because of the depth of the seam and the apparently limited overall coal-swamp sedimentation history of the area, no further coal exploration could be justified. Interpretation of past aeromagnetic survey data flown by the BMR in 1961 was carried out over Sturt Vale EL 1038 to define a drillsite to test the nature of the magnetic basement, which might hold potential for hosting Broken Hill type silver-lead-zinc mineralisation. A 9 km long, 300 nT amplitude magnetic anomaly located 6 km south-east of Pine Valley homestead was selected and modelled for likely source body depth and magnetic susceptibility. The subsequent percussion precollared / diamond cored vertical drillhole 82PVDDI penetrated schist and andesite (? Boucaut Volcanics) from 305 m depth to TD 357.9 m, but all drill core sample geochemical assays returned only background level metal values, so no further investigations were warranted. Data from a detailed new airborne magnetic survey flown by CRA in 1980 over Mypolonga EL 1035 was reviewed for potential kimberlitic anomalies, but no drill targets were defined.