Auriferous quartz/haematite/manganese oxide veins within fine-grained Upper Proterozoic metasedimentary rocks in the Benda Range area, 15 km south-southeast of Mannahill, were investigated by regional surface rock chip geochemical sampling, costeaning and petrological studies of rock grab samples to determine the source, associations and distribution of sub-economic Au-Cu mineralisation present as altered sulphides. One elevated site at Dodd Hill, which showed significantly higher than background gold values within the Tarcowie Siltstone Member, to 12.4 ppm Au (plus 2 ppm Ag), and possibly overlies a buried near-surface pluton, was then subjected to detailed geochemical sampling, aerial photo interpretation of surface structural features, ~25 line km of ground magnetic surveys, and shallow RC drilling to investigate a >200 m long gold-bearing sulphidic quartz vein that has formed within fine grained limestone (2 inclined holes, total 80 m). Subdued downhole gold values, peaking at 2.26 g/t Au over a narrow interval thought to match the vein subcrop intercept, were not considered encouraging enough to warrant more work. Exposed copper-rich lodes at the Welsh Prince mine workings were also closely sampled by costeaning, for enabling ore mineragraphic studies aimed at establishing the sequence of mineral-forming events which has taken place in the district.