During October 1977, a limited drilling programme was conducted on the Lake Phillipson coal deposits to provide cores of various seams in selected areas of the Main and West Basins. The results of analyses of these cores are considered in this report in order to provide a preliminary evaluation of the coal quality towards use as a steaming coal for electric power generation or for conversion to liquid or gaseous hydrocarbons. Of particular interest in this programme was the sodium content of the coal samples, as previous test work had indicated very high values which could adversely affect the use of such a coal for power generation. The 1977 drill sites were selected to provide coal cores from within the Main and West Basins, using stripping ratios as the criteria for location. A total of 60 samples representing various seams in 12 drill holes were tested by the Australian Coal Industry Research Laboratories (ACIRL). Some seams were analysed more than once. The ACIRL testing included ultimate, proximate and ash analyses, ash fusion temperatures (oxidising and reducing) and specific energy. 10 samples were selected for further specific tests as defined by the Electricity Trust of South Australia (sodium in coal, chlorine in coal, free silica in ash). For coal conversion properties, Fischer assays were completed on 4 selected samples representing the major seams in the two basins. The results of hydrogenation testing conducted in 1975 on 'S' seam in the West Basin are also included. Due to the small number of samples in relation to the size of the deposits, it must be emphasised that these results can only be regarded as an early stage of evaluation on and broad guide to coal quality in the deposits.