Exploration carried out over the northern Peake and Denison Ranges since 1993 has targeted possible large-scale Proterozoic iron oxide associated copper-gold (IOCG) deposits considered to have formed in stratigraphic/structural settings similar to those seen around commercial deposits of the Mount Isa Inlier, while not ignoring the rocks' more usual correlation with those successions present in the Whyalla and Moonta areas of the eastern Gawler Craton. Metamorphosed volcanosedimentary and plutonic units in the four main basement inliers have been studied by a variety of field mapping, geochemical and geophysical methods to delineate likely copper and gold mineralised prospects suitable for drilling. Under tenure of EL 1844, Pancontinental completed 3 diamond drillholes totalling 540.3 m at Mount Kingston North during June-July 1995, to investigate copper geochemical anomalies and outcropping ore mineral occurrences in brecciated, haematite altered granite. All of the holes intersected sporadic vein and stockwork copper sulphide mineralisation, to 0.81% Cu over 1 m, which is associated with magnetite - haematite altered, metamorphosed Adelaidean sediments existing in proximity to major thrust faults. When Renison Gold Corp. acquired Pancontinental in early 1998, that company chose to investigate several magnetic anomalies defined over the Mount Dutton and Algebuckina Inliers, by putting down 18 vertical aircore holes for 923 m to test if the anomalies were caused by significant alteration in the bedrock. Basement biotite schists and magnetite-altered amphibolites, met with in both inliers, were found to be cut by minor developments of pegmatite and quartz veins that contained good copper grades: 3 adjacent holes at Algebuckina encountered native copper, chalcopyrite and bornite within a vein set that extends to more than 200 m width across strike. The best drill sample assays were 15 m @ 0.44% Cu in hole ALAC002 (which included 3 m @ 1.22% Cu), and 13 m @ 0.14% Cu in hole ALAC004. However, no accompanying significant gold values were seen. When BHP Minerals joint-ventured into EL 1844 with Renison Gold in July 1988, the exploration emphasis was shifted into acquiring regional and detailed geophysical survey data over the altered Palaeoproterozoic metamorphics, targeting concealed Fe oxide - associated Cu-Au and massive sulphide orebodies. Gravity, ground magnetic and ground EM traverses, plus heavy mineral stream sediment sampling, culminated in the drilling of one diamond hole to 300.7 m depth to test a large but subdued magnetic anomaly lying east of the Kingston North Inlier. This hole encountered weakly magnetic, unmineralised basement quartz-feldspar - haematite schist having minor albite-haematite alteration: it is thought that this lithotype may originally have been a granite. On 12/5/2000, BHP signed signed a subordinate joint venture agreement with Rio Tinto Exploration, which led to a re-interpretation of the gravity and airborne magnetic data. After renewal of tenure in the Mount Denison region as EL 2549, Rio Tinto undertook detailed, 1:5000 scale basement structural and alteration mapping across all four main inliers, to try to identify the major controls on known copper mineralisation, and to define the associated alteration styles and intensity developed proximally and distally to such mineralisation. Rock chip sampling conducted during this mapping exercise failed to disclose any new areas of anomalous geochemistry. In the covered areas to the west of the exposed inliers, a 1 km x 1 km spaced gravity survey was completed in July 2001, seeking evidence of density contrasts in the concealed basement possibly created by massive iron-flooded alteration systems. The survey identified a prominent NNW gradient which separates subdued gravity responses in the SW from elevated responses in the NE. This feature can be explained by a horst and graben model, with the south-western edge of the main uplifted basement block coinciding to the position of maximum gradient. Six selected gravity anomalies were further evaluated using dipole-dipole IP to detect buried chargeable and conductive zones, prior to carrying out RC drilling at three prospects. Seven holes totalling 908 m penetrated un-mineralised Neoproterozoic shales, siltstones and diapiric breccia having no anomalous drill sample geochemistry, other than weak Cu and Zn-Pb-Ag values. Two of the holes, drilled at Peake Siding prospect, also reached Palaeoproterozoic basement (foliated, haematite-veined Wirriecurrie Granite) at shallow depth, but this rock too exhibited unremarkable geochemistry.