2003 activity: Expenditure by companies on mineral exploration licences in South Australia for calendar year 2003 was $37.0 million, a slight increase on the $35.7 million spent in 2002. Mineral exploration drilling metreage, a key indicator of exploration activities, was down in terms of total metreage as a result of less RAB and mud (noncore) drilling, but RC and diamond core drilling metreages increased, reflecting ongoing exploration of deeper targets in basement rocks throughout the state. Exploration activity in the state continued to be dominated by the search for Cu-Au and gold deposits in the Gawler Craton and Curnamona Province, with expenditure on Cu-Au exploration increasing by 25% to $16.1 million, and gold by 32% to $8.6 million. There were reductions in all other commodities except uranium, where a 50% increase was a result of revived regional exploration for sedimentary uranium deposits in the Frome Embayment of the Curnamona Province. Significant exploration and/or resource evaluation work continued on a number of advanced mineral projects including Prominent Hill (Cu-Au), Mindarie (heavy mineral sands), Reliance (zinc), Portia (gold), White Dam (gold) and Angas (zinc). 2004 activity: In 2004, 139 mineral exploration licences covering 79,239 square km were granted. As at 31 December 2004, 145 licensees held 427 mineral exploration licences, covering 236,187 square km (24%) of the state. Exploration was again dominated by the search for Cu-Au and gold in both the Gawler Craton and Curnamona Province. Other commodities sought throughout the state included zinc, nickel, uranium, heavy mineral sands, diamonds, iron ore and coal. Based on the latest Australian Bureau of Statistics figures, exploration expenditure in South Australia for financial year 2003-04 was $41.7 million, a 14% increase on the $36.7 million in 2002-03. The state's percentage share of national expenditure was 5.3%, a further increase on the 5.0% recorded last financial year. For 2004-05, the level of expenditure in South Australia is estimated to increase to at least $45 million and possibly as high as $50 million, reflecting not only the current national lift in exploration activity but also the positive contribution expected of PIRSA's drilling partnership and other initiatives under the PACE program.