Exploration for possible economic deposits of epithermal/hydrothermal gold, plus precious metals and base metals, which might have formed in poorly outcropping Archaean and Proterozoic basement, commenced with a detailed interpretation of SAEI imaged aeromagnetic data. 34 anomaly targets were selected and ranked by inferred structural and lithological factors, with priority given to those having likely extensional tectonic origins. Regional calcrete sampling, ground magnetic surveys and infill calcrete grid sampling outlined gold anomalies overlying structurally favourable basement domains - fold vergences formed within banded iron formation sequences having associated mafic volcanics, and the contacts between basic dykes and older greenstone or metamorphosed felsic intrusions. It was hoped that the BIF horizons might possess iron ore potential. Evaluation of the bedrock geochemistry, disclosed by analysing 8500 calcrete samples, entailed the drilling of 1928 RAB/aircore drillholes (total penetration 71,500 m) and 138 RC drillholes (total 16,577 m). In 2001 Redport conducted a 1:50,000 scale structural re-interpretation, thereby generating additional prospects. To refine the basement geophysical model originally obtained from SAEI airborne data, 3 new airborne magnetic surveys were flown : 8000 line km at 200 m/100 m line spacing and 50 m height; an extension of Pima Mining's Aurora Tank survey (100 m spaced lines @ 40 m height); and 2724 line km over the Birthday and Comet prospects at 50 m line spacing and 20 m height. In addition, Redport undertook extensive regolith mapping by interpreting Landsat TM imagery and airborne radiometrics. By April 2003,13 sub-economic gold prospects had been established, but the calcrete gold exploration method appeared to have had limited success. Although widespread anomalous gold (and often base metal) concentrations had been detected in the basement weathering zone and then were confirmed by the aircore/RAB drilling, only rare and narrow higher grade mineral intercepts were made by the deeper RC drilling into fresh bedrock. These included: Mars prospect - 4 m @ 2.0 g/t Au, with up to 0.25% As, from 112 m; Comet prospect -16 m @ 1.96 g/t Au from 28 m , including 4 m @ 4.3 g/t Au and 2m @ 6.2 g/t Au; Birthday prospect - 3 m @ 0.61 g/t Au from 87 m, including 1 m @ 1.60 g/t Au; Neverfail prospect - 8 m @ 0.22 g/t Au; also 1750 ppm Ni and 260 ppm Co; Eaglehawk prospect - 4 m @ 0.12 g/t Au; plus up to 195 ppm Cu, 210 ppm Zn and 390 ppm Pb; St Andrews NE prospect - 24 m @ 0.11% Ni. The better gold mineralisation occupies narrow (< 3 m wide) pods in steeply east to north¬east dipping hydrothermally altered shear zones, that along strike are surrounded by 150-300 m wide envelopes of dispersed low grade gold and arsenopyrite. At some prospects, significant magnetite-BIF iron ore occurrences were identified, e.g. at Ibis, at St Andrews (best initial drilling intercept 28 m @ 53.4% Fe from 12 m depth), and at Sequoia (having an indicated resource of 22 Mt @ 28.4% Fe).