A 10 km long saline swampy area bordering The Coorong on the landward side of the Princes Highway, between Salt Creek and Chinaman Wells, has been explored for possible large tonnage deposits of dolomite lime that are suitable for agricultural and other uses. Push tube core sampling of the beds underlying a chain of small salt lakes within the licence area was successful in discovering a typically 1 m thick, white, ultrafine sedimentary layer of unconsolidated carbonate material in these lakes. As a result, two mineral claims were pegged and then later converted to Mining Leases 5986 and 5987, to allow the extraction of dolomite. Mining has taken place since 1998 on the northern lease, ML 5986, while the southern lease deposits are yet to be exploited. These mining leases were taken out on lake sediments that contain less than 2% contained salt; the majority of the other lakes tested that lie within EL 3715 contain dolomite with a salt content exceeding 2%, and this level of contamination makes the dolomite unsuitable for industrial use. Therefore ongoing title to the licence area is now being surrendered.