Exploration currently underway for possible economic buried iron oxide - associated copper-gold (IOCG) mineralisation within Proterozoic basement on the Mabel Creek High, in one of two joint venture group project licence areas located approximately 50 km north-west of Coober Pedy, has sought to identify geological vectors to any of Olympic Dam, Ernest Henry, Cadi or Tennant Creek style deposits. In an area of the Gawler Craton such as the Mabel Creek High, where outcrop is absent, the joint venture regarded the availability of quality geophysical data as imperative for exploration targeting. Open file gravity and aeromagnetic datasets from the previous exploration efforts of BHP and CRAE proved invaluable, and were reprocessed and reinterpreted. The primarily geophysical approach sought to generate a regional lithological interpretation, to delineate major, transcrustal, extensional structures (possible ore fluid conduits), to identify prospect-scale dilational structures, and to discriminate between the magnetic responses of stratigraphic and non-stratigraphic iron oxide accumulations. During September-October 2000, Minotaur Resources commissioned Fugro Surveys to acquire infill gravity data (130 stations spread over two licences, including 101 stations on EL 2682) on a 1 km x 1 km grid over two selected residual gravity anomalies, called G3 and MC2. Subsequent combining of all gravity data onto a 100 m spaced model grid revealed that the Mabel Creek gravity high is in reality two parallel highs separated by a NW-SE trough, interpreted as a basement graben / half graben structure, containing Cambrian sediment fill. This major structure can be seen to continue south across the Karari Fault Zone and into the Coober Pedy Ridge. A broad circular gravity high (the Woorong Creek gravity high) covers an area of approximately 200 square km on the eastern side of the trough, in the central part of EL 2682. Further to the north-east, the detailed gravity data revealed strong NW-trending lineaments, interpreted as late-stage extensional structures. Coinciding with the Woorong Creek gravity high is a region of intense magnetism, represented by numerous ENE to E-W to ESE curvilinear and folded magnetic sources. These features were interpreted to correspond with stratigraphic horizons of banded iron formation (BIF) and magnetite-bearing gneisses. The most striking magnetic feature is the Paragon Bore magnetic anomaly, on the western border of the tenement. In the north-eastern part of the licence, this magnetic linearity grades into a region dominated by reversely magnetised bodies, interpreted as syn- to post-orogenic granite stocks. Numerous magnetic rims to these intrusions appeared to be caused by non-stratigraphic iron enrichments, and were therefore interpreted as iron oxide replacement bodies. This region was regarded as being the most prospective for finding large Olympic Dam style Cu-Au orebodies. In the second year of tenure, work on the subject licence area comprised another review of geophysical targets, in the light of the unsuccessful outcome to the joint venture's concurrent drilling on their adjacent EL 2730. This drilling had occurred during December-January 2001 on the peak of the G3 semi-coincident magnetic and gravity target, prognosed to represent a calcsilicate skarn or breccia - hosted iron oxide replacement body existing at 400 m to 700 m depth. However, a single vertical diamond hole completed to 500.5 m total depth encountered variably altered, intermediate to mafic cumulate rocks, skarns, biotite amphibolite and plagioclase-biotite schists, but failed to demonstrate a source for the 5 mGal G3 gravity anomaly, nor any definite evidence of proximity to a significant IOCG mineral system. Assaying of 4 metre composite drill core samples returned best values of 650 ppm Cu, 6 ppb Au, 20 ppb Pt, 11 ppb Pd, 14.3 % Fe and 2.5% Ti. Reacting to this point of concern, BHP Billiton decided to conduct its own re-assessment of the modelled coincident magnetic and gravity anomalies within the project licences, which led to a downgrading of all targets by that company and its subsequent withdrawal from the joint venture. A revised concept for the regional setting of the G3 and MC2 anomalies was put forward at that time, suggesting that they arise from remnant large rafts of Palaeproterozoic ?Lincoln Complex country rock present within a broad area of Hiltaba Suite granite, as compared to the original interpretation of iron oxide replacement bodies punctuating stocks of Hiltaba Granite. The discovery of the Prominent Hill Cu-Au deposit in November 2001, ~115 km south-east of Coober Pedy within the Mount Woods Proterozoic basement inlier, stimulated renewed interest by other companies for farming into IOCG exploration ventures active in the general vicinity; consequently, Perilya entered the Mabel Creek Project JV in December 2001, via its subsidiary Freehold Mining, and took over operational responsibility for both ELs 2682 and 2730. To re-evaluate any remaining IOCG potential, the new joint venturer reprocessed and re-imaged the geophysical data pertinent to the project area, and initially selected ten targets by virtue of interpreted geological setting, and gravity and aeromagnetic anomalism. On the basis of limited drill testing of these targets by previous explorers, the joint venture then considered that six of them were worthy of future work. All featured near-coincident magnetic and residual gravity highs, in many instances associated with the edge of major crustal breaks such as the Tallaringa Trough. Only target PER 4 was located on EL 2682. After a geophysical consultant to Perilya recommended further work on three targets within the project licences, which included PER4, Haines Surveys during April-May 2003 undertook a 52 station semi-detailed gravity survey along four north-south traverses spaced 2 km apart across that target, with readings taken at 500 m intervals. The resulting data were interpreted as reflecting a folded BIF horizon, and Perilya chose therefore to downgrade that particular target, and later on, in August 2003, to withdraw from the joint venture and to concentrate on its mining operations at Broken Hill. In Minotaur's view, too, the northern portion of EL 2682 had been downgraded by the results of the two infill gravity surveys, and so this ground was relinquished. Management of the Mabel Creek Project returned to Minotaur Resources, and work done during the ensuing seven month period focussed on securing funding to test priority targets generated during previous exploration. Consequently no field activities were undertaken during the fourth (and fifth) licence years. In early 2004, agreement was reached with Marathon Resources to form a new joint venture to explore on the licences. This partnership was to commence upon the successful local listing of Marathon on the Australian Stock Exchange, which occurred on 20/10/2004. After it had reviewed the earlier work, Marathon decided to conduct a regional gravity survey along 46 traverse lines over the western portion of the now renewed licence (EL 3324). This was completed by Haines Surveys during April 2006. A total of 1142 stations were read on two spacings, namely, regional coverage on a nominal spacing of 800 m E-W and 400 m N-S, and detailing of selected areas such as the Paragon Bore prospect on a nominal station spacing of 400 m E-W and 200 m N-S. In addition, an orientation soil geochemical sampling programme was conducted over the MC2 residual 3 mGal gravity target in the eastern part of EL 3324. Marathon's future work plans entail the acquisition of ground EM and IP surveys in order to refine drilling locations, and drilling may occur once its review of all geophysical data is finished.