After Helix Resources farmed into the Middleback Range in mid-1998, seeking to determine the iron oxide - associated copper-gold (IOCG) mineralisation potential of that region, where no previous such exploration had occurred, it undertook systematic regional geochemical sampling and conducted a thorough interrogation of BHP's exploration databases, especially the drillhole database, to identify untested gold and copper anomalies. During the 1998-1999 licence reporting year (Year 9), a total of 3209 stream sediment, calcrete, soil and rock chip samples were collected for analysis, and 800 linear m of existing stored BHP diamond drill cores were re-logged and re-assayed to assist in assessing locations not conducive to surface sampling, or which had been disturbed by mining activities. An initial RAB bedrock drilling programme of 102 holes for a total penetration of 5620 m was conducted to investigate resulting significant anomalies. 54 stream sediment samples were taken from eroded hilly places where Helix's preferred main geochemical method, calcrete sampling, was not viable. However, the assay results proved to be unsatisfactory, probably because of an unsuitable choice of media size fractions. Regional calcrete sampling was done over the entire tenement on a 400 m x 800 m grid. The best results obtained were gold to 10 ppb and copper to 72 ppm, both recorded at Moola on the south-eastern side of the North Middleback Range. Here infill calcrete sampling on 200 m and 100 m spacing detected strong gold and copper anomalism spanning a 2 km x 6 km area, the highest values being 170 ppb Au and 480 ppm Cu. However, for the calcrete survey in general other trace metal values, including those of lead and zinc, were only marginally above background. In limited soil sampling, the best copper results came from the vicinity of Iron Chieftain, while Drachma prospect on the Moola infill sampling grid returned up to 91 ppb Au along a 130 m wide zone. Rock chip sampling produced highest gold values from near Iron Queen and Iron Monarch, while the re-aasayed diamond drill cores identified anomalous base metals beyond the edges of the Iron Monarch and Iron Princess pits. Two expert consultants were retained during early 1999 to conduct studies of the surface geology and geophysical data, and to elucidate tectonic and structural aspects of the licence area. Richard Flint performed a geological field reconnaissance, and produced an interpreted 1:100K solid geology map covering EL 2109, while Leigh Rankin summarised the stratigraphic, alteration, metamorphic and macro-structural controls on mineralisation, and made suggestions for ongoing exploration strategies. During licence Year 10, over the latter part of 1999 and into 2000, Helix Resources continued its evaluation of the Moola grid gold and copper geochemical anomalies by collecting 96 further infill calcrete samples at Moola North, and by carrying out more RAB drilling plus deeper RC drilling. The Moola North work enhanced previously detected elevated gold and copper, but the anomaly was not deemed robust enough to warrant drilling. Elsewhere on the grid, 117 RAB holes for 5651 m and 19 RC holes for 2633 m were drilled to define a 2 km long, 40 to 80 m wide thrust fault breccia feature carrying significant gold and copper mineralisation. Drilling done at a 100 m x 40 m hole spacing on the western side of the breccia zone encountered highly chlorite and haematite-altered bedrock, where all of the mineralisation occurs in the weathering profile below a 30 m thick leached interval, which carries Cu to 1.2%, minor silver and gold, and trace to minor zinc and lead. During October 2000, 73 line km of 200 m spaced moving loop ground EM (Sirotem) surveys were read at Moola and at three other prospects in the north of EL 2109. The 58 line km of EM profiles acquired at Moola across 6 km of strike length located three conductivity anomalies positioned away from the main, RC drilled zone, that outline a very large, weak conductor dipping shallowly to the west, possibly worthy of additional drilling. In July 2000, a large coincident geophysical and geochemical anomaly with possible IOCG affinity, located about 250 m north of the abandoned Iron Princess pit in the north of EL 2109 and thus called the Princess prospect, was diamond drilled by Helix. The first diamond hole, PRCD1, had to be abandoned at 381 m depth owing to poor ground conditions. A second, also westwards inclined diamond hole sited 20 m to the west successfully reached the target depth, and was completed at TD 510 m. Extensive hydrothermal alteration was noted in drill core retrieved from 356 m depth to the end of the hole. The alteration consists of magnetite, haematite, silica and carbonate, and has totally replaced primary rock types. Sulphides, mostly pyrite and pyrrhotite, along with epithermal type barite, siderite and carbonate veining, are evident throughout the core, and correspondingly gave rise to anomalous copper, cobalt, silver and gold assay values. The best core sample assay result obtained was 10 m @ 0.2% Cu and 160 ppm Co from 174 m depth. Extensive silver anomalism was recorded from 428 m depth to EOH (82 m @ 1.1 g/t Ag). A downhole EM survey was run in PRCD1a down to 350 m, below which depth the tool could not pass due to a hole blockage. Background conductivities were very high, but two 'in-hole' conductors were able to be discerned at 140 m depth and at an estimated 360-400 m depth. No 'off-hole' conductors were identified. During August 2000, three multi-element calcrete anomalies identified on geophysics as lying at the periphery of the Iron Monarch structurally-disturbed area were tested with 200 m to 100 m spaced RAB drilling, plus the aforementioned ground EM profiling. These geochemical anomalies, designated Highway, Melody and Monarch SE, were suspected as being caused by skarn style mineralisation developed in the Middleback Subgroup country rocks near the margin of a late stage granitoid body. At Highway prospect, broad drill intercepts of coincident lead/zinc/cobalt, plus sporadic elevated copper and silver, were returned from several holes sited over a 2 square km area. The downhole anomalies occur within an intense weathering profile overlying haematite-altered dolomites and BIF sediments. At Melody prospect, 4 of the eight RAB holes drilled there by Helix encountered altered and brecciated granitoid rocks that are anomalous in copper and uranium (best result 23 m @ 0.11% Cu and 30 ppm U, to EOH in hole MRD05). However, no significant results were gained from the 20 RAB holes drilled at the Monarch SE calcrete anomaly. Before the start of licence Year 11, surface moving loop transient EM surveys carried out over the Princess and Highway prospects during October 2000 demonstrated that the highly conductive overburden present at those locations was not suitable for TEM geophysical methods. Therefore, during November 2001 alternative electrical methods of MMR and MMIP were trialled at Highway prospect along 11 lines totalling 11 line km, and a single 2.2 km long line of resistivity/IP was completed over the Princess prospect. The magnetometric resistivity and IP surveys performed on 100 m spaced lines at Highway did not detect any chargeable zones at basement depth, and it appeared that some shallower MMR anomalies are due to changes in regolith conductivity. The resistivity/IP survey at Princess detected a shallow, untested chargeable zone, plus weaker, near detection depth limit IP and resistivity anomalies that have a source lying 150 m to the south of the centre of the coincident gravity/magnetic anomalies. Subsequent remodelling of the DHTEM data logged in diamond drillhole PRCD1a confirmed that a steeply dipping conductor lies at around 400 m depth, below the open section of the hole, and probably dips westwards. Two moving loop Sirotem anomalies identified at Moola prospect during October 2000 were re-profiled during November 2001 with 100 m x 50 m fixed loop TEM arrays read along 9.2 line km, to try to better define them. The most prominent, southern anomaly appeared to be due to a broad, flat-lying conductor located between 45 and 50 m depth below surface, which might reflect some kind of supergene enrichment of the regolith. The northern anomaly is more extensive but weaker, and dips shallowly to the west-northwest from an eastern margin lying only 75-120 m below surface. Lateral variations in conductance implied that this conductor is a graphite or disseminated sulphide - bearing stratigraphic unit which thickens to the north. It was recommended to Helix that shallow RAB drillholes should be programmed to probe the remodelled conductivity anomalies at all three surveyed prospects, and that infill IP lines be acquired to outline the centre of the deep chargeability anomaly at Princess prospect, to guide a decision on making a second diamond drill test. No further field work was undertaken on renewed EL 2763 by Helix over the following three years before it decided on 30/9/2004 to formally make an exit from the Middleback Range JV Project, having spent nearly $1.55 million on gold and base metal exploration activities there. Planned diamond drilling of two 800 m deep holes at the Princess prospect did not eventuate, and prioritization of other shallower drilling to test the significant mineralisation indicators at Moola and Highway prospects did not occur. In addition, many lesser regional geochemical anomalies remained untested at the end of licence Year 14.