Renewed diamond exploration has been conducted in a part of the western Eyre Peninsula where numerous kimberlite indicator mineral (KIM) anomalies occur in surficial sediments, and where the four adjoining licence areas involved lie in close proximity to the known but non-diamonderous kimberlite intrusions of the ?Lower Jurassic Mount Hope kimberlite province. Activities completed during the first year of the project included reviewing all available previous open file diamond exploration data for each of the four licence areas. It was concluded that due to wide spacing of previous surface sampling programs, large areas had not yet been effectively explored for diamonds. Detailed structural feature interpretations were made of the open-file aerial magnetic data over all the known kimberlites, using expert consultants. A number of previously unrecognised magnetic anomalies were delineated in the area north of Venus Bay. Loam heavy mineral sample concentrates obtained by previous explorers were re-examined using modern laboratory services. In new on-ground work, 30 surface loam deflation samples were collected, and the 430 kg of material were sent to Perth for heavy mineral processing and laboratory mineralogical examination of heavy mineral grains in the size range 2 mm down to 0.3 mm. The results confirmed the existence of mineralogically interesting grain anomalies north of Venus Bay and south-east of Elliston. A total of 193 new microprobe analyses were performed on the recovered KIM grains. Two heavy mineral stream sediment samples (XW-14 and XW-15) were collected within EL 2930, from the WSW side of Mount Wedge. The objective was to confirm if the coarse-grained sediments of the Mesoproterozoic Blue Range Beds, which comprise Mount Wedge, contain KIM. The samples were collected above the contact with regionally more extensive younger sediments. It was thought that this check sampling might indicate if Mesoproterozoic kimberlitic rocks were present in the area. The heavy mineral analysis results received in December 2003 confirmed that these samples did not contain any such indicator minerals. More than 40 g of HM concentrates from the 0.3 to 2 mm stream sediment fraction had been observed. While not conclusive, the results have been construed to imply that the Mesoproterozoic Blue Range Beds did not drain any kimberlitic rocks in this area, and also that the Mesoproterozoic sediments are not shedding kimberlite grains into younger sediments. Rock chip samples collected from two adjacent small igneous rock outcrops located 4 km south-west of Bramfield were petrologically examined by consultant Jane Barron. This study determined that both of the samples are foliated, re-crystallised biotite-bearing ?Sleaford Complex granite gneiss. During the second year of the project, 13 surface loam deflation samples were collected in the vicinity of magnetic anomalies north of Venus Bay and the 170.5 kg of material were sent to Perth for heavy mineral processing and laboratory mineralogical examination of concentrates, which further confirmed interesting KIM grain anomalies, predominantly picroilmenites plus some olivines. A total of 102 new microprobe analysis were completed on selected indicator mineral grains during the period, revealing that some of the picroilmenites are high Mg/high Cr types with kimberlitic affinity. Detailed whole rock geochemical analyses were performed on the above-mentioned two Bramfield granite gneiss samples taken from EL 2928, besides another one granite sample taken from EL 2927. Zircon in one of the samples from EL 2928 was also dated using LA-ICPMS U-Pb methods, at 2440±14 Ma (i.e. reflecting crystal emplacement during the Palaeoproterozoic Sleafordian Orogeny). During the third year of the project, the main activity was the organisation of access and the later completion, in December 2005, of a large, systematic grid-based surface loam sampling program on the central portion of EL 2927, done predominantly within the Venus Bay Conservation Park. 79 samples were collected (44 within the Park) and 1165 kg of material were sent to Perth for initial heavy mineral processing, then the concentrates were cleaned and examined in Melbourne at Tawana Resources' laboratory. A total of 258 new microprobe analyses were completed by Microbeam Services in Melbourne, which included nineteen grains from the June 2004 sampling program (these grains were mostly from samples XW-062 and XW-063, and consisted predominantly of high interest picroilmenites). For comparison, 3 chromites, 5 rutiles, 45 garnets and 186 ilmenites from the December 2005 samples were analysed (total 239 grains). The mineralogical grain counts and analytical results showed that the EL 2927 area has recovered kimberlite indicators which are dominated by picroilmenites, with lesser chrome pyropes. To evaluate the likely depth to basement in the project area, historical drilling data were examined, but not many of these drillholes, being mainly water wells, have depth to basement information. A short field trip was made by geologists Steven Cooper (Orogenic) and Dr Kevin Wills (Flinders Diamonds) during December 2006 to examine locations with outcropping basement granite. No samples were collected. The general impression gained was that the depth of basement varies from outcrop in the north-west, to ~80 m on the far eastern side of EL 2927, with around 20 m depth likely across half of the licence area. This depth of basement was deemed suitable for using detailed magnetic surveys followed by drilling to locate possible concealed kimberlites. During the fourth year of the project, exploration activity included further surface loam deflation sampling and heavy mineral analyses for detecting KIM. A total of 537 kg of material was sent to Perth and 63 new microprobe analyses confirmed the presence of picroilmenite. During April 2008, a low-level detailed helimag survey was flown over the entire renewed EL 3928 Venus Bay area with a flight line spacing of 100 m and a mean sensor height of 30 m, surveying 426 lines for 3953.4 line km. During July 2008, a drilling program targeting selected magnetic anomalies was undertaken, with 48 vertical open aircore holes completed for a total penetration of 1117 m. The aim was to detect signs of younger kimberlite intrusions that might have penetrated through the Mesoproterozoic granite basement. Due to the likely ease of weathering and erosion of any possible kimberlite compared with the resistant granite, it was expected that residue granite boulders would overlie any kimberlite intrusion. This meant that all drillholes were planned to penetrate at least 5 m into granite to ensure that the granite was real bedrock, and not granitic boulders. 50 samples of drill cuttings (total 798.86 kg) were collected for microscopic examination of any heavy mineral kimberlite indicator grains which they might contain. No actual kimberlite rock was intersected, but two drillholes contained individual picroilmenite grains overlying basement. Based on this result and on the different diamond indicator minerals previously recovered, it was concluded that a picroilmenite-rich kimberlite, possible more than one, should exist in the north Venus Bay area. However, the above-mentioned drilling of a number of types of magnetic anomalies located there has now shown that in general they are caused by a combination of magnetite-rich granite, and depth of cover. During the fifth year of the project, activity consisted of further surface loam sampling for KIM, with 7 bulk sediment samples being collected along a traverse of the northern shore of Anxious Bay. 103 kg of minus 1.6 mm loam material was sent to Diatech in Perth, WA for mineralogical examination. A large number of indicator grains were recovered, and 151 of them were subjected to microprobe geochemical analyses which confirmed the presence of high interest clinopyroxene, picroilmenite and pyrope. This result significantly altered the known distribution of indicator grains in the region. It was noted that sample XW-333 has one of the highest indicator grain counts per gram of observed heavy mineral concentrate (178 KIM/g) known for the region. The total indicator count for this sample was 92 grains, out of a very small 0.5 gram observed concentrate. The highest KIM count (499 grains) that had so far been recorded in the licence region was from Stockdale's sample X8011, collected from a site south-east of Koolkanna Station homestead, but neither of that sample's initial or concentrate weights are known. During the sixth year of the project, no field work was done, but an assessment of the large amount of mineralogical data obtained so far from the KIM yielded some additional diamond prospecting insights. The two picroilmenite KIM grains found south-east of Koolkanna came from within basal regolith sediments overlying weathered granite. The depths to granite bedrock for these two sample sites would imply, assuming simple downslope drainage, that the source of these picroilmenites is towards the west, which appears to match the location of a watershed divide to the north-east of Anxious Bay. Some of the KIM grains recovered are slightly abraded and worn, while yet another KIM grain population are texturally quite fresh. This was believed to indicate that multiple KIM sources are present within the region, with at least one likely to be located proximal and one more distant. No evidence of past metasomatism is present in the KIM grains, and their oxidation state is supportive for the scenario of good preservation of any diamonds during their ascent within the kimberlitic magma (if such diamonds are present). However, not enough chromite grains have been recovered to confirm actual diamond genetic potential, and while no definitive G10 pyrope grains have been identified amongst the small number of recovered garnet grains, the G9 chrome levels seen in those few garnets were seen as very encouraging. During the seventh year of the project, no work occurred. Orogenic Exploration reported to PIRSA that farminee Flinders Mines had been derelict in its role as exploration operator for earning equity in EL 3928, and since August 2009 that company had failed to comply with many of the terms of the Orogenic-Tawana JV agreement, including the requirement to do enough exploration work to meet licence annual expenditure requirements. In consequence of this, the licence partners had expelled Flinders Mines from further involvement with their Venus Bay and Flinders joint venture projects. The JV partners commenced a search for other interested companies who would assist them to resume exploration. No new joint venture interest was forthcoming during the eighth year of the Venus Bay Project, and consequently field work did not resume. Data assessment continued, and future work plans were devised. These included doing in-fill surface loam heavy mineral sampling in the western part of EL 3928, which is an area that had not been systematically sampled to date. More shallow drilling was envisaged, to investigate geophysical targets located near significant known sub-surface concentrations of KIM in the drainage divide between Anxious Bay and Venus Bay. Because of the JV partners' ensuing financial situations, they later decided to allow tenure of the subject licence to lapse at the end of its second five-year term.