Tertiary Murray Basin cover sediments in an elongate area extending down the eastern side of the River Murray between Coolcha, Mannum and Murray Bridge have been explored for possible economic buried marine placer heavy mineral (HM) sands deposits. A single RC aircore drilling campaign was completed during July-August 2013, when 83 vertical open holes were drilled along three traverses, for a total penetration of 4952.8 m. Minor HM were intersected within dunal facies sands by some of the holes drilled along traverse ST067, giving a maximum grade-thickness of 15 m @ 1.3% HM from 18 m depth in hole S01905. However, upon inspection, most of the panned HM from this lens appeared to be trash mineral species. After reviewing its 2013 drilling results, Iluka determined that either the target Loxton Sand upper shoreface facies has not been preserved within the subject licence area, or else the Pliocene coastline generally did not extend this far west in the palaeomarine Murravian Gulf.