Exploration of the copper potential of abandoned gold workings put down on surface quartz reefs at Lovely Gully,located 35 km north-west of Yunta, was prompted by prospector Lazlo Katona's observation of rich samples of native copper, azurite, malachite, chalcocite and bornite scattered on mine dumps surrounding shafts on the northern side of the gully. RMC Minerals secured the exploration rights to the area and conducted a geological survey of the old mine sites, before undertaking shallow percussion drilling (16 holes for a total penetration of 1783 feet) to sample the mineralised Adelaidean siltstone host rocks at depth. Copper values of greater than 0.5% were returned by samples from 7 of the drillholes, with the maximum assay result of 1.14% Cu coming from the depth interval 105-110 feet in hole LG15. However, the sparse and erratic nature of the mineralised drillhole subsurface intercepts led the company to conclude that the presence of a rich seam of copper sulphides would be unlikely. Interesting occurrences of rock crystal (gemmy clear quartz) were also identified in the vicinity of the Lovely Gully workings, which it was thought may have some commercial value, but it was later decided not to further evaluate these by bulldozer trenching due to financial constraints on exploration funding.