Carpentaria's exploration for sandstone type uranium deposits in the West Coast region of SA over the period 1979-1982 has revealed a major Tertiary buried palaeochannel system. The main Narlaby Palaeochannel is 170 km long, up to 10 km wide and is infilled with a maximum of 80 m of Eocene fluviatile sediments. These sediments are overlain by up to 100 m of Pliocene to Recent fluviatile and lacustrine strata. 560 rotary mud open drill holes (total 50,600 m) have delineated several occurrences of low grade uranium mineralization associated with complex redox fronts within well-developed sands of the western part of the palaeochannel in the Yaranna Hill licence area, but no economic reserves have yet been delineated. Traces of mineralization were also found on the Nunjikompita, Ilkina, Poondana and Mount Sturt licence areas. The local groundwaters are extremely saline and acidic, and in places contain very high uranium and radium concentrations. 46 drillhole bottom hole samples were assayed for base metal and trace elements.