Ongoing evaluation of the stratiform base metal potential of the Cambrian metasedimentary bedrock sequence, in an area located just to the east and north-east of Meningie, addressed a regional north-south trending, sinuous zone containing a number of moderately intense aeromagnetic anomalies associated with gravity highs. The Blind Creek and Mason Lookout magnetic anomalies were profiled with ground magnetics (11 traverses, 21.1 line km), before 6 rotary percussion vertical open holes totalling 604 m were drilled to test inferred Nairne Pyrite - Talisker Calc-siltstone equivalent bedrock units. The drillholes encountered rocks having only uniformly low base metal values, except for one intercept of 0.04% Cu, plus elevated zinc, returned from a pyrite-pyrrhotite rich garnet schist band over the depth interval 90-104 m in hole PH18. The drilling results showed that the Cambrian sediments are complexly banded, and thus are often at variance with the pre-drill geophysical interpretations of lithotype: in the main they consist of calc-silicate gneisses, meta quartzites and garnet-rich gneisses. Late stage orogenesis and retrograde metamorphism have led to instances of partial melting and/or minor hydrothermal alteration. The metamorphic differentiation has caused layers of high magnetite concentration to be formed, which create a magnetic response that largely masks the effect of iron-bearing migmatitic minerals like actinolite. Petrological work done earlier for Theiss indicated that the banded amphibolites commonly found interbedded with the above rocks are probably metamorphosed primary differentiates of intermediate to basic intrusive magmas. Isolated massive, coarse biotite-rich rock occurrences are equated to a pegmatitic or lamprophyric phase. In the north of the tenement area, two newly recognised buried granite bodies [G4 and G7]outlined by interpreting of re-processed old BMR aeromagnetic survey data, were considered by CSR to hold little potential for finding economic VHMS mineralisation.