Utah Development Co. entered into a joint venture exploration programme with Northland Minerals Ltd in the Kapunda area of South Australia that has lasted from 29 May 1974 to 14 February 1978. Utah has managed this programme, which sought stratiform copper orebodies in Late Proterozoic sediments of the Adelaidean Supergroup. The main exploration data gathering tools have been core (30 holes) and non-core (71 holes) drilling, supplemented by geological mapping, geochemical surveys and petrological mapping. The minimum prize that the company was chasing was from 20 to 30 million tonnes of ore, grading from 2-3% Cu. This prize was not located, although exploration results, especially close to the southeastern edge of Kapunda township, were tantalisingly encouraging. Utah spent a total of A$1,779,505 on exploration during the JV period.