Rotary drilling totalling 1808 m and consisting of three deep holes (120-160 m) in the South Dam area and of 26 shallower holes (less than 100 m) in the Kia Ora area, was carried out to test the economic mineral potential of granites underlying gravels and clays. In both areas, only low order copper and zinc anomalies were encountered. In the South Dam area, the maximum copper and zinc contents obtained were 100 ppm (in glauconitic clays overlying the granite) and 160 ppm (in weathered granite) respectively. At Kia Ora the best results were from one hole, 27 m deep, where the average copper concentration was 100 ppm over 24 m of weathered granite. Of further interest was the intersection of 12 m of white clay at a depth of 18 m in the Kia Ora area.