Generalised contouring of the Mount Lofty Ranges aimed at reconstructing the Tertiary landsurface topography has identified the locations of a number of possible buried fluvial valleys and channels associated with the St Vincent Basin palaeodrainage, which MESA hopes could have potential for containing economic sedimentary mineral deposits, or placers, in remnant Tertiary strata. In the northern Mount Lofty Ranges the Broughton, Wakefield, Gilbert, Light and North Para palaeochannels have been identified. The Early Tertiary Broughton River flowed southward depositing sediments on the Condowie Plains, with possible placer targets being the Miocene Snowtown Sand and Late Tertiary Koolunga Gravel units. The Middle Cainozoic Gilbert and Light palaeochannels were associated with deposition within both the Barossa Basin and Olliver and Weirs' Gawler estuary, with the coarse basal units of the Rowland Flat Sand constituting a potential placer target, as well as the Early-Middle Miocene sands of the Gawler estuary. The Late Cainozoic Wakefield, Light and North Para palaeochannels flowed westward over the northern Adelaide Plains, depositing sediments in coastal fans and deltas located to the east of the present coastline. These deltaic sediments are possible targets for placers. In the southern Mount Lofty Ranges the Golden Grove, Torrens, Onkaparinga, Meadows, Myponga, Hindmarsh Valley, Chandlers Hill and Blackwood palaeochannels have been identified. The Early Tertiary Golden Grove palaeochannel can be mapped within the Golden Grove Embayment as far south as Dernancourt. Coarse basal sediments of the North Maslin Sand are a target for placers, particularly in the Hope Valley and Vista areas. The Quaternary Torrens palaeochannel flowed westward from the Echunga area into the St Vincent Basin, taking numerous changes in course before adopting its current one. Almost all potential targets lie beneath residential areas in Adelaide's western suburbs. It is suggested that the Early Tertiary Onkaparinga palaeochannel may be associated with deposition within the Willunga Embayment, and possibly linked to the Maslin Bay palaeodrainage. Coarse basal units in the North Maslin Sand are a likely target, with placers possibly existing offshore in the vicinity of Maslin Bay and Aldinga. The Middle - Late Tertiary Meadows - Myponga palaeochannel flowed southward, entering the sea in the vicinity of Normanville. Suitable traps for placer minerals may be found in the terrigenous sediments of the Meadows and Myponga Basins. An offshore trap may also occur west of Normanville. The only possible placer targets in the Middle Tertiary Hindmarsh Valley palaeochannel are the basal terrigenous sediments within the Hindmarsh Tiers Basin. The Blackwood and Chandlers Hill palaeochannels have both been inferred by generalised contouring but little or no geological information is available. Data from geological and geophysical surveys and drilling programmes have contributed to the identification of the Melton and Barabba palaeochannels and the Port Gawler palaeodrainage systems located in the northern St Vincent Basin. The ?Early Tertiary Melton palaeochannel occurs on the north-western margin of the Basin, and was a substantial aquatic corridor to the Pirie Basin during the Middle Eocene - Middle Miocene. A possible North Maslin Sand equivalent at the base of the channel is a suggested target for placers. The Barabba palaeochannel is associated with the Barabba Gravity Low. Flow was southwards from a source in the northern Mount Lofty Ranges to near Korunye, immediately north of the Port Gawler palaeodrainage system. The channel is possibly a continuation of the Gilbert palaeochannel. Early Tertiary palaeodrainage has been well mapped in the Port Gawler area. A series of channels flowed southwestward before combining offshore to form a single channel which parallels the present coastline. The North Maslin Sand is a possible target. Further seaward, and also running parallel to the coastline, part of another palaeochannel has been identified using seismic data. Little is known of this channel. Prospectivity for gold and diamonds is discussed in relation to potential targets within the St Vincent Basin and associated uplands. Palaeochannels sourced in the Echunga - Woodside, Birdwood, Gumeracha and Barossa areas in the southern Mount Lofty Ranges appear the most prospective targets. These areas have a long documented history of alluvial and reef gold discoveries as well as of diamonds at Echunga.