Ironstone outcrops on the Savage River were discovered by State Government Surveyor C. P. Sprent in 1877. The limonitic outcrops were initially regarded as the surface expressions of pos- sible tin-bearing lodes, the tin deposits at Mt. Bischoff to the east having been found in 1871. By the turn of the century, shafts, adits and trenches had been developed on the deposits in the unsuccessful quest for gold, silver and base metals. The deposits were first reported as a possible source of iron ore by Tasmania Department of Mines (TDM) geologists in 1919. Modern exploration began in 1956 with the area registering the best magnetic response during an aeromagnetic survey of North- western Tasmania by the Bureau of Mineral Resources (BMR)._x000D_
The area had previously been reserved by TDM in anticipation of the lifting of the iron ore embargo. Reconnaissance Geologi- cal mapping (TDM) and grid-based magnetometer surveys (BMR) indicated that resources of iron-bearing material could approach hundreds of millions of tons. This provided the incentive for two diamond drill holes funded by TDM which demonstrated iron mineralisation in substantial tonnages, suitable grades and, fol