An important issue in the alumina refining industry is the wear of mild steel piping through which alumina is transported via dense phase pneumatic conveying. Significantly influencing the rate of this wear is the presence of a thin transfer film on the inside surface of these pipes. This report presents the findings of a study conducted to investigate the properties of this film with use of a nanoindentation technique.The study found that the discussed alumina thin film has a hardness of approximately 9 GPa and an elastic modulus of 170 GPa. These values imply that the film is slightly harder than but not as brittle as pure solid alumina. Using the acquired hardness and elastic modulus values, the yield stress of the material was estimated to be 6 GPa. This means the film has a similar resistance to penetration as solid alumina. The variation in material properties of the film with solid alumina is attributed to differences in the structural properties of these materials.Also investigated was the fracture behaviour of the film. This was achieved with the aid of scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Indents performed at the maximum achievable nanoindentation load were observed not to induce fracture. As a result the fracture toughness of the material could not be determined. A small amount of pileup was evident for indents at this load indicating that plastic deformation, rather than compression was occurring. The study concluded that nanoindentation is an extremely sensitive technique and as a result is subject to a substantial number of influences. Therefore application of a number of corrections is required. Repeated testing to ensure accuracy is essential. The results highlighted the need for compliance with the ten percent rule of penetration for indentation of thin films so as to avoid substrate influence. Additionally the effects of surface work during indentation are prevalent.The report recommends that indentation with applied loads greater than that achieved with the nanoindenter be performed to calculate the fracture toughness of the film. A possible method for this is the microhardness indentation test. Indentation at higher loading may also allow delaminating of the film to be induced, enabling the film adhesion to be determined.