History of Australia and New Zealand from 1606 to 1890Sutherland, Alexander
History
History of Australia and New Zealand from 1606 to 1890
Sutherland, Alexander
Australia -- History; New Zealand -- History
#3. Copper.#--At the Kapunda Station, about forty miles north-west of
Adelaide, there lived a squatter named Captain Bagot. One day, during
the year 1842, he sent his overseer--Mr. Dutton--to search for a number
of sheep which had strayed into the bush. After spending some time in
fruitless efforts, Mr. Dutton ascended a small hill in order to have a
more extensive view of the country, but still he saw nothing of the lost
sheep. On turning to descend, his attention was attracted by a bright
green rock jutting from the earth. It seemed to him peculiar, so he
broke a small piece off and carried it down to Captain Bagot's house,
where he and the captain examined the specimen, and came to the
conclusion that it consisted of the mineral malachite, containing copper
in combination with water and carbonic dioxide. They let no one know of
the discovery, but proceeded to apply for the land in the usual manner,
without breathing a word as to their purpose. The section of eighty
acres was advertised for a month, and then put up to auction; but as no
one was anxious for this barren piece of ground, they had no
competitors, and the land fell to them for the price of eighty pounds.
As soon as they became possessed of it, they threw off all appearance of
mystery, and commenced operations. During the first year the mines
yielded L4,000; during the next, L10,000; and for several years they
continued to enrich the two proprietors, until each had realised a
handsome fortune, when the land was bought by an English company.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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