A History of Copper Mining in Namaqualand

"Aspects of the History of Copper mining in Namaqualand" brought alive in the many fascinating and delightful contemporary comments by people whose lives and fortunes were closely interwoven with the saga of copper mining in Namaqualand. This colourful history of Namaqualand and its mines encompasses the entire period from the early 1600s to today.

Here are recounted the initial prospecting expeditions from the Cape, the first purely speculative boom of any extent in South Africa - the copper mining mania of the 1850s, the troubled question of leases and the effect of the final settlement on the Black peoples who were the original inhabitants of the area, and the rise and development of most important mining centres in Namaqualand. All these aspects and more are examined in this well-researched yet absorbing story.

With this book, John Smalberger makes a lasting contribution to our knowledge of Namaqualand's history.