OLYMPIC DAM AJM is pleased to publish the first of six extracts from David Upton’s new book, entitled The Olympic Dam Story. Over the next year, the serialisation will tell the remarkable story of the discovery of possibly the world’s greatest polymetallic deposit, which has an in-ground value approaching approaching $1 trillion.
The Olympic Dam story, part one: driven to explore
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... it soon earned Western Mining the nickname of the “Wasting Money Corporation” from bemused onlookers in the Kalgoorlie gold fields.
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The early going in Australia was slower than expected. There were no quick wins, as many of Western Mining’s influential shareholders had hoped.
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=J J H ? @ :? ? :?. : :? :? :@J @ '=J>: D> 8? :? 1950. David Upton is a geologist and journalist. He had full access to the legendary leaders of Western Mining, including Sir Arvi Parbo, in researching his book. David is contactable at
[email protected], on 0409 440 615, or see the website www.theolympicdamstory.com.
Author hooked on Olympic dream AJM reporter Mike Foley spoke with David Upton, author of The Olympic Dam Story . Upton, a qualified geologist, began his long association with Olympic Dam while working as a resources writer at the Adelaide Advertiser Ad vertiser in the 1980s. AJM: When did d id you first become interest interested ed in the Olympic Dam story? = :88 @ : H < :? 2007 H? B :? : @ :> H: > J 70% :? @? 8@. ! @8, >J 8@@?, : :?8 : ?@>@. ! J@ < :==:?8 :, : H:== < 8@H:?8. ! : :@=J ?@>@ @ ? @> @:? ! H? @ ?? :. david upton:
AJM: The Olympic Dam mine mi ne is a very high-stakes operation. How did you gain access to the companies, people and archives you needed to write the story? @? HJ @ > H +: A: @. ! :?:H :> :?::==J @ @J ? : 8H @ @ . :?@ > @ J@? ? :?@=>?. EJ@? H <? @ =< @ > @ :. B H J == ? ! :?< H:@ ? :?@:@? ! H@= ? :? ?JHJ. du:
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... it was just a surprise to me how much they managed to achieve on how little income they had.
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AJM: What was wa s most remarkable about Western Mining? ! H @?=J J H @ @>>: @ I=@:@? J @? :?8. A =@ @ @>?: H@=?P >= @ . : @ :?@>:@? >> : @ > H : : @: :? A=: H 88 @ A=: 8@=@8: D? E?, H@ ? : @> F=8 :==, :? A=:. ! H @: @ /? :?:?8 :? A=: @ @ H@ @ J ! :?<. J H :?:=J 8= ? : :?:?8 :?8 ? : :?P > H : @@< @@< L J H@= H@= 8 @ @? @? du:
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AJM: Was there any one on e instance ins tance you can recall that made you think, I have to write this story? /? :?:?8 H J ?@??:@?= @>?J = @>>:>? @ ?:?8 >@?J @? I=@:@?, H: J :8 @ H @ :?
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I can’t think of a company today that would be prepared to look for copper for 20 years and keep on having disappointments and keep going.
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AJM: What was wa s the social context that Western Mining was operating in when it discovered Olympic Dam? !? =J 1970 H : @ @:= : @< ? J >:-70, : H@= :?@ 8=@= :@?. +@ A=: H :==J :=J :.
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