DILLON MARSH Work About Contact For What It's Worth Copper South Africa's first ever commercial mine, the Blue Mine in Springbok, began operating in 1852. More mines opened soon after as copper deposits were discovered in the surrounding area as well as more far-flung regions of the country. This, in turn, boosted the development of small towns in relatively remote areas of the country, as workers settled nearby. By 2007, however, most of these mines had run their course and production had stopped almost completely. This presents an uncertain future for the towns and people involved.