In 1887 and 1890 Brown had published records of the mines of South Australia to draw attention to mineral resources and to the unsystematic way in which they were worked. He criticized the licence laws as unfair to genuine prospectors and called for a school of mines.
In 1887 and 1890, Brown published records of South Australia's mines to highlight mineral resources and the chaotic mining practices. He criticized the licensing laws as unjust to genuine prospectors and advocated for a school of mines.