The Moon Metal by Garrett P. Serviss, Science Fiction, Classics, Adventure, Space Opera

When the news came of the discovery of gold at the south pole, nobody suspected that the beginning had been reached of a new era in the world's history. The newsboys cried "Extra!" as they had done a thousand times for murders, battles, fires and Wall Street panics, but nobody was excited. In fact, the reports at first seemed so exaggerated and improbable that hardly anybody believed a word of them. Who could have been expected to credit a dispatch, forwarded by cable from New Zealand, and signed by an unknown name.