Bastnäs Mine Field – One of the World’s Most Mineral-Rich Locations

The science enthusiast and ironmaster of Skinnskatteberg Manor, Wilhelm Hisinger, often roamed the countryside in search of fascinating discoveries. One day, he stumbled upon a mineral he couldn’t identify.
 
It was at the Bastnäs mine field in 1803 that Hisinger discovered the rock, on what we now know to be one of the most mineral-rich sites in the world—a place that has supplied scientists and collectors globally with rare minerals.
Hisinger tried in every way to analyze the mineral he had found but was unsuccessful. Finally, he showed it to his friend, the chemist and naturalist Jacob Berzelius. After many attempts, the two of them were able to determine what the mysterious rock really was. It contained a new element, which they named cerium after a recently discovered asteroid, Ceres, a find that attracted significant attention from mineralogists worldwide.
 
One of Berzelius’ collaborators, Carl Gustaf Mosander, continued the research and found that cerium oxide consisted of several metal oxides with similar properties. They also identified the mineral bastnäsite, which is primarily found in California today, but it was first discovered here. The collective term for these and several other minerals is rare earth elements, as chemists of that time referred to the refractory and insoluble residues after combustion or decomposition as “earth.”
 
Between 1875 and 1888, approximately 4,500 tons of high-quality cerium ore were mined here.
During World War II, cerium was needed for the war industry and was extracted from the remaining mine waste piles. Today, rare earth elements are critical to modern technology, ensuring the efficiency and reliability of electronic devices. However, as important as these minerals are in our society, their extraction has significant environmental consequences. Research is now focused on recycling as many electronic devices as possible to recover rare earth elements.
 
Since the 1600s, more than 50 different types of minerals have been mined at Bastnäs.
However, the dominant ore here is iron ore. At the Stora Bastnäs Mine, iron ore was initially hoisted using a horse-powered windlass, but after 1873, a whim designed by Christopher Polhem was employed. Power was transferred via a 2.5 km long rod system from Haggruvan to a rotating drum.
The whim at this site is the only one remaining in its original location in the world (another example, relocated from Grängesberg, can be found at the Ludvika Mining Museum).
 
Fact Box:
Mineral-rich mining area with waste piles and a unique whim.
Opportunity to view the adit. Visits are self-guided.
Guided tours of the adit have been offered occasionally.
The road to Bastnäs is not easy to find.
Information is available at the Skinnskatteberg tourist office.
 
Note: EV charging stations are available across Sweden.
 

 
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