Stollberg Mine
About 15 kilometers outside Smedjebacken lies the Stollberg mining area, where ore has been extracted since the 12th century.
When Gustav Vasa learned that there was also silver in Stollberget, or Vester Silfberg as the mine was called at the time, he immediately became very interested. Silver was exactly what he needed to pay off his debts and carry out all his plans.
To gain control over the Stollberg mine, he built a royal estate in Vester Silfberg. And from 1552 onwards, he decreed that only silver and lead could be mined there—no iron at all.
To ensure he was not cheated out of his silver, he appointed a loyal mine steward who would live at the royal estate and be responsible for maintaining order in the daily operations of the mine. The mine steward also ensured that the surrounding farmers paid their tax in firewood and coal for the mine.
Eight years after construction of the royal estate began, in 1560, Gustav Vasa died, aged and physically weak. His jawbone was severely infected, and he had lost all his teeth, but above all, he suffered from a severe stomach ailment. However, he lived long enough to see the royal estate in Stollberg completed and the mine steward move in.
Despite Stollberget’s remote and inaccessible location at the time, noblemen and other distinguished gentlemen frequently visited. With the establishment of the royal estate, Stollberget became an administrative center for the entire Västerdalarna, Västerbergslagen, Norberg, Skinnskatteberg, and the forest districts of Våla and Malma parishes.
In 1755, Väster Silfberg produced 954 kilograms of silver, but after that, silver mining ceased, and the focus shifted to iron ore extraction.
During World War II, Stollberget was among the so-called “German mines,” with ore being sent to the German war industry. After Germany’s surrender in May 1945, the export of ore to Germany was banned, and the German-owned mines in Sweden were placed under public administration.
Today, no ore is mined in Stollberg. Instead, visitors can enjoy the breathtaking views and the fascinating mine holes that shimmer in the colors of various minerals—galena, chalcopyrite, azurite, magnetite, gedrite, and many more.
Looking down into the mighty Biskopsgruvan, located at the top of the mountain, feels like peering into the gates of hell. The hole is so dark that it is difficult to see the bottom. At the mountain’s peak, Väster Silvbergs Vänner has built a viewing tower in the shape of a headframe, offering a panoramic view that stretches as far as Smedjebacken and Ludvika.
FACTS
“Silver Mountain” is an impressive open-pit mine and a rich mineral field. Viewing tower, large open pit, adit.
Stollberget’s mines, one of three mining fields within the 5-kilometer-long ore belt stretching from Schisshyttan in the north to Silfhyttan in the south, were among Sweden’s richest ore fields and were likely the country’s oldest silver mine, with extraction dating back to the 12th century. The silver and iron ore mines are mentioned in King Magnus Eriksson’s privilege letter from 1354 for the mining farmers in Norberg.
During the 17th century, noblemen leased the mining operations and invested in new facilities. Under Count Jacob de la Gardie, Russian prisoners of war worked in the mine and lived in miserable earth huts nearby. This gave rise to the name “Ryssgruvan” (the Russian Mine) in the area.
In the late 19th century, extraction of silver-bearing lead ore resumed, along with the mining of zinc ore and limonite, an iron mineral. This mining was entirely underground, reaching more than 300 meters below the old open pits, and continued until 1982, when all operations ceased.
Hiking trail. Self-guided visits.
