The concentrator at Högberget

Photo: Mining engineer Gunnar Aasgaard

The concentrator at Högberget was built after the auditors in 1899 pointed out that the company’s ore resources had to be increased, as there were no other alternatives at the time, so it was suggested that the large warp mounds that existed at the mining fields should be utilized.

On 1 December 1899, the general meeting decided to present a proposal for a steam-powered concentrator plant, the following day the proposal was adopted and at the same time SEK 70,000 was granted for the construction of the plant. On June 29, 1900, the board decided to give Engineer John Andersson the task of constructing the concentrator north of the railway.

The concentrator was not run during the winter months, it was usually in operation 9 months a year and with a 10-hour shift per day. A total of 46,854.3 tonnes of raw material passed through the plant, between 1901 and 1908.

Under pictures 7 – 11 further down the page you can read factual information from the concentrator and also about the ”mineralogical and petrographic nature of the warp mounds at Högbergsfältet”.

When production was not as expected, the plant was expanded as early as 1902, and in order to increase profitability, the warp from the Odal field was also enriched.  Transport costs from the Odal field were high and since the warp at Högberget was soon finished, the board decided in 1908 to move the concentrator to the newly built separation plant at the Odal field.

The auditors had reservations about the choice of steam operation because of the current and future uncertainty of coal prices. Engineer C.J., Nilsson, Blombacka was therefore commissioned to investigate whether the supply of hydropower would be sufficient for the plant’s operation, since the investigation showed that no hydropower was available, it was decided to purchase a 55 hp steam engine from Munktells in Eskilstuna. (Read C.J. Nilsson’s investigation under texts.)

But the auditors were not satisfied with the steam power, and they persistently advocated the advantage of ”abundant power, supplied by electric means”. As early as 1900, C.J. Nilsson had been commissioned to investigate the possibility of gaining access to electric power from the waterfalls at Saxån, but the proposal was not considered feasible.

In 1903, an investigation was carried out into the possibility of gaining access to electric power, which showed that the deliveries should come from Älvestorp’s power station. A contract was drawn up for the supply of power of 300 hp during the period 1905 – 1930.

Information taken from ”Minnesskrift Persbergs Gruve Aktiebolag 1866 – 1920.

Harald Carlborg, Persbergs Malmtrakt

C.J. Nilsson’s investigation: Värmland Archives

Gunnar Aasgaard was a Norwegian mining engineer who made study trips to Sweden in 1907 and 1915. I have gained access to the picture through Jan Kruse and his contact in Trondheim Rune Moseng, quite amazing that the picture has come ”home” to Persberg after 117 years.