Laddar...
Malmbergskärret is first mentioned in the reports in 1781.
In 1791, the ”water engine” was moved from Gustaf-Adolfs Mine to Malmbergskärret. It is not certain in which of the mines the engine was installed. However, reading further in the reports, Carl Sigfrids Mine, located furthest south among Malmbergskärret’s mines, had engine power in 1800, so it is possible that the engine was moved there in 1791.
In 1818, the Tallnäs Mines and Malmbergskärret companies were merged, at which time Tallnäs Mine was abandoned and the engine moved to Malmbergskärret.
In the description for the map of Malmbergskärret’s mines, the information in the 1819 reports is considered to refer to Stora Malmbergskärret Mine, where it is stated that an engine was moved here and pumped water from the mine.
In 1821, work was halted in July, awaiting the construction of a new engine. That was the year Persberg Canal was opened, and the water wheels in Yngshytteälv were taken out of operation.
In 1842, mining resumed after a double engine tunnel was built from Krangruvan’s first water wheel. Reading further in the reports, transfers and improvements of the engine tunnels were a continuous task at the mine.
In 1856, a major improvement was made when a new pipe tunnel was installed and a shaft line was connected here from Krangruvan’s hoist.
The shaft line came from the first hoisting wheel at Krangruvan, built in 1840, with a power of 3.9 hp. This was the first hoist in Persberg built for iron wire ropes; already in 1838, tests with iron wire ropes were conducted based on Mine Inspector Fitinghoff’s suggestion.
In 1892, a new engine was built for the mine, now from Nya Krangruvan’s water wheel, which had been put into operation in 1862.
Description
For the map of Malmbergskärret Mines
At Persberg in Fernebo parish, Värmland County.
Compiled based on an older map and own measurements, completed on December 11, 1893 by J.G. Jungner, authorized according to Royal Commission decisions of June 6, 1890 and June 8, 1892.
The mines belong to the so-called Jordås Field, located just north of Persberg’s Odal Mine Field.
Malmbergskärret is first mentioned in the Mining Inspector’s reports in 1781, stating that the mine was worked to a depth of 9 fathoms but was abandoned the same year. In the same reports, it is mentioned several times that the mine was worked in the late 18th century. Which of the present mines these accounts refer to cannot be determined; the reports from 1819 appear to refer to Stora Malmbergskärret Mine.
In 1821, it was again abandoned, only to be resumed in 1842 after a double engine tunnel had been built from Krangruvan’s water wheel. In 1849, the mine was abandoned again, but reopened in 1851 when the engine was rebuilt. It was operated until 1864, when it was shut down because “there was an excess of ore from other mines in the field and no market for it.”
The mine remained abandoned until 1892, when new engine tunnels were built and strong timber supports were installed as water was drained into the mine, to support the unstable walls.
Eastern Malmbergskärr Mine
Regarding the Eastern Malmbergskärr Mine, the aforementioned reports state that in 1847 it was reopened from abandonment and then had a depth of 5 fathoms from the shaft; the bottom was 2 ½ fathoms long and 1 fathom wide. During 1848, this mine is also said to have been slightly worked, but thereafter it appears to have remained abandoned.
Northern Malmbergskärr Mine
Concerning the Northern Malmbergskärr Mine, the reports state that it was reopened from abandonment in 1847 and had a depth of 75 feet from the shaft. The ore at the bottom was 5 ells wide in the south, but only 3 ells in the north. During 1848 and 1849 the mine also appears to have been slightly worked, but after this time it was probably not further exploited.
Kråkguld Mines
The Kråkguld Mines are not mentioned in the reports.
New Malmbergskärr Mine
The New Malmbergskärr Mine appears to have been started before 1850. In 1856, it was reopened and worked during the summer to approximately one level’s depth, after which it was abandoned, as no ore of value was found.
Mapping
Of these mines, only Stora Malmbergskärr Mine has been mapped, which was done in 1856 by the late Mining Inspector A. Sjögren. This map, according to which the mine has been partially plotted, does not indicate the ore’s position or extent, nor the nature of the surrounding rocks.
Ore and Skarn
The ore strikes approximately NW-SE and has a pronounced dip toward the SW.
It consists of rich and high-quality black ore, but requires careful sorting due to the often-present pyrite.
According to analysis and the general profile of ore extracted in 1893 from a small ore bucket in the northwest part of the mine, the ore contained 60.30% metallic iron, 0.003% phosphorus, and 0.015% sulfur.
The skarn layer in which these ores occur is characterized, unlike most other skarns in the field, by the absence of garnet. In A.E. Törneboh’s description of his geognostic map of the Persberg field, it is indicated as amphibolitic green skarn.
Usually, both in the hanging wall and footwall, between the flint and the ore or skarn, there occurs only a narrower, very friable and schistose layer of so-called black skarn, consisting mainly of dark hornblende and some talc.
These layers naturally cause the walls to become loose, which is why the mine is heavily timbered. Combined with the large water flow, mining here is difficult and costly. In 1893, 405 tons of ore were hoisted, excluding the hand-picked ore.
Persberg, Feb 1894 – J.G. Jungner
Transcript of original document: TN
