Sala Silvermine

Sala Silvermine is a mine in the municipal of Sala, and the county of Västmanland in Sweden. The mine was in use during the 15th century to 1908. The mine has had three major periods, in early 16th century, mid-17th century and late 19th century. At most was 3-5 ton silver produced and in total has more than 400 ton silver and about 40 000 ton lead been extracted from the mine. The extraction of different mines has contributed to the vastness of the mine, with at depth of 300 metre and a length over 20 km. Sala silvermine is due to its size placed on the top-5 list over historical big silver mines of the world. Most silver has been used to make coins and according to Charles IX of Sweden was Sala silver mine the Country’s uttermost Clenodium.

The town of Sala was founded due to the mine, the founder Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden gave the town its privilege in 1626. Around Sala were smaller lakes and pounds with cannels constructed to supply the mine with energy. During the 16th and 17th century were war prisoners, criminals and also German miner used in the extraction.

The bedrock was created about 1,89 billion years ago during the geologic period of palaeoproterozoikum. The bedrock is mostly made up by different sorts of limestone or stones close related, like dolomitmarble, which is the major host of the silver. Today is only dolomitmarble extracted around Sala. Earlier was also the so called Sala granite extracted to be used as bricks in constructions of building. Several building on the mine plant are built of the Sala granite. In the mine was also metals like zinc and lead extracted (most as by-products of silver), and actually one of Sweden´s most important producer of these metals. The silver content in the leadbed is about 0.15% to 1% which is one of the highest contents of silver reported on earth. In the zinc is the silver content only about 0.015-0,02%, which are enough to exploit. [Jansson N (2007) A Structural and Ore Geological study of the Palaeoproterozoic Stratabound Sala Zn-Pb-Ag deposit, Bergslagen, Sweden. Examensarbete vid institutionen för geovetenskaper. ISSN 1650-6553 NR 148. Uppsala Universitet ] [http://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sala_silvergruva]

Owner

Owners of the mine has during later years been "AB Svenska Metallverken" in Västeås and "Avesta Jernverks AB" that until 1962 extracted lead and zinc and very little silver. The extraction was made in a mine not physical connected to the old mine. Since 1988 is the mine owned by the municipal of Sala and works as a mine museum. [www.salasilvergruva.se]

The mine today

Today works the mine mostly as an attraction, where guided tours down in the mine are arranged. In the big empty rooms in the mine are concerts and other entertainment arranged. New test-drillings have been made lately, because it is believed that a second silver treasury exists around the old one. Already during the 18th century did people search for the second treasury, but its depth makes it hard to find. Around the old mine has cracks and erosions caused danger for people visiting on restricted areas. [http://www.salasilvergruva.se/mer_att_se/]

Above grown does the old buildings still is serving, but today are they mostly used for souvenir shops and museums, like an art gallery and a police museum. In July every year is the "Mine´s days" arranged and in December are there Christmas markets every weekend until Christmas.

In march of 2008 was the mine visited by the Swedish crown princess Victoria, whom as her father, Carl XVI Gustav of Sweden left her signature down in the mine. [Sala Allehanda, March 4]

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