Minerals from Sweden

Sweden has a long and significant mining history, particularly in iron, copper, and other base metals. It also has a number of localities known to collectors for specific minerals.

The Långban mine is one of the most famous mineral localities in the world, particularly for rare species. Over 300 minerals have been recorded from the site, including a large number of type localities. While many of these are micromounts or of academic interest, there are occasional well-crystallised specimens of rhodonite, hausmannite, and barite, among others.

The Kiruna area in the north is known for its large iron ore deposits, particularly magnetite. While the material here is mostly of industrial use, good magnetite crystals have occasionally been collected, sometimes with quartz or feldspar.

Falun is a classic copper mine, historically important and long worked. It has yielded sulphides such as chalcopyrite and pyrite, along with interesting oxidation-zone minerals. Some old specimens from here turn up in European collections, though few are seen on the general market today.

Quartz, feldspar, and garnet are common in Sweden’s metamorphic rocks, and there are also pegmatites that have produced beryl, spodumene, and tourmaline. Specimens from these pegmatites are sometimes available, though typically not in large quantities.

Older specimens may be labelled as “Scandinavia” or “Sweden-Norway” depending on when and where they were collected.

Mindat lists over 200 minerals as having their type locality in Sweden. These will primarily be of interest to systemic mineral collectors, but include well known minerals like Albite, Scheelite and Spodumene.

Sweden