Minging of sulfides in Norway
Mining of copper and zinc from massive sulfide deposits has a long tradition in Norway, with more than 450 years of production. Major mining districts included Røros, Løkken, Sulitjelma, Folldal and Grong. More than 100 Mt of ore was extracted from 10 major mines and districts, producing 1.7 Mt Cu and 1.9 Mt Zn as metals. In addition, Pb, Ag and Au, as well as pyrite were produced.
Almost all of the Zn and most of the Cu produced in Norway came from massive sulfide deposits situated in the Caledonian mountain chain, which was formed during the Scandian orogeny in the Silurian-Devonian times. The deposits are mainly associated with mafic and felsic volcanic rocks related to ophiolites and island-arc to back-arc complexes. Some important deposits are also hosted by metasediments.
The Caledonian nappe units are still regarded as having a large potential for new discoveries. New knowledge and exploration methods have the potential to reveal new targets at depth.
Data and more information
Maps and geological data are available and can be downloaded from the NGU website.
Regional datasets include geophysics, geochemistry and geology. All data are free of charge. Data on deposits are available through www.ngu.no, including location, geology, mining history, analytical
data and references.
Information about areas which have been claimed is available from the Norwegian
Directorate of Mining (only in Norwgian) or through www.ngu.no.
NGU Reports on deposits are available at www.ngu.no, while company reports can be downloaded from the Directorate of Mining website (only in Norwegain).
The Fennoscandian Ore Deposit Database (FODD) provides overview data of the main deposits and metallogenic areas in Norway.
A central review article: Grenne, T., Ihlen, P. M., and Vokes, F. M., 1999: Scandinavian Caledonide metal-
logeny in a plate tectonic perspective. Mineralium Deposita, v. 34, p. 422-471.
