Norway has a rich variety of quartz resources and is the main producer of quartzite and high purity quartz in Europe.
Industrial quality quartz occurs in both pegmatites, hydrothermal veins and quartzites. The Geological Survey of Norway (NGU) has been active in locating and investigating most of the known deposits; in recent years dedicated surveys and sampling of various quartz resource types have been undertaken throughout the country.
Quartz in pegamites
Pegmatites often contain very pure quartz and in Norway quartz has been produced periodically in two main provinces: The Drag area close to Narvik in Northern Norway and in Setesdal and surrounding areas in Southern Norway.
Currently, only very minor production takes place in Southern Norway, but in Drag The Quartz Corp extracts and processes both local and imported high purity quartz. NGU-surveys have located pegmatites on the Southwest coast of Norway with interesting qualities of high purity quartz. Read more in Peter M . Ihlen og Axel Müller`s report (PDF).
Hydrothermal quartz veins
Large hydrothermal quartz veins are present both north and south in the country and some have been in production for silicon metal, silicon carbide and ferrosilicon.
At present two large high grade veins are being explored for possible future mining:
- Nasafjell veins close to the Arctic Circle (front photo) where Elkem ASA currently awaits governmental approval.
- The Nesodden deposit by the Hardangerfjord in southwest Norway, where Nordic Mining ASA has exploration rights.
Quartzites and quartzitic sandstones
Lump quartz from quartzites and quartzitic sandstones has been the main quartz resource in Norway and is the basis for the prominent Norwegian ferrosilicon and ferromanganese industry. Quarrying has taken place in various locations and today operations are ongoing in the world’s largest quartzite quarry in Tana on the North Norwegian coast, at Mårnes south of Bodø, and by Kragerø in the south of Norway.
The large Elkem-owned ferrosilicon quality quartzitic sandstone deposit in Tana is a main resource for several ferrosilicon plants in Norway and Island. Elkem is also producing a very high grade refined silicon metal suitable for electronic industry from the Tana deposit through the application of an advanced refinement process at a plant in Western Norway.
Kyanite quartzities, a new deposit type
Recent discoveries include several deposits of very high purity quartz in kyanite rich quartzites. Large tonnages are available, especially near Solør in Southern Norway. The small grain size and abudant mineral inclusions is problematic for existing liberation techniques, but this type of deposit may be a target for future interest as progress in technology develops.
Read more in Axel Müller, Rolf Lynum, Leif Furuhaug`s report "The Gullsteinberget and Knøsberget kyanite quartzite deposits" (PDF).
Chemical analysis by laser ablation
High purity quartz has strict quality criteria allowing only minute quantities elements other than Si. Critical concentrations of the main contaminants Al, Ti, Li, B, and P are depending on the application of the quartz raw material.
At NGU, characterization of trace elements in quartz is performed by LA-ICP-MS.
