Up in a valley called Råndalen around 15 km outside the city Narvik is an old quartz mine located. The daybreak is 380 meters above sea up in the mountain. There is no road up to the construction area, only a track. It takes around 1 hour to walk up to the mine. All transport was done by a cableway up and down from the mine. The mine operated from 1949 to 1966.
The 16 workers and 1 chef lived in barracks at the daybreak. Among the many abandoned mining facilities and quarries in Ofoten, "Quartz" is perhaps one of the most exotic and complete. In the construction area you can see crew barracks, forging, and air compressor housing. At the cable car station you can see electric motors and the loading equipment. In the quarry stands the cradles and lavettes. The loading ramp is dilapidated.
The trail winds up the mountainside in old birch forest.
On the way up is one of the mast to the cableway.
The first sight of the crew barracks.
When the operation stopped, the mine was abandoned and a lot of equipment was left behind. Some of this is still around and tell a little about the story of the site.
The entrance to the crew barrack.
In this building is the forge, and air compressor housing. The compressor was used to operate the drilling machines.
The blacksmith's work area.
The water reservoir. Today it was great for cooling down.
The quarry. The mine operated over a period of 17 years. With todays equipment it looks like a few days work is done.
This look like an old winch.
Made in Oslo, Norway.
The quartz was transported on wagons on a trackway to the loading station.
Rocks and stones of bad quality was dumped here.
Nero enjoying the view towards the valley on the edge of the dumping area.
The building has collapsed.
The cable car station. From here the quartz was transported down to the valley with the cable car, further on trucks to the sea and loaded on boats.
The loading ramp to the cable car. The pictures below shows the machinery inside the building.
After exploring the site I deserve a rest.
After a days work the workers had to take a wash and change clothes before dinner.
Clothes and shoes are still hanging in the wardrobe. The time has stopped for 53 years.
A rest from an old newspaper, someone had spent some time with the crossword.
After a days work the chef made dinner in the kitchen....
... and maybe served the workers through the opening in the wall.
After a hot meal, storytelling, coffee and crossword in the evening the workers went to their rooms for a good nights sleep. I listened carefully and could still hear the snoring from the workers :-)
It was fun and interesting to take a look at the mine. Especially when there is so many things that is left behind. The story about the mine is clearer even without words.
A part of the mountain where the mine is located.
At the end, a flower in memory of the workers.
Hope you liked this long trip up to the mine. Best norwegianenglish regards.
Harald
PS. Looks like something went wrong with my experiment with posting in communities, better luck next time :-)
