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Björkdal Mine, Sandfors, Skellefteå, Västerbotten County, Swedeni
Regional Level Types
Björkdal MineMine
SandforsVillage
SkellefteåMunicipality
Västerbotten CountyCounty
SwedenCountry

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Latitude & Longitude (WGS84):
64° 56' 17'' North , 20° 36' 47'' East
Latitude & Longitude (decimal):
Type:
Köppen climate type:
Nearest Settlements:
PlacePopulationDistance
Liden269 (2012)8.4km
Tällberg637 (2012)10.1km
Kusmark448 (2017)10.7km
Svartå592 (2011)12.8km
Boliden1,661 (2017)13.4km
Mindat Locality ID:
10040
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:2:10040:0
GUID (UUID V4):
0
Other Languages:
Swedish:
Björkdalsgruvan, Sandfors, Skellefteå kommun, Västerbottens län, Sverige


Located approximately 40 km from Skellefteå and 11 km NE of Boliden.
In 1988-1999, it was the largest gold mine in Europe. Closed for a short period (around the year 2000) when the Terra Mining AB went bankrupt.

Björkdalsgruvan is one of Northern Europe's largest mines for the extraction of gold. The mine is located northwest of Sandfors, approximately 20 kilometers west of Kåge in Västerbotten County. In 2017, the mine had over 160 employees.

After gold was found at the site in 1983, exploratory drilling was done and the mine was inaugurated on September 27, 1988. In 2015, the Björkdal mine had a turnover of SEK 444 million and had 148 employees. Production amounts to approximately 1.3 million tons of ore per year, half of which comes from the open pit and half from underground. The gold content in 2019 is an average of 2.36 grams of gold per ton of ore. In February 2017, the life of the mine was assessed to be at least ten years. The same assessment was done in March 2019, and it also showed the same results.

The Björkdals mine was owned by Elgin Minings, which was acquired in 2014 by Mandalay Resources.

The gold at Björkdalsgruvan is associated with centimetre- to metre-wide subvertical quartz veins within a biotite-altered granodiorite. The gold mineralization is localized near the contact between the intrusive and the overlying Skellefteå Group. The veins mainly trend NE and NNE and terminate at the sediment-intrusive contact. The gold is found both as free milling gold and also associated with pyrite.

OP & UG operation since autumn 2007.

Today owned by Gold Ore Resources.

Select Mineral List Type

Standard Detailed Gallery Strunz Chemical Elements

Commodity List

This is a list of exploitable or exploited mineral commodities recorded at this locality.


Mineral List


40 valid minerals.

Rock Types Recorded

Note: data is currently VERY limited. Please bear with us while we work towards adding this information!

Select Rock List Type

Alphabetical List Tree Diagram

Detailed Mineral List:

ⓘ Actinolite
Formula: ◻Ca2(Mg4.5-2.5Fe0.5-2.5)Si8O22(OH)2
ⓘ Altaite
Formula: PbTe
ⓘ Beyerite
Formula: Ca(BiO)2(CO3)2
ⓘ 'Biotite'
Formula: K(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2
ⓘ Bismutite
Formula: (BiO)2CO3
ⓘ Bornite
Formula: Cu5FeS4
ⓘ Breithauptite
Formula: NiSb
ⓘ Calcite
Formula: CaCO3
ⓘ Chalcopyrite
Formula: CuFeS2
ⓘ 'Chlorite Group'
ⓘ Covellite
Formula: CuS
ⓘ Cubanite
Formula: CuFe2S3
ⓘ Cuprite
Formula: Cu2O
ⓘ Dravite
Formula: NaMg3Al6(Si6O18)(BO3)3(OH)3(OH)
ⓘ Ferberite
Formula: FeWO4
ⓘ Frohbergite
Formula: FeTe2
ⓘ Galena
Formula: PbS
ⓘ Graphite
Formula: C
ⓘ Hedleyite
Formula: Bi7Te3
ⓘ Hessite
Formula: Ag2Te
ⓘ Ingodite
Formula: Bi2TeS
ⓘ Kettnerite ?
Formula: CaBiCO3OF
ⓘ Laumontite
Formula: CaAl2Si4O12 · 4H2O
ⓘ 'Limonite'
ⓘ Mackinawite
Formula: FeS
Description: As small rounded inclusions of machinawite/vallerite in chalcopyrite (Nysten 1990)
ⓘ Malachite
Formula: Cu2(CO3)(OH)2
ⓘ Muscovite
Formula: KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
ⓘ Muscovite var. Illite
Formula: K0.65Al2.0[Al0.65Si3.35O10](OH)2
ⓘ Muscovite var. Sericite
Formula: KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
ⓘ Native Bismuth
Formula: Bi
ⓘ Native Copper
Formula: Cu
ⓘ Native Gold
Formula: Au
ⓘ Native Gold var. Electrum
Formula: (Au,Ag)
ⓘ Nickeline
Formula: NiAs
ⓘ Pilsenite
Formula: Bi4Te3
ⓘ Pingguite
Formula: Bi6Te2O15
ⓘ Pyrite
Formula: FeS2
ⓘ Pyrrhotite
Formula: Fe1-xS
ⓘ Quartz
Formula: SiO2
ⓘ Scheelite
Formula: Ca(WO4)
ⓘ Sphalerite
Formula: ZnS
ⓘ Tellurobismuthite
Formula: Bi2Te3
ⓘ Tetradymite
Formula: Bi2Te2S
ⓘ 'Tourmaline'
Formula: AD3G6(T6O18)(BO3)3X3Z
Description: Dravitic tourmaline
ⓘ Tsumoite
Formula: BiTe
ⓘ Ullmannite
Formula: NiSbS
ⓘ Valleriite
Formula: (Fe2+,Cu)4(Mg,Al)3S4(OH,O)6
Description: As small rounded inclusions of machinawite/vallerite in chalcopyrite (Nysten 1990)

Gallery:

List of minerals arranged by Strunz 10th Edition classification

Group 1 - Elements
ⓘNative Copper1.AA.05Cu
ⓘNative Gold
var. Electrum
1.AA.05(Au,Ag)
ⓘ1.AA.05Au
ⓘNative Bismuth1.CA.05Bi
ⓘGraphite1.CB.05aC
Group 2 - Sulphides and Sulfosalts
ⓘBornite2.BA.15Cu5FeS4
ⓘHessite2.BA.60Ag2Te
ⓘCovellite2.CA.05aCuS
ⓘSphalerite2.CB.05aZnS
ⓘChalcopyrite2.CB.10aCuFeS2
ⓘCubanite2.CB.55aCuFe2S3
ⓘBreithauptite2.CC.05NiSb
ⓘNickeline2.CC.05NiAs
ⓘPyrrhotite2.CC.10Fe1-xS
ⓘMackinawite2.CC.25FeS
ⓘAltaite2.CD.10PbTe
ⓘGalena2.CD.10PbS
ⓘHedleyite2.DC.05Bi7Te3
ⓘIngodite2.DC.05Bi2TeS
ⓘPilsenite2.DC.05Bi4Te3
ⓘTellurobismuthite2.DC.05Bi2Te3
ⓘTetradymite2.DC.05Bi2Te2S
ⓘTsumoite2.DC.05BiTe
ⓘPyrite2.EB.05aFeS2
ⓘFrohbergite2.EB.10aFeTe2
ⓘUllmannite2.EB.25NiSbS
ⓘValleriite2.FD.30(Fe2+,Cu)4(Mg,Al)3S4(OH,O)6
Group 4 - Oxides and Hydroxides
ⓘCuprite4.AA.10Cu2O
ⓘQuartz4.DA.05SiO2
ⓘFerberite4.DB.30FeWO4
ⓘPingguite4.JL.20Bi6Te2O15
Group 5 - Nitrates and Carbonates
ⓘCalcite5.AB.05CaCO3
ⓘMalachite5.BA.10Cu2(CO3)(OH)2
ⓘBismutite5.BE.25(BiO)2CO3
ⓘKettnerite ?5.BE.30CaBiCO3OF
ⓘBeyerite5.BE.35Ca(BiO)2(CO3)2
Group 7 - Sulphates, Chromates, Molybdates and Tungstates
ⓘScheelite7.GA.05Ca(WO4)
Group 9 - Silicates
ⓘDravite9.CK.05NaMg3Al6(Si6O18)(BO3)3(OH)3(OH)
ⓘActinolite9.DE.10◻Ca2(Mg4.5-2.5Fe0.5-2.5)Si8O22(OH)2
ⓘMuscovite
var. Illite
9.EC.15K0.65Al2.0[Al0.65Si3.35O10](OH)2
ⓘ9.EC.15KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
ⓘvar. Sericite9.EC.15KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
ⓘLaumontite9.GB.10CaAl2Si4O12 · 4H2O
Unclassified
ⓘ'Biotite'-K(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2
ⓘ'Chlorite Group'-
ⓘ'Limonite'-
ⓘ'Tourmaline'-AD3G6(T6O18)(BO3)3X3Z

List of minerals for each chemical element

HHydrogen
Hⓘ Actinolite◻Ca2(Mg4.5-2.5Fe0.5-2.5)Si8O22(OH)2
Hⓘ BiotiteK(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2
Hⓘ DraviteNaMg3Al6(Si6O18)(BO3)3(OH)3(OH)
Hⓘ Muscovite var. IlliteK0.65Al2.0[Al0.65Si3.35O10](OH)2
Hⓘ LaumontiteCaAl2Si4O12 · 4H2O
Hⓘ MalachiteCu2(CO3)(OH)2
Hⓘ MuscoviteKAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
Hⓘ Valleriite(Fe2+,Cu)4(Mg,Al)3S4(OH,O)6
Hⓘ Muscovite var. SericiteKAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
BBoron
Bⓘ DraviteNaMg3Al6(Si6O18)(BO3)3(OH)3(OH)
Bⓘ TourmalineAD3G6(T6O18)(BO3)3X3Z
CCarbon
Cⓘ BeyeriteCa(BiO)2(CO3)2
Cⓘ Bismutite(BiO)2CO3
Cⓘ CalciteCaCO3
Cⓘ GraphiteC
Cⓘ KettneriteCaBiCO3OF
Cⓘ MalachiteCu2(CO3)(OH)2
OOxygen
Oⓘ Actinolite◻Ca2(Mg4.5-2.5Fe0.5-2.5)Si8O22(OH)2
Oⓘ BeyeriteCa(BiO)2(CO3)2
Oⓘ BiotiteK(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2
Oⓘ Bismutite(BiO)2CO3
Oⓘ CalciteCaCO3
Oⓘ CupriteCu2O
Oⓘ DraviteNaMg3Al6(Si6O18)(BO3)3(OH)3(OH)
Oⓘ FerberiteFeWO4
Oⓘ Muscovite var. IlliteK0.65Al2.0[Al0.65Si3.35O10](OH)2
Oⓘ KettneriteCaBiCO3OF
Oⓘ LaumontiteCaAl2Si4O12 · 4H2O
Oⓘ MalachiteCu2(CO3)(OH)2
Oⓘ MuscoviteKAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
Oⓘ QuartzSiO2
Oⓘ ScheeliteCa(WO4)
Oⓘ TourmalineAD3G6(T6O18)(BO3)3X3Z
Oⓘ Valleriite(Fe2+,Cu)4(Mg,Al)3S4(OH,O)6
Oⓘ PingguiteBi6Te2O15
Oⓘ Muscovite var. SericiteKAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
FFluorine
Fⓘ BiotiteK(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2
Fⓘ KettneriteCaBiCO3OF
NaSodium
Naⓘ DraviteNaMg3Al6(Si6O18)(BO3)3(OH)3(OH)
MgMagnesium
Mgⓘ Actinolite◻Ca2(Mg4.5-2.5Fe0.5-2.5)Si8O22(OH)2
Mgⓘ BiotiteK(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2
Mgⓘ DraviteNaMg3Al6(Si6O18)(BO3)3(OH)3(OH)
Mgⓘ Valleriite(Fe2+,Cu)4(Mg,Al)3S4(OH,O)6
AlAluminium
Alⓘ BiotiteK(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2
Alⓘ DraviteNaMg3Al6(Si6O18)(BO3)3(OH)3(OH)
Alⓘ Muscovite var. IlliteK0.65Al2.0[Al0.65Si3.35O10](OH)2
Alⓘ LaumontiteCaAl2Si4O12 · 4H2O
Alⓘ MuscoviteKAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
Alⓘ Valleriite(Fe2+,Cu)4(Mg,Al)3S4(OH,O)6
Alⓘ Muscovite var. SericiteKAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
SiSilicon
Siⓘ Actinolite◻Ca2(Mg4.5-2.5Fe0.5-2.5)Si8O22(OH)2
Siⓘ BiotiteK(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2
Siⓘ DraviteNaMg3Al6(Si6O18)(BO3)3(OH)3(OH)
Siⓘ Muscovite var. IlliteK0.65Al2.0[Al0.65Si3.35O10](OH)2
Siⓘ LaumontiteCaAl2Si4O12 · 4H2O
Siⓘ MuscoviteKAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
Siⓘ QuartzSiO2
Siⓘ Muscovite var. SericiteKAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
SSulfur
Sⓘ BorniteCu5FeS4
Sⓘ ChalcopyriteCuFeS2
Sⓘ CovelliteCuS
Sⓘ CubaniteCuFe2S3
Sⓘ GalenaPbS
Sⓘ IngoditeBi2TeS
Sⓘ MackinawiteFeS
Sⓘ PyriteFeS2
Sⓘ PyrrhotiteFe1-xS
Sⓘ SphaleriteZnS
Sⓘ TetradymiteBi2Te2S
Sⓘ UllmanniteNiSbS
Sⓘ Valleriite(Fe2+,Cu)4(Mg,Al)3S4(OH,O)6
KPotassium
Kⓘ BiotiteK(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2
Kⓘ Muscovite var. IlliteK0.65Al2.0[Al0.65Si3.35O10](OH)2
Kⓘ MuscoviteKAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
Kⓘ Muscovite var. SericiteKAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
CaCalcium
Caⓘ Actinolite◻Ca2(Mg4.5-2.5Fe0.5-2.5)Si8O22(OH)2
Caⓘ BeyeriteCa(BiO)2(CO3)2
Caⓘ CalciteCaCO3
Caⓘ KettneriteCaBiCO3OF
Caⓘ LaumontiteCaAl2Si4O12 · 4H2O
Caⓘ ScheeliteCa(WO4)
TiTitanium
Tiⓘ BiotiteK(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2
FeIron
Feⓘ Actinolite◻Ca2(Mg4.5-2.5Fe0.5-2.5)Si8O22(OH)2
Feⓘ BiotiteK(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2
Feⓘ BorniteCu5FeS4
Feⓘ ChalcopyriteCuFeS2
Feⓘ CubaniteCuFe2S3
Feⓘ FerberiteFeWO4
Feⓘ FrohbergiteFeTe2
Feⓘ MackinawiteFeS
Feⓘ PyriteFeS2
Feⓘ PyrrhotiteFe1-xS
Feⓘ Valleriite(Fe2+,Cu)4(Mg,Al)3S4(OH,O)6
NiNickel
Niⓘ BreithauptiteNiSb
Niⓘ NickelineNiAs
Niⓘ UllmanniteNiSbS
CuCopper
Cuⓘ BorniteCu5FeS4
Cuⓘ ChalcopyriteCuFeS2
Cuⓘ CovelliteCuS
Cuⓘ CubaniteCuFe2S3
Cuⓘ CupriteCu2O
Cuⓘ Native CopperCu
Cuⓘ MalachiteCu2(CO3)(OH)2
Cuⓘ Valleriite(Fe2+,Cu)4(Mg,Al)3S4(OH,O)6
ZnZinc
Znⓘ SphaleriteZnS
AsArsenic
Asⓘ NickelineNiAs
AgSilver
Agⓘ Native Gold var. Electrum(Au,Ag)
Agⓘ HessiteAg2Te
SbAntimony
Sbⓘ BreithauptiteNiSb
Sbⓘ UllmanniteNiSbS
TeTellurium
Teⓘ AltaitePbTe
Teⓘ FrohbergiteFeTe2
Teⓘ HedleyiteBi7Te3
Teⓘ HessiteAg2Te
Teⓘ IngoditeBi2TeS
Teⓘ PilseniteBi4Te3
Teⓘ TellurobismuthiteBi2Te3
Teⓘ TetradymiteBi2Te2S
Teⓘ TsumoiteBiTe
Teⓘ PingguiteBi6Te2O15
WTungsten
Wⓘ FerberiteFeWO4
Wⓘ ScheeliteCa(WO4)
AuGold
Auⓘ Native Gold var. Electrum(Au,Ag)
Auⓘ Native GoldAu
PbLead
Pbⓘ AltaitePbTe
Pbⓘ GalenaPbS
BiBismuth
Biⓘ BeyeriteCa(BiO)2(CO3)2
Biⓘ Native BismuthBi
Biⓘ Bismutite(BiO)2CO3
Biⓘ HedleyiteBi7Te3
Biⓘ IngoditeBi2TeS
Biⓘ KettneriteCaBiCO3OF
Biⓘ PilseniteBi4Te3
Biⓘ TellurobismuthiteBi2Te3
Biⓘ TetradymiteBi2Te2S
Biⓘ TsumoiteBiTe
Biⓘ PingguiteBi6Te2O15

Geochronology

Mineralization age: Paleoproterozoic : 1893 ± 34 Ma

Important note: This table is based only on rock and mineral ages recorded on mindat.org for this locality and is not necessarily a complete representation of the geochronology, but does give an indication of possible mineralization events relevant to this locality. As more age information is added this table may expand in the future. A break in the table simply indicates a lack of data entered here, not necessarily a break in the geologic sequence. Grey background entries are from different, related, localities.

Geologic TimeRocks, Minerals and Events
Precambrian
 Proterozoic
  Paleoproterozoic
   Orosirian
ⓘ Scheelite1893 ± 34 Ma

Other Databases

Wikipedia:https://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bj%C3%B6rkdalsgruvan
Wikidata ID:Q10430534

Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality

Eurasian PlateTectonic Plate
EuropeContinent
Sweden

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References

 
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