Hamre Copper Mine, Bygland, Agder, Norwayi

Regional Level Types
Hamre Copper Mine	Mine
Bygland	Municipality
Agder	County
Norway	Country

The Hamre copper mine is beautifully located at a height of 130 m over the Byglandsfjord.

According to Monen (2016) it is probably the oldest mine in the entire Setesdal valley, with copper mining by monks in medieval times. These monks are supposed have come from the Nomeland monastery in Valle. It is suggested that some or all of the monks must have come from Germany.

In the area around the mine there are several places with names referring to the monks. The very steep path leading to the mine is called the "Munketoa", referring to the narrow ledge which is the path to the mine.

However, Breivik (2017) comes with a different explanation. The Danish king had a stadtholder and tax collector by the name of Erik Munk stationed in Arendal during the years 1570 until 1585. Munk was active in the mining industry and it is very conceivable that he also went to the Setesdal valley.

The reference to Germany can be explained by the likelihood that German miners lived at the Hamre farm, where there is a low hilled called the Tyskerhaugen (Tysker = German).

And at the coast near the Byglandsfjord was once a small smelter visible, where they supposedly tried to smelt the ore from the Hamre mine. Due to the damming up of the Byglandsfjord this place is now under water.

In 1845 the Sætersdalen Kobberværk studied the deposit, but they didn't start mining.

In 1867 there was some activity in the mine, but with little result.

There are no reports about activity in the period 1868-1905.

In a two year's period 1908-09 one Kjetil Bygland put up a forge and cabin for the miners, and at its most 10-12 miners worked in the mine. It was very likely he who built a ropeway down to the fjord.

In 1908 50 ton ore was extracted and sold to England for 100 kroner per ton.

After Bygland abandoned the mine he leased the mine to an adjunct Kraft, who in his turn in 1910 handed the mine over to a German company.

The ore was separated from the waist rock in the mine, and the latter was thrown straight down the hill while the ore was send down with the ropeway.

An analyses performed in 1911 showed the ore to have a content of 587 g silver per ton ore.

Ettner (2001) reported that the ore contains up to 11,73 g/t gold and up to 243,3 g/t silver.

In 1913 another German company prospected the deposit and in a short period 800 m3 ore was extracted, of which 400 m3 raw ore, which resulted in 22 ton ore with 10% copper. In addition 70 ton ore with 2-3% was produced.

They believed the mine to be empty now and left. However, in 1914 they came back and wanted to buy the mine, but the war started and the mine has been abandoned ever since.

The feature that makes this deposit somewhat unusual is that the ore is hosted in a plagioclase dominated pegmatite.

The age and origin of this pegmatite are unknown, and a relationship with the pegmatites of the Evje-Iveland pegmatite field is pure speculation.

Collectors who want to visit or collect in either the mine or dump need to ask for permission from the owner, who during the summer often can be found at the nearby situated Hamre farm at 58.8130889,7.7633268.

This is not only a matter of courtesy, but also safety. The walk to the mine is not without danger. The path to the mine is a narrow ledge with considerable fall height. The owner would see at glance if somebody is not fit to walk to the mine, and advice this person not to go.

Coordinates © Kartverket - https://www.kartverket.no

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