Wilderness Mine

Journey Underground

Venture through the underground history

Book Journey

Explore & hunt
for your own minerals

More Info

Journey Info

"Varuträsk is dubbed one of the most mineral-rich places in the world."

The Varuträsk mine began in 1932, when local farmer Harald Holmgren noticed an unusual rock formation on his land. Driven by curiosity, he began exploring what would soon reveal itself as one of Sweden’s most mineral-rich sites. Together with a small team, Harald started mining despite local doubts. More than 70 different minerals were discovered here, many of which were mined until the mid-1940s. One of them is Varulite, a rare mineral named after the village of Varuträsk itself. Click here for a complete list of minerals found in the mine.

The mine is no longer in operation, but many of the clues from how it looked nearly a 100 years ago are still there. Come journey through the past and see the dynamite strikes on the walls, and touch the 2 BILLION year old bedrock.

The self-guided tour starts in the briefing room where you will be equipped with a coat, rubber boots, helmet, and a torch, followed by a 10 minute informational video. Once you are equipped and ready, you may descend into the Earth and begin your journey.

Pre-book your visit to the mine online, or drop-in during our summer season.
The mine is accessed by walking down 120 steps. Warm clothing recommended.

When the journey has ended, continue the experience above ground to dig for minerals, crystals, and rare gemstones in our Mineral Park. What you find you may keep!

Mine Map

Mine

Entrance

Central

Mine Shaft

VARUTRÄSK MINE

Underground Map

History

The Varuträsk mine was discovered in 1932 by Harald Holmgren. While out hunting on his forest property, he noticed an unusual pegmatite vein in the bedrock. Pegmatite is an igneous rock type known to contain large crystals of minerals such as Quartz, Feldspar, Mica, and in some cases, Gold. Only 10 years prior and 30 kilometers from Harald's home, the Boliden gold deposit had been discovered in 1924, one of the richest in Europe at the time. Harald had high hopes this vein he found might contain gold as well.

Recognizing the potential value of such a find, Holmgren first sought to understand whether there would be a market for the minerals that might be extracted. Before hiring workers or beginning excavation, he contacted the copper smelter at Rönnskär regarding a possible supply of quartz. Quartz was used at the time in the purification of copper due to its high silicon content. He also contacted a porcelain manufacturer about Feldspar, an important raw material used in ceramics. Only after confirming potential interest did he move forward with exploring the deposit further.

Holmgren then hired three men to begin investigating the size and extent of the pegmatite vein. Karl Holmgren and Axel Mannberg were from Nyland, while Uno Nilsson, from Tarsbäckliden, worked as a farmhand for Holmgren. Nilsson later married Holmgren’s daughter, Linnea.

Mining work began in October 1932 and was carried out using traditional hand methods. One man held the drill while another struck it with a sledgehammer, turning the drill after each blow. The drill bits dulled quickly, so Karl Holmgren was sent to Boliden to learn how to sharpen and harden them. On his return, a forge was purchased so that sharpening could be done on site.

At the time, some villagers believed Holmgren was reckless to begin mining operations. Locals warned that he would ruin himself financially and even urged the men to stop working while “Harald still had his senses.” Despite this skepticism, Holmgren paid his workers 50 öre per hour, equivalent to 4 kronor per day, which was considered very good pay at the time.

During the excavation, the workers discovered a purple-colored stone. This mineral turned out to be lepidolite, which contains lithium. Initially, even Boliden’s geologists were unaware of the stone’s composition. Only after laboratory analysis was it confirmed to contain lithium, a highly sought-after element used in catalytic converters and in the production of synthetic rubber. In total, Harald and his crew found around forty different mineral types, including six lithium-bearing minerals. Even though there were hopes, unfortunately no gold turned up.

In 1936, the mine was taken over by Boliden AB and remained in operation until 1946. Between fifteen and twenty people worked at the site during the summer months. Loading the extracted minerals onto trucks was physically demanding work, carried out using filling hammers, barrels, and iron shovels.

As mining progressed, new minerals continued to be uncovered. During improvements to the old cart road, some quartz material was discarded because it was believed to be worthless. In 1938, it was discovered that this so-called waste quartz actually contained pollucite, a mineral rich in cesium. Cesium is used in applications such as infrared lamps, solar cells, and photoelectric devices.

Later still, an entirely new mineral was identified, one that geologists could not immediately classify. The discovery was significant enough that the mineral was named after the site itself: Varulite.

—Information provided by Lennart Holmgren - Son of Harald Holmgren, Geonard.org, Mindat.org, and the Skellefteå Museum.

About Harold Holmgren

Today, we know that the work Harald carried out between 1932 and 1936 was of extraordinary importance. Even now, geologists from all over the world travel to Varuträsk to see this exceptional place with their own eyes.

Harald Holmgren was born in 1892 in Varuträsk, one of nine siblings in a farming family. From an early age, he helped with daily work on the farm: milking cows, hunting hares, and taking on whatever tasks were needed. His strong work ethic showed early and stayed with him throughout his life.

As the years passed, Harald developed a sharp business sense. At the age of 26, he co-founded Norrbottens Cementgjuteri, a cement foundry. The business did well, and in 1928 he moved to Strömfors to begin supplying gravel. Once again, his venture was successful, earning him the nickname “The Gravel King."

In 1930, Harald’s father decided to sell the family farm in Varuträsk. Wanting to keep the property in the family, Harald bought the farm himself and moved back to his childhood village. With this decision, he left the gravel business behind and became a full-time farmer.

It was during one of his hunting trips on his forest land that Harald made the discovery that would define his legacy. While standing on a rocky ridge, curiosity led him to take a closer look. To his surprise, he found a vein of pegmatite, a silica-rich rock associated with quartz, feldspar, and mica, and part of the geological formation known as the Skellefte granite.

Between 1932 and 1936, Harald personally oversaw mining operations at the site. As the work progressed, it became clear that continuing without modern machinery would be increasingly expensive. Harald had worked hard his entire life, and he believed it was wiser to sell the mine while interest was high rather than struggle to expand it on his own.

In 1936, Boliden AB purchased the entire mining area. The deal was fair, and Harald did not lose financially. He later returned to farming and family life, raising three daughters and three sons. He never regretted selling the mine.

If anyone had reason to regret their words, it was the villagers who had repeatedly warned that Harald was reckless and would ruin himself. He ignored them, and fortunately so. It was his curiosity, careful observation, and determination that made the Varuträsk mine what it is today.

Mining operations continued until 1946. By then, a total of 28,904 tonnes of pegmatite had been extracted, and more than 50 different minerals had been identified.

Thanks to Harald Holmgren’s work, Varuträsk is today regarded as one of the most important mineral sites in the world. Harald himself is remembered with respect and admiration, and no one now would remember him as foolish.

—Information provided by Jenny Huldtin, Geonard.org, Mindat.org, and the Skellefteå Museum.