The mines at Middagshvile
The mining facility at Middagskollen
Just 600 metres north of Nordgruvetjern is a small hill. If you're in the area, you'll notice that the sunlight hits the hill around midday. This is precisely why the hill was named Dinner club.[1] Several Norwegian collieries today go by the same name. On the lower side of the hill itself are two deep opencast mines. These were given the name Afternoon rest.[2] Beneath these is another open-cast mine called Latedal mines and down the hillside lies Ottostollen.
The field is substantial, but bears the mark of over 100 years without major human intervention. The pines have grown large and thick and the wreck piles are overgrown with moss. Nature has partly reclaimed the site. This may be about to change.
In recent years, Middagskollen has once again come into focus. The area is not part of Stiftelsen Modums Blaafarveværks' property and is therefore more accessible for exploration. Investigations to determine whether the field still has exploitable cobalt deposits. The increase in the battery industry in recent decades has led to a growing demand for cobalt. At the same time, some of the largest cobalt producers, particularly Congo and Russia, have caused difficulties in the supply lines. Opening up to underwater exploration is also controversial.
KUNIKO has conducted test drilling at Middagshvile in 2022 and 2023.[3] The work has uncovered cobalt mineralisations that could potentially be exploitable.[4] Could it be that Middagshvile could be up and running again? This time to produce raw materials for the western world's batteries?
Time will tell if this happens. My aim in this article is not to speculate on this, but to describe the fascinating history of the mining field at Middagshvile.
Found on Middagskollen
The discoverer of the cobalt deposits in Modum, Ole Knudsen Witloch, was probably also the discoverer of the cobalt deposits at Middagskollen.[5] Witloch's story is well documented in previous publications, but to briefly summarise, Witloch had worked at the silverworks in Kongsberg in the 1750s.[6] His career was characterised by demotion, illegal absences and private exploration for valuable metal deposits in the surrounding areas. His "miserable professional career" culminated when he was imprisoned on 5 December 1759 on suspicion of silver theft.[7]
Witloch was released three years later, but he was convicted. The judgement was not about the suspicion of theft, but rather the suspicion itself. Just because he was a suspect in the case, he was dismissed and banished from the south-eastern parts of Norway. Nine years later, in 1772, he reappeared in Kongsberg with cobalt from Modum. All was then forgiven and Witloch was employed as a sharpener in the test project at Skuterud.
The cobalt deposit at Middagskollen was discovered as early as the first year of the test operation. During the summer months, "a Stuff Quartz with an implanted glantz Cobolt" was uncovered about a quarter of a mile north of the original discovery site.[8] The actual distance is somewhat shorter, but there is little doubt that this is Middagskollen. However, the area could not be investigated more thoroughly as autumn set in, but enough was mined for the first cobalt colour samples produced in the laboratory at Kongsberg to be made from cobalt ore from what is now Nordgruvene and Middagskollen.[9]
After Det Kongelige Modumske Blaafarveværk was founded on 1 April 1776, operations had also started at Middagskollen and Middagshvile. However, there were problems keeping the mining field in continuous operation. The distance to the other mining fields and the lack of operating buildings made operations difficult. This is reflected in an operational report for the 12th month of 1779. The company's management did not think it was right to build a forge on the mine site due to high costs, which made operations at Middagskollen more expensive than the other collieries. Operations were therefore suspended for the rest of that winter.[10]
Operations were only sporadic in the 1780s, but it was reported that the quality of the ore extracted was good.[11]
Large-scale production in the 19th century
Operations at Middagskollen continued throughout the 19th century, but the minefield never became the main focus. It was only when the workforce was at its largest that the company's management prioritised restarting the old areas. In the 12th mining month of 1838, operations were reported at the Latdal mining field.[12] As described above, this mining area is located a short distance east of Middagshvile. The mines were operated as opencast mines.
Several well-known people appear at Latdal that month. Hans Christiansen was listed as a ladderman, i.e. a foreman in the field.[13] He would later manage the Blaafarveværket's poor box. Simen Røtter was listed as a blacksmith. It was Røtter who originated the story of the "blue man", the ghost who warned miners in advance of accidents.[14]
In total, a modest 28 men were at work that mining month in the winter of 1838, but it was soon to grow. In the first mining month of 1842, the workforce was expanded to 120 men, then at the Middagshvile mining field.[15] The work report provides an interesting picture of the work that took place. A total of 418.3 metres of boreholes were blasted, and Andreas Larsen transported coal from Drammen to the field,[16] Andreas A. Wasfaret and Truls O. Enderud were fined for "disobedience" and as many as 14 men were fined for "lost tools".[17]
When mining master Karl Friedrich Böbert wrote his final report in 1840, he was proud to point out that the increase in the workforce to around 1,000 men had allowed the expansion of the mining facility to include the Latdal and Middagshvile mines.[18] On 12 May 1840, the landowner at Middagshvile, Ole Saastad, was asked to be informed that the mining facilities on his property were to "begin major operations" and 100 men were to be transferred there.[19] Middagshvile was located in Saastad mark, a property not owned by Blaafarveværket. This meant that the landowner had to receive some form of compensation for the encroachments on his property.[20]
A number of farm buildings have been built on the field over the years. In 1847, a smithy, two coal houses, a farmhouse and a kitchen were insured.[21] However, the buildings were characterised by being somewhat more makeshift than at the other mining sites. For example, four out of five of the buildings had board roofs, while most of the other buildings at the other mine sites had tiled roofs. There had also previously been a large scheide house at Middagshvile, but this was moved to Nordgruvene a few years earlier. The large foundation wall remains to this day.
The closure
Even though Middagshvile had never had as large a workload as it did in 1842, the entire field was closed in early 1843. The 4th month of 1843 was the last time hammers sounded in Saastad mark.[22] When the 22 men working there finished that month, the area was abandoned until further notice.
In mining master Amund Lammer's description of the Blaafarve colliery in April 1849, he justified the closure of Middagshvile as follows: "Operation of these was discontinued in April 1843, as it was found that the ore was not so good that any operation could profitably take place there."[23]
The only evidence of activity at Middagshvile after the closure of the field in 1843 is a drawing of a stoll, Otto tunnel, from map dated 1867.[24] The stoll's location is marked on a map in 1861,[25] but not drawn in, which suggests that it was constructed in the following years. Unfortunately, the work is not mentioned in the operational reports for 1861-67.[26]
The controversies at Middagskollen
At the very end of this description, I want to emphasise an exciting aspect of Middagskollen that I have not yet touched on. As early as 1822, farmers and local dignitaries began looking for cobalt deposits outside the Blaafarveværket property. As the union with Denmark had fallen and the works had been privatised, it was assumed that anyone could claim rights to new cobalt deposits.
Private exploration was initiated, but the new owners of Blaafarveværket took a back seat. Wegner and Benecke believed that they had bought the plant with the same rights and obligations as the previous owner had had. These rights included an exclusive right to all future cobalt discoveries in Modum. Such monarchical privileges were difficult to claim in a newly semi-independent Norway.
Hans Omsted, the man who started what was to become Snarum Cobalt Works, was not lenient in his demands. In a Supreme Court case from 1834, Omsted demanded the right to bribery at Middagskollen, Latdal, Middagshvile skjerp, Olasby, all skjerp in the Snarum annex, and even Nordgruvene no. 2, which at the time was well within Blaafarveværket's mining area at Skuterud.[27] He also demanded the right to review the old waste piles around these fields.[28]
According to the Supreme Court, Omsted was right in his claims. They also reprimanded the Blaafarveværk's former part-owner, Konsul Rhode, and miner Hans Strøm for their role in disrupting Omsted's early work.[29]
The Blaafarve mill had been quick to demand the right, or muting, at Latdal[30] and midday rest[31] i 1823. None of these were working at the time, but this was only because, according to the mill's management, they did not have enough labourers.[32]
Until the Supreme Court judgement, the tone between the two plants was tense to say the least. In August 1826, a foreman and three workers from Snarum Cobalt Works turned up at Blaafarve Works' mining site. They were carrying mining equipment and a rifle.[33] The group informed Christian Poulsen, the hut master at Blaafarveværket, that they had been sent by Omsted to inspect part of Blaafarveværket's mines. Poulsen expelled them "as good as by force".[34]
Surveys had been carried out at Middagskollen in 1827 to investigate the viability of the site.[35] The work was done on behalf of Omsted's partner, Gulbrand Henriksen, by Professor Jens Esmark.[36] On Esmark's instructions, several blasting attempts were made at Middagskollen.
From the foregoing it will be learnt that good goblin ore is found in the Saastad field in a length of about 150 layers, so that there is the most well-founded mountain man's hope that there is a very great wealth of goblin ore here, which, in goodness, will not give the one who is mined at Skuterud anything inferior, and the prospect of a lasting and continuous mining of goblin.[37]
There was nothing wrong with the viability of Middagskollen; rather, the problem was that the area itself was a long way from both Snarum Cobalt Works and Blaafarveværket's main facilities. Freight and accessibility were problems that kept cropping up. So it was only Blaafarveværket, at a time when they had a surplus of labour, that could really put the sharpeners into operation.
Muting at Latdal was petitioned for in 1838 by the Blaafarveværket's lawyer, Stang. The petition stated that the Blaafarveværket no longer had an exclusive privilege at the site, but wanted the right to operate there for the coming years. It does not appear that Snarum conducted any business at Latdal during this period, so the Blaafarveværket's petition was granted.[38] In this sense, it was Blaafarveværket that took over the field, even though Snarum was granted operating rights in 1834.
The dispute over who had the right where continued until 1840. That's when Snarum and the management of Blaafarveværket came to an agreement about where the boundary between them should be:
A settlement was reached by drawing a line from east to west, with the Modum company not mining north of the line and the Snarum company not mining south of the line.[39]
According to the agreement, Blaafarveværket had the right to operate from Muggerud in the south all the way to the mines in Saastadmarka in the north. To the north of this, Snarum Cobalt Works belonged.[40]
Afterword:
This is how the story of mining at Middagskollen ended. Or does it? To quote Professor Esmark again "Prospect of a lasting and steady Grubedrift on Kobold"[41] at Middagskollen was good in 1827, and maybe it will be in 2024? Stellantis, a company working in vehicle electrification and software technology development, invested EUR 5 million in KUNIKO in the summer of 2023.[42] For this investment, Stellantis was entitled to 35% of KUNIKO's future annual production of nickel and cobalt sulphate.[43]
Together with KUNIKO's own reports, such an agreement indicates that the trial operations at Middagskollen are promising. The war in Ukraine, ethical problems with parts of the mining operations in the Congo and a global climate crisis may perhaps help to speed up Norwegian mining projects. Sustainable, local and ethical production of cobalt would be favourable for both Norway and the western world.
Norway is an exporter of cobalt, especially to the USA.
Norway is the number one exporter of cobalt to the United States and is an integral part of the European supply chain.[44]
What will happen in the future is uncertain. Perhaps batteries will be developed that do not need cobalt to function? Perhaps another energy source will be developed? Perhaps there will be large-scale mining in Modum? Or maybe something completely different will happen. Either way, Middagskollen will be there, with or without mining.
[1] https://www.nb.no/items/437cf0474641a5ddc9db497edf091bc8?page=93&searchText=middagskollen%20 (Read 12.02.2024)
[2] This is, of course, just speculation, but possibly the name may have been suggested because the light hits the spot around the time when people were having dinner?
[3] www.kuniko.eu: Annual Report year ended 31 December 2022. p. 7
Link: https://kuniko.eu/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2533383.pdf (Read 23.02.2024) and www.theassay.com: Laurence, Eleanor. Kuniko Limited Reveals Robust Cobalt Mineralisation at Middaghvile.
Link: https://www.theassay.com/news/kuniko-limited-reveals-robust-cobalt-mineralization-at-middagshvile/ (Read: 23.02.2024)
[4] Ibid.
[5] www.bokhylla.no: Berg, Bjørn Ivar. The cobalt discovery at Modum in 1772, Ole Witloch and the first trial operation (Kongsberg: Bergverksmuseet, 2021) p. 31
Link: https://www.nb.no/items/add8a5c85d6b7bf18a12056035cdcb0e?page=31&searchText=Middagskollen (Read: 23.02.2024)
[6] Ibid. p. 20-23
[7] Ibid. p. 15
[8] Ibid. p. 31
[9] Ibid. p. 36
[10] RA/PA-0157/F/Fe/L0055: Operating report for the 12th month of 1779
[11] RA/PA-0157/F/Fe/L0055: Operating reports 1777-1787
[12] Modums Blaafarveværk, RA/PA-0157/G/Gd/Gdd/L0264/0001: - / Regning over gruver pukkverk m.v., 1838, p. 268
Use link for page view: https://www.digitalarkivet.no/db20120810670268 (Read: 23.02.2024)
[13] Ibid.
[14] www.bokhylla.no: Samuelsen, Jakob Andr. and Hundstadbråten, Kai. Old moings and other feelings: tradition from Modom (Modum. Lokalhistorisk forlag, 1991) pp. 182-183
Link: https://www.nb.no/items/1b4c2d5f210cdb267fcc9cf2ff5d0505?page=185&searchText=R%C3%B8tter (Read: 23.02.2024)
[15] Modums Blaafarveværk, RA/PA-0157/G/Gd/Gdd/L0268/0001: - / Regning over gruver pukkverk m.v., 1842, p. 5
Use link for page view: https://www.digitalarkivet.no/db20120810690005 (Read: 23.02.2024)
[16] Modums Blaafarveværk, RA/PA-0157/G/Gd/Gdd/L0268/0001: - / Regning over gruver pukkverk m.v., 1842, p. 6
Use link for page view: https://www.digitalarkivet.no/db20120810690006 (Read 23.02.2024)
[17] Modums Blaafarveværk, RA/PA-0157/G/Gd/Gdd/L0268/0001: - / Regning over gruver pukkverk m.v., 1842, p. 9
Use link for page view: https://www.digitalarkivet.no/db20120810690009 (Read: 23.02.2024)
[18] Modum's blue dye works, RA/PA-0157: Karl Fr. Böbert Main reports 1827-1840 p. 93
Microfilmed, transcribed and processed at Blaafarveværket's documentation centre
[19] Modums Blaafarveværk, RA/PA-0157/G/Gb/L0089/0001: - / Copy book, kept by Bøbert, 1837-1840, p. 231
Use link for page view: https://www.digitalarkivet.no/db20120822681353 (Read: 23.02.2023)
[20] Ibid.
[21] Modum sheriff's office, SAKO/A-524/Y/Yc/Ycc/L0001: Modum nordre fire record, 1846-1871
Use link for page view: https://www.digitalarkivet.no/db50001429300050 (Read: 23.02.2024)
[22] Modums Blaafarveværk, RA/PA-0157/G/Gd/Gdd/L0269/0001: - / Regning over gruver pukkverk m.v., 1843, p. 180
Use link for page view: https://www.digitalarkivet.no/db20120810690974 (Read: 23.02.2024)
[23] www.bokhylla.no: Morgenbladet, Monday 9 April 1849 "Angaaende Modums Blaafarveværk"
Link: https://www.nb.no/items/cac0a73457a827ef254fc0af7e276c7f?page=1&searchText=kobolt (Read: 23.02.2024)
[24] Retrieved from Blaafarveværkets internal map archive: 330/B/Seiger-Riss. August 1867. Pechstein. 3 metre long MBV original. Transcribed by Jens Treider
[25] Retrieved from Blaafarveværkets internal map archive: 330/A/1861- 10 copies - rolls. Original not identified. Otherwise similar to 330 B-C
[26] A-11299 Østlandske bergdistriktdiv. pakkesaker nr. 1tidsrom 1853, 1860-1896årsberetninger - Årsberetninger for Modums Blaafarveværk 1861-67
[27] www.bokhylla.no: Den Norske Rigstidende, Sunday 25 May 1834 "Höiesterets=Domme"
Link: https://www.nb.no/items/94e7831f914b924a42579a91dad1bb21?page=3&searchText=%22kobolt%22 (Read: 26.02.2024)
[28] Ibid.
[29] Ibid.
[30] Modums Blaafarveværk, RA/PA-0157/G/Gc/L0160/0011: - / Papiere in Betreff der Streitigkeiten mit Herrn A.G. Kaselach in Berlin, 1786-1848, p. 383
Use link for page view: https://www.digitalarkivet.no/db20120822670898 (Read: 26.02.2024)
[31] Modums Blaafarveværk, RA/PA-0157/G/Gc/L0160/0011: - / Papers concerning disputes with Mr A.G. Kaselach in Berlin, 1786-1848, p. 385
Use link for page view: https://www.digitalarkivet.no/db20120822670900 (Read: 26.02.2024)
[32] Ibid.
[33] Modums Blaafarveværk, RA/PA-0157/G/Gb/L0082/0001: - / Copy book, kept at the mine office, 1826-1830, p. 3
Use link for page view: https://www.digitalarkivet.no/db20120822660680 (Read: 27.02.2024)
[34] Modums Blaafarveværk, RA/PA-0157/G/Gb/L0082/0001: - / Copy book, kept at the mine office, 1826-1830, p. 4
Use link for page view: https://www.digitalarkivet.no/db20120822660681 (Read: 27.02.2024)
[35] www.bokhyll.no: Norsk Handels Tidende, Wednesday 11 July 1827 "Kobold Anviisninger paa Modum"
Link: https://www.nb.no/items/e6529dc79f2751e11654288580e8a438?page=3&searchText=kobold (Read 26.02.2024)
[36] Berg, Bjørn Ivar: Jens Esmark in Norsk biografisk leksikon på snl.no. Retrieved 27 February 2024 from https://nbl.snl.no/Jens_Esmark
[37] www.bokhyll.no: Norsk Handels Tidende, Wednesday 11 July 1827 "Kobold Anviisninger paa Modum"
Link: https://www.nb.no/items/e6529dc79f2751e11654288580e8a438?page=3&searchText=kobold (Read 27.02.2024)
[38] Modums Blaafarveværk, RA/PA-0157/G/Gc/L0160/0011: - / Papiere in Betreff der Streitigkeiten mit Herrn A.G. Kaselach in Berlin, 1786-1848, p. 447
Use link for page view: https://www.digitalarkivet.no/db20120822670962 (Read: 27.02.2024)
[39] Müller, H. Travelling notes on Norwegian mining in 1843. Manuscript, 1843, Clausthal University of Technology. Bibliothek. [Translated by Rainer Hielle "Travelling notes on Norwegian mines collected in 1843 by H. Müller"] p. 5
[40] Ibid.
[41] www.bokhyll.no: Norsk Handels Tidende, Wednesday 11 July 1827 "Kobold Anviisninger paa Modum"
Lenke: https://www.nb.no/items/e6529dc79f2751e11654288580e8a438?page=3&searchText=kobold (Lest 27.02.2024)
[42] www.stellantis.com: "Stellantis Signs Offtake Terms and Invests in Kuniko for Supply of Norwegian, Low Carbon Nickel and Cobalt Sulphate"
Link: https://www.stellantis.com/en/news/press-releases/2023/june/stellantis-signs-offtake-terms-and-invests-in-kuniko-for-supply-of-norwegian-low-carbon-nickel-and-cobalt-sulphate (Read: 27.02.2024)
[43] Ibid.
[44] www.state.gov: "Joint statement of the United States and Norway on the High-Level Energy and Climate Forum"
Link: https://www.state.gov/joint-statement-from-the-united-states-and-norway-on-the-high-level-energy-and-climate-forum/ (Read: 27.02.2024)