The story
The history of Blaafarveværket and Koboltgruvene is rich and stretches back to the discovery of ore at Skuterudåsen in 1772.
Parts of our history are extracted from our extensive archive. Large parts of the material from the period 1822-1849 have been microfilmed. The National Archives has scanned the microfilms. Read more about our Documentation Centre and archive here. Below is a timeline of the history of Blaafarveværket, both old and recent, where major events are highlighted.
Timeline for Blaafarveværket
1772
1772
The first ore discovery - The discovery was made by the dismissed and exiled Kongsberg miner Ole Witloch.
1773
1773
Test mining begins - Test blasting was carried out at Skuterud, while chemist Peter Hofnagel investigated whether the cobalt was viable.
1776
1776
Blaafarveværket is founded by royal decree - on 1 April this year, Det kongelige Modumske Blaafarveværk is founded by King Christian 7.
1783
1783
Hiring of new colour inspector Georg Christopher Bernstein - Industrial spy Ole Henckel managed to recruit Bernstein at a secret meeting in Germany. Bernstein managed to get the Blaafarveværk's production up and running after several years of unqualified leadership.
1783
1783
The Minister of Finance in Denmark-Norway, von Stemann, visits the Cobalt Mines - In the same year, a royal decree is issued that two schools are to be built, one at the dye works and one at the Cobalt Mines.
1813
1813
Blaafarveværket is pledged by King Frederik VI - After the biggest financial disaster in Danish history, the state bankruptcy, King Frederik VI was forced to pledge Blaafarveværket to the Swedish merchant Peter Wilhelm Berg for a loan of 250,000 marks Hamburger Banko.
1814
1814
The newly established Norwegian state takes over the operation of Blaafarveværket - The new Norwegian state desperately needed money at this time and takes control of the production and sale of the stock of blue colour, Bergs pant tiltros.
1819
1819
Mortgagee Peter Berg wins in the Supreme Court and regains the right to the Blaafarve mill - Berg went bankrupt in 1816 and it was his bankruptcy estate that was given the right to sell the mill following a decision by the Supreme Court.
1822
1822
The blue colour mill was sold at auction to the German financier Wilhelm Christian Benecke - Benecke bought the mill and made plans to expand operations.
1824
1824
Friedrich Roscher is hired as hut master - Roscher streamlines the smelting process and makes it possible to utilise the copper-containing ore.
1827
1827
Karl Friedrich Böbert is hired as mine manager - Böbert revolutionised mining by starting underground mining. During his 13 years in the service of Blaafarveværket, the output increased considerably.
1835-40
1835-40
Blaafarveværket is the largest mine in Norway and the largest cobalt producer in the world - 1,205 employees worked at Koboltgruvene and the plant produced 80% of all cobalt colour pigment on the world market.
1839
1839
First documented Norwegian mining railway - The railway was installed in Benneckestollen.
1848
1848
The blue dye works is put up for sale - The synthetic colour pigment ultramarine outperformed the far more expensive cobalt pigment.
1849
1849
Blaafarveværket is sold to the English trading house Goodhall & Reeves - Blaafarveværket's largest customer buys the plant in the hope that new product development could lead to future profits.
1854
1854
The biggest mining accident in Blaafarveværket's history takes place - 5 people die and 2 are seriously injured.
1856
1856
The blue dye works is sold to Sächsischer Privat-Blaufarbenwerkverein - the poor quality of the synthetic ultramarine led to increased demand for cobalt colour pigment. The Saxons bought up mines throughout Europe to monopolise the cobalt trade.
1858
1858
The longest gallery at Blaafarveværk, Ludvig Eugen Stoll, is begun - the gallery is completed in 1869 and was approximately 400 metres long. In the 1870s, the gallery was extended by a further 400 metres.
1869
1869
The colour plant is closed - All cobalt ore was crushed and sent for processing in Germany.
1875
1875
Blaafarveværket is the first mine in Norway to use drilling machines - the drilling machines were powered by compressed air.
1894
1894
Blaafarveværket sets up a wood grinding plant at Haugfossen - This was done to avoid bankruptcy.
1898
1898
The Blaafarve mill is closed down - after several years of losses, the Saxons had to give up and all work ceases at the end of this year.
1919
1919
Modum municipality buys "the old Blaafarveværk" from the Saxons - Things went badly for the municipality. The sawmill burned down in 1926 and the municipality was bankrupt in 1933.
1930s
1930s
Blaafarveværket's buildings and forest are sold off piecemeal. The buildings were in danger of being demolished - including the calcination house. Everyone involved in the demolition became ill because of all the arsenic that remained after 120 years of use.
1941
1941
Trial operations started during the German occupation - Mining was eventually deemed too expensive, so work was discontinued after a few months.
1947
1947
The caretaker's house is on fire - This building originally housed the night caretaker and stood where the showroom is today.
1950s
1950s
Modum municipality is selling all the farm buildings at Haugfossen to private industrial companies - The old half-timbered buildings are in poor condition and are once again at risk of demolition.
1968-69
1968-69
Friends of Blaafarveværket succeed in stopping industrial development at Haugfossene - This work was led by Kjell Jakob Rasmus Steinsvik.
1971
1971
The Modums Blaafarveværk foundation is established this year.
1978
1978
The first art exhibition - the paintings of Christian Skredsvig are exhibited.
1980
1980
The Mill opens to the public - The Mill consisted of a glass and porcelain exhibition and sales of blue glass.
1983
1983
Haugfossen opens - Thranestua, where Marcus Thrane lived in 1847, is a restaurant. Haugfossen landhandleri is today a retail outlet.
1984
1984
Children's farm and Nymoen school open to the public - Children's farm is visited annually by almost 10,000 kindergarten children. Nymoen School is one of Norway's oldest district school buildings still standing. The foundation was built around 1783.
1989
1989
Nyfossum opens to the public - Originally completed in 1826. The architect was Friedrich Roscher
1991
1991
Queen Margrethe exhibits her works in the timber barn - The exhibition consisted of 120 works. Opened by the Queen.
1992
1992
Nymoen no. 9 opens to the public - The old workers' residence was built after 1779 when Nymoen was zoned for housing for the dye works' workers. All permanent workers had an equal right to free housing here.
1993
1993
The Kittelsen Museum and Cobalt Mines open to the public - officially opened by King Harald.
2000
2000
Kjell Steinsvik is appointed Commander of the Order of St Olav - he dies the same year and is buried at the mines.
2004
2004
The museum is being consolidated in accordance with the museum reform.
2006
2006
Mine cheese storage in Clara stoll - The constant temperature of the cobalt mine makes it ideal for ripening and storing cheese.
2007
2007
Clara stoll and Ludvig Eugen stoll open to the public - Clara stollen was completed in 1845, Ludvig Eugen stollen was fully completed in 1878.
2010
2010
The tunnel of the senses opens to the public - A small town in Clara stoll with an exhibition for people with visual impairments.
2011
2011
Koboltkoia will be inaugurated on 29 May this year - the hut was built in 1860 and was originally a school in Snarum. It has 12 beds and is run by DNT Drammen og Omegn.
2011
2011
Christmas in Blue Mountain 2 premieres in Norwegian cinemas - Parts of the film were shot in Midtstrekket 40 metres below Clara Stoll.
2013
2013
The Ragnarok Riddle premieres in Norwegian cinemas - Parts of the film were shot in the Cobalt Mines
2017
2017
The glass floor is officially opened by Minister of Culture Monica Meland - The glass floor is located at the top of an approximately 22 metre deep mine shaft inside Clara Stoll.
2018
2018
50th anniversary - The cultural trail "Sydgruvene rundt" is opened and a suspension bridge is constructed between the rocks inside the Clara stoll.