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Sveagruva: Difference between revisions

Coordinates: 77°54′00″N 16°43′50″E / 77.90000°N 16.73056°E / 77.90000; 16.73056
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updated Svea Nord information to reflect its recent closure
History: updated link
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The town was established in 1917 by Swedes.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.snsk.no/svea-nord.145613.en.html|title=Svea Nord|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/66BDwuI0x?url=http://www.snsk.no/svea-nord.145613.en.html|archive-date=2012-03-15|df=}}</ref> It was thereafter destroyed in 1944, but quickly re-established after [[World War II]]. The mining activity ceased in 1949, and was not re-established until 1970. Mining was suspended for a short period in 1987. In the 1990s, the town nearly vanished, as mines in Longyearbyen proved more productive and accessible. In 2005, a mine fire erupted, lasting uninterrupted for more than five weeks, and causing 700 million Norwegian kroner worth of damage.
The town was established in 1917 by Swedes.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.snsk.no/svea-nord.145613.en.html|title=Svea Nord|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/66BDwuI0x?url=http://www.snsk.no/svea-nord.145613.en.html|archive-date=2012-03-15|df=}}</ref> It was thereafter destroyed in 1944, but quickly re-established after [[World War II]]. The mining activity ceased in 1949, and was not re-established until 1970. Mining was suspended for a short period in 1987. In the 1990s, the town nearly vanished, as mines in Longyearbyen proved more productive and accessible. In 2005, a mine fire erupted, lasting uninterrupted for more than five weeks, and causing 700 million Norwegian kroner worth of damage.


Sveagruva held the most productive coal mine of Svalbard, the Svea Nord [[longwall]] mine. Opened in 2001, the mine produces up to 4 million metric tons of coal annually,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.snsk.no/important-dates-in-store-norskes-history.145749.en.html|title=Important dates in Store Norske's history|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160129125450/http://www.snsk.no/important-dates-in-store-norskes-history.145749.en.html|archive-date=2016-01-29|df=}}</ref> making it one of the largest underground coal mines in Europe. The mine closed for good in March 2020.<ref> {{cite web|url=https://www.spitsbergen-svalbard.com/2020/02/26/svea-nord-is-history.html|title=Svea Nord is history</ref>
Sveagruva held the most productive coal mine of Svalbard, the Svea Nord [[longwall]] mine. Opened in 2001, the mine produces up to 4 million metric tons of coal annually,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.snsk.no/important-dates-in-store-norskes-history.145749.en.html|title=Important dates in Store Norske's history|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160129125450/http://www.snsk.no/important-dates-in-store-norskes-history.145749.en.html|archive-date=2016-01-29|df=}}</ref> making it one of the largest underground coal mines in Europe. The mine closed for good in March 2020.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.spitsbergen-svalbard.com/2020/02/26/svea-nord-is-history.html|title=Svea Nord is history|last=Stange|first=Rolf|date=2020-02-26|website=Spitsbergen {{!}} Svalbard|language=en-US|access-date=2020-10-19}}</ref>


Sveagruva closed in 2017 due to economic conditions.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.spitsbergen-svalbard.com/2019/02/15/lunckefjellet-the-end-of-an-arctic-coal-mine.html|title=Lunckefjellet: the end of an arctic coal mine|last=Stange|first=Rolf|date=2019-02-15|website=Spitsbergen {{!}} Svalbard|language=en-US|access-date=2020-01-28}}</ref>
Sveagruva closed in 2017 due to economic conditions.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.spitsbergen-svalbard.com/2019/02/15/lunckefjellet-the-end-of-an-arctic-coal-mine.html|title=Lunckefjellet: the end of an arctic coal mine|last=Stange|first=Rolf|date=2019-02-15|website=Spitsbergen {{!}} Svalbard|language=en-US|access-date=2020-01-28}}</ref>

Revision as of 15:19, 19 October 2020

Sveagruva
Sveagruva is located in Svalbard
Sveagruva
Sveagruva
Location of Sveagruva and Svalbard
Coordinates: 77°54′00″N 16°43′50″E / 77.90000°N 16.73056°E / 77.90000; 16.73056
Country Norway
RegionSvalbard
Founded1917
Population
 (2007)
 • Total
300 (commuting)

Sveagruva (meaning Swedish Mine), or simply Svea, was a mining settlement in the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard, lying at the head of Van Mijenfjord. It was the third largest settlement in the archipelago (after Longyearbyen and Barentsburg). Around 300 workers living in Longyearbyen commuted to Sveagruva for work on a daily or weekly basis. Sveagruva has no permanent inhabitants. The mine was operated by Store Norske Spitsbergen Kulkompani. There is no road to Longyearbyen or any other settlements, so travel is done by air from Svea Airport and coal transport by ship from a port 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) southwest.

History

The town was established in 1917 by Swedes.[1] It was thereafter destroyed in 1944, but quickly re-established after World War II. The mining activity ceased in 1949, and was not re-established until 1970. Mining was suspended for a short period in 1987. In the 1990s, the town nearly vanished, as mines in Longyearbyen proved more productive and accessible. In 2005, a mine fire erupted, lasting uninterrupted for more than five weeks, and causing 700 million Norwegian kroner worth of damage.

Sveagruva held the most productive coal mine of Svalbard, the Svea Nord longwall mine. Opened in 2001, the mine produces up to 4 million metric tons of coal annually,[2] making it one of the largest underground coal mines in Europe. The mine closed for good in March 2020.[3]

Sveagruva closed in 2017 due to economic conditions.[4]

Weather and Climate

Climate data for Sveagruva
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) −13
(9)
−13
(9)
−13
(9)
−9
(16)
−3
(27)
3
(37)
7
(45)
6
(43)
2
(36)
−4
(25)
−8
(18)
−11
(12)
−3
(27)
Daily mean °C (°F) −16.5
(2.3)
−17
(1)
−16.5
(2.3)
−12.5
(9.5)
−5
(23)
1
(34)
5
(41)
4
(39)
−0.5
(31.1)
−6.5
(20.3)
−11
(12)
−14.5
(5.9)
−6
(21)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) −20
(−4)
−21
(−6)
−20
(−4)
−16
(3)
−7
(19)
−1
(30)
3
(37)
2
(36)
−3
(27)
−9
(16)
−14
(7)
−18
(0)
−9.5
(14.9)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 22
(0.9)
28
(1.1)
29
(1.1)
16
(0.6)
13
(0.5)
18
(0.7)
24
(0.9)
30
(1.2)
25
(1.0)
19
(0.7)
22
(0.9)
25
(1.0)
271
(10.7)
Source: Sveagruva Climate Guide[5]

References

  1. ^ "Svea Nord". Archived from the original on 2012-03-15.
  2. ^ "Important dates in Store Norske's history". Archived from the original on 2016-01-29.
  3. ^ Stange, Rolf (2020-02-26). "Svea Nord is history". Spitsbergen | Svalbard. Retrieved 2020-10-19.
  4. ^ Stange, Rolf (2019-02-15). "Lunckefjellet: the end of an arctic coal mine". Spitsbergen | Svalbard. Retrieved 2020-01-28.
  5. ^ "Sveagruva Climate Guide, Svalbard". Weather2Travel.