Långban

DESCRIPTION

Långban is famous as the worlds most mineral rich mine. It was closed in 1972 but still yields new minerals, the latest one, Philolithite was found in 1997 ???.
Långban isn't famous only only for a great number of minerals, it is also famous as the birth place of John Ericsson, the inventer of the propeller and many more. It is also a famous botanical locality with a number of rare orchidees.

VISITS

The summer of 1997 My first visit was in the summer of 1997. I was travelling with my girlfriend from the west coast of Sweden after we had grown tired of the "beautiful people" and the sun. When we reached Långban, the sun shined from a blue sky and I prepared her for my excursion by buying her lunch in the local tavern. Then I planted her down by the lake with cookies, coke and a good book to read.
Then I went off on the dump piles for three hours when I finally was interrupted by a thunderstorm, but I had found some nice minerals, so the day was perfect.

1998 I'm going on a trip to Bergslagen together with Västerbottens Amatörgeologiska förening in the summer. We have devoted one day for Långban ... according to the experts, you never stays less than a couple of days... ;-)

LITTERATURE

The Långban Society homepage.
( I will continue this list later )

Mineral assemblage

Minerals I found or have in my collection.
Calcite, Scheelite, Natrolite, Manganophyll, Hedenbergite, Hematite, Native lead, Blixite, Bergslagite, Berzeliite, Hedyphane, Richterite, Magnesioferrite, Magnetoplumbite, Schefferite, Litharge, Quartz,

Other minerals recorded in Långban.
Antimonite, Brucite, Phenakite, Xonotlite,
tobedone, not ready yet ....

Calcite
Calcite crystals from Långban, dolomite mine. This specimen was picked in the 1960's. From a great fracture.
As a gift from Emil Gregori, Falun 1998-05-16.
(300 dpi, 800x600, k)

Natrolite
A small sun of natrolite in epidote scarn.
The rock I collected yielded a couple of samples of natrolite suns. The biggest, this picture, have a radius about 4 mm.
Collected 1997
(300 dpi, 800x600, k)

Scheelite
A small crystal of scheelite in a hole in green scarn.
Collected 1997
(300 dpi, 800x600, k)

Hedenbergite
I think this is hedenbergite. The crystals are located in the central lower part of the picture, and i the upper left part. It is as small squarish black crystals.
They are hard to see in the picture, black against a black background.
Collected 1997
(300 dpi, 800x600, k)

Rhodonite
I think that this is rhodonite.
It is very fine grained, no grains are visible for the naked eye.
Collected 1997
(300 dpi, 800x600, k)

Manganophyll
Finegrained manganophyll with calcite. The calcite is strongly fluorescent with a color as burning coal. I will include a picture later.
Collected 1997
(300 dpi, 800x600, k)

Epidote
A piece of massive finegrained epidote with some thin veins of hematite.
Collected 1997
(300 dpi, 800x600, k)

Unknown
Unknown brown serpentinite like mineral.
Streak color : brown.
Collected 1997
(300 dpi, 800x600, k)

Hematite
Hematite with green scarn. The hematite lies as a cleavable mass on both sides of the rock.
There are some cavities in the hematite, so some day I will check it out with a microscope.
Collected 1997
(300 dpi, 800x600, k)

Blixite
Blixite in Hausmannite ore. The blixite is recognised by a greenish hue in microscopic studies.
Bought from Ingemar Johansson, Kopparberg 1998.
Given to my friend Nils-Gunnar Blix.
(300 dpi, 800x600, k)

Lead
Native lead as fracture filling.
The lead have a grayish hue caused by oxidation.
Bought from Ingemar Johansson, Kopparberg 1998.
(300 dpi, 800x600, k)

Bergslagite
The white area between the arrows consists of bergslagite.
Bought from Ingemar Johansson, Kopparberg.
(300 dpi, 800x600, k)

Berzeliite
A yellow aggregate of berzeliite in the upper left part of the rock.
Bought from Ingemar Johansson, Kopparberg.
(300 dpi, 800x600, k)

Hedyphane
The to of the rock consists of hedyphane and the rest of the rock consists of calcite with richterite.
Bought from Ingemar Johansson, Kopparberg.
(300 dpi, 800x600, k)

Richterite
Richterite in up to two cm long crystals in calcite.
As a gift from Ingemar Johansson, Kopparberg.
(300 dpi, 800x600, k)

Magnesioferrite
Magnesioferrite as black grains in calcite.
Bought from Ingemar Johansson, Kopparberg.
(300 dpi, 800x600, k)

Magnetoplumbite
Manganoplumbite as small black aggregates in richterite scarn.
Bought from Ingemar Johansson, Kopparberg.
(300 dpi, 800x600, k)

Schefferite
Schefferite with some calcite and hematite.
As a gift from Ingemar Johansson, Kopparberg.
(300 dpi, 800x600, k)

Shefferite
Schefferite with veins of magnetite.
Streak : light brown.
Collected 1997
(300 dpi, 800x600, k)

Litharge
Litharge as a red spot in magnesioferrite.
Bought from Ingemar Johansson, Kopparberg.
(300 dpi, 800x600, k)

Quartz
Two varieties of quartz in the same stuff. Clear quartz and jaspis, quartz stained red by hematite.
What the mineral vein running through it is, I don't know.
Collected 1997
(300 dpi, 800x600, k)

If you have some questions, suggestions or comments you are welcome to write me a line or two.

Locality index. Main index.

axelsson@acc.umu.se

	Calcite Calcite crystals from Långban, dolomite mine. This specimen was picked in the 1960's. From a great fracture. As a gift from Emil Gregori, Falun 1998-05-16. (300 dpi, 800x600, k)
	Natrolite A small sun of natrolite in epidote scarn. The rock I collected yielded a couple of samples of natrolite suns. The biggest, this picture, have a radius about 4 mm. Collected 1997 (300 dpi, 800x600, k)
	Scheelite A small crystal of scheelite in a hole in green scarn. Collected 1997 (300 dpi, 800x600, k)
	Hedenbergite I think this is hedenbergite. The crystals are located in the central lower part of the picture, and i the upper left part. It is as small squarish black crystals. They are hard to see in the picture, black against a black background. Collected 1997 (300 dpi, 800x600, k)
	Rhodonite I think that this is rhodonite. It is very fine grained, no grains are visible for the naked eye. Collected 1997 (300 dpi, 800x600, k)
	Manganophyll Finegrained manganophyll with calcite. The calcite is strongly fluorescent with a color as burning coal. I will include a picture later. Collected 1997 (300 dpi, 800x600, k)
	Epidote A piece of massive finegrained epidote with some thin veins of hematite. Collected 1997 (300 dpi, 800x600, k)
	Unknown Unknown brown serpentinite like mineral. Streak color : brown. Collected 1997 (300 dpi, 800x600, k)
	Hematite Hematite with green scarn. The hematite lies as a cleavable mass on both sides of the rock. There are some cavities in the hematite, so some day I will check it out with a microscope. Collected 1997 (300 dpi, 800x600, k)
	Blixite Blixite in Hausmannite ore. The blixite is recognised by a greenish hue in microscopic studies. Bought from Ingemar Johansson, Kopparberg 1998. Given to my friend Nils-Gunnar Blix. (300 dpi, 800x600, k)
	Lead Native lead as fracture filling. The lead have a grayish hue caused by oxidation. Bought from Ingemar Johansson, Kopparberg 1998. (300 dpi, 800x600, k)
	Bergslagite The white area between the arrows consists of bergslagite. Bought from Ingemar Johansson, Kopparberg. (300 dpi, 800x600, k)
	Berzeliite A yellow aggregate of berzeliite in the upper left part of the rock. Bought from Ingemar Johansson, Kopparberg. (300 dpi, 800x600, k)
	Hedyphane The to of the rock consists of hedyphane and the rest of the rock consists of calcite with richterite. Bought from Ingemar Johansson, Kopparberg. (300 dpi, 800x600, k)
	Richterite Richterite in up to two cm long crystals in calcite. As a gift from Ingemar Johansson, Kopparberg. (300 dpi, 800x600, k)
	Magnesioferrite Magnesioferrite as black grains in calcite. Bought from Ingemar Johansson, Kopparberg. (300 dpi, 800x600, k)
	Magnetoplumbite Manganoplumbite as small black aggregates in richterite scarn. Bought from Ingemar Johansson, Kopparberg. (300 dpi, 800x600, k)
	Schefferite Schefferite with some calcite and hematite. As a gift from Ingemar Johansson, Kopparberg. (300 dpi, 800x600, k)
	Shefferite Schefferite with veins of magnetite. Streak : light brown. Collected 1997 (300 dpi, 800x600, k)
	Litharge Litharge as a red spot in magnesioferrite. Bought from Ingemar Johansson, Kopparberg. (300 dpi, 800x600, k)
	Quartz Two varieties of quartz in the same stuff. Clear quartz and jaspis, quartz stained red by hematite. What the mineral vein running through it is, I don't know. Collected 1997 (300 dpi, 800x600, k)