The region of Bergslagen, where this moon-mine would be situated, is historically famous for its production of iron. There are recorded accounts of minerals being extracted from these sites as early as the 12:th century, but most of the visible remains today come from the very end of the  era, late 17th century.  We took a guided tour from one of the mines in the area, and the recorded history of the place is really fantastic.

Now of course the situation is different. We talked with the municipality of Nora some years ago, and it became pretty clear to us that they would be open for pretty much anything that would give the  region a boost. This is pure speculation of course, but it is this how a project this far-fetched could get the ok?

Fig 2: Idea plan

So here is what i gathered from project moon-mining so far.

• The project aims to establish a self-sustainable habitat in the mine, to simulate the enviroments of a habitat on the moon.
• The project has been given some kind of all-clear from the municipality. It seems that some kind of access to the actual mine has been granted.
• They do NOT yet have the permit to pump the water out of mine. I’m not sure why this is such a big deal, but we spoke to some people that diregarded the whole project as being “a fantasy” and hoped that the water would remain in the mine as it is now.
• Taking water from the mine in question Storgruvan, would also drain the adjacent Lockgruvan, interfering with Lockgruvans current touristic activities.
• The pumping of water is scheduled to begin july 20 2009.

So what do you think? Great entrepeneurial spirit or madman delusions? As a sci-fi nerd I love the project, but reading on the official web is not comforting. Some kind of focus on Hergés Tintins adventures on the moon? Extraction of ore from the mine “for domestic use”?

Yes its easy to disregard this one as a madman and a nutcase, but let the man with his own moon-base throw the first stone says I.

Here are some links

Swedish press about the project: http://www..ingenjoren.se/Sidor/6nov2008.aspx

Official page and source of images: http://www.moon-mine.com/

Nora!  City of summer.  For us city-dwellers every year we come here it’s like balsam for your soul. We always sleep a lot more when we are here, eat extremely well, and Aron loves the house with all the toy cars in.

This years midsummers celebration was to be held at the Pershyttan. Old remnants of the iron-industry that these parts were famous for in the 17th century. It all started in the most swedish way possible. Pouring rain! Thankfully the sun decided to join us later.

Later in the day we took a guided tour of Lockgruvan, a mine in the same area that went into disuse in 1909. Lina tells me that the area around the mine-shaft used to be completely unprotected, which  is totally amazing to me. The shaft is 160 meters deep, at 100 meters down the water starts. Or as it were, the ice!  Even in midsummer the ice is thick, and the temperature way below zero.

Learning the fate of the people that worked in the mine makes us visitors grateful to not have been among their numbers. There were no unions and no organization among the workers, its only in the economic books of the company that you can learn how life might have been like, the following is an authentic quote from the ledgers of the iron company.

Today worker Sune Magnusson died of a “skut” (piece of rock falling from the cieling). He leaves behind widow and seven children in misery. The cost was 33 crowns. (funeral)

The guide could also tell us that there is a continued recorded history of the same family. Luckily for the family, they had a 15 year old son that could take his fathers place at the company. Had this not been the case the family would not only have lost their only source of income, but also the house. It also belonged to the company. The son died in a train accident a few years later, breaking the rules by leaving the mine by walking on the railway he was hit by a railway cart loaded with minerals from behind. By that time he had probably already lost all hearing and so was unable to hear the cart coming.

These sobering accounts on how the situation for the working man used to be, makes you all the more thankful for lazy summer days. Were “working hard” simply means  having to be indoors.

Happy midsummers to you, and I hope you get lots of great vacation!

Gabriel also took great pics which can be found here: http://gabice.blogspot.com/2007/09/baptised.html