The book "Blyminen in Mesters Vig"
Publisher Agtuakat
Author Fin Kløve Lassen
In 2007 it is a little more than 50 years since the leadmine in Mestes Vig, Greenland started production. It was here, in underground spaces, possible to blast and refine ore with a relatively high levels of lead, as well as zinc.
The work was done under exceptional circumstances, with darknes for 2 months during the winter, and similar midnightssun for 2 months in the summer. There was falling much snow, up to 2.4 m the one winter, and a temperature of -45 degrees centigrades were regularly occurring.
In parallel with the production in the mine we were looking for new minerals, and at a location in Werner Mountains, called Malmjerget, was found traces of the precious metal, molybdenum, which is used for the production high quality steel. Under very difficult conditions were here arranged sledgetransport with bulldozer to transport materiel, and blasted tunnels and also performed diamond drilling to document the Mountains content of molybdenum.
Malmbjerget is located in approximately 700 m height, and between two glaciers. Accessibility is therefore difficult, and after thorough investigations, it was noted, that mining of the ore was not profitable.
It is now 50 years since the studies in Malmbjerget began, and it seems that Mountains bewitched sleep is about to be over. The reason is, that a Canadian company has opened new investigations, and strongly suggests, that it will end with an exploitation of the presence of Malmbjerget. In that case, it will be a very big mine, with an day and nigth produktion of 25,000 tonnes, and thus 100 times larger than it was in Blyklippen.
If you are interested in the history, from the initial lead was found in Blyklippen, to the mine was exhausted, and studies in Malmbjerget ended with a negative result, read the above book, wich can be purchased from booksellers in Denmark, but unfortunately only in danish.
Fin Kløve Lassen
Last edited february 25 2009