The Långban Society

The Långban Society was founded in 1983, and its members have a wide interest in the mineralogy, geology and history of a group of mines, most of which are situated in eastern Värmland, Bergslagen. It has about 50 members

Why Långban?

In this area there is a small number of mines which for a long time have been known for their great number of minerals. These deposits are Långban and its "satellites" Harstigen/Pajsberg, Jakobsberg, Nordmark and Sjögruvan. Their common denominator is that they have been mined for manganese oxide ore, which distinguishes them from most other mines in the Bergslagen district. Enrichment of several uncommon elements (antimony, arsenic, lead, boron, beryllium, etc.) has together with the complex redox chemistry of manganese led to an intriguing mineralogy. For the past 150 years geologists and mineralogists have been studying these occurrences and published a vast number of papers on the mineralogy, ore geology, etc. of these mines.

Activities and aims

The Långban Society serves as a forum for like-minded people, amateurs as well as professionals, who actively wish to exchange information and knowledge about mineral findings, new literature pertaining to the Långban mines, etc. The object of the Society is:

To arouse interest in the geology and mineralogy of Långban-type deposits
To protect and promote the cultural history of the localities
To deepen the members' knowledge of the geology, mineralogy and history of the mines
To act as the members' representative body towards other associations, as well as towards authorities and institutions

Meetings are arranged three times a year. The Society then gathers in a pleasant atmosphere, and new mineral findings, journal articles as well as other matters concerning these localities are discussed. The Society also tries to engage speakers from outside to give talks at the meetings. Written contributions are published about once a year in the report LångbansNytt.

To meet the Society's aim to be an association of active and interested members, a recommendation from two regular members and voting at one of the Society's meetings is required for the acceptance of new members. Further information about the Society can be obtained from the following persons: Erik Jonsson, Chairman, or Markus Wiklund, Secretary