Ankerhus and Koldal mines - our first ilmenite mines

The remains of Ankerhus mines just outside Egersund provide an exciting insight into our early mining history.

Remnants of buildings, slag heaps and countless mining tunnels bear witness to a great deal of activity. The site is about a 30-minute hike from the road. The hike follows a path in a characteristic landscape.

Culture and history

Mining activities related to ilmenite have a long history in Magma Geopark. The first mines were opened in 1785, near Koldal about 6 km east of Egersund. Ilmenite consists of both iron and titanium, and 3,000 tonnes of ore was removed over 11 years of iron extraction. Due to challenges with the smelting process, mining operations ended in 1796.

In 1861, new business started up in the area. A railway was built to transport mass 7 km to the coast. This came down from Koldal at the far end of Lædrefjorden through Hålandsdalen. Wagons filled with ore were transported 118 meters down to the sea. The empty wagons were pulled back to the mountain by horses. In 1881, the mining operations were again ended and this time for good.

Geology

The ilmenite vein is located in a narrow east-west zone near the boundary between anorthosite and gneiss. There are about 30 mines and skarps along this vein, and one of them is Ankerhus.

Ilmenite

Ilmenite is a black, metallic mineral consisting of 50% iron and 50% titanium oxide. Titanium oxide is a white pigment. In the process of separating the iron from the titanium oxide, the iron becomes iron sulphate, as sulphate is added in this process. The iron sulphate is used for water purification of sewage and other contaminated water. Titanium oxide is used as a pigment in paints, plastics and paper, but also in cosmetics such as sun cream and make-up, and in medicine. We recognise it in food, as E171.