Kårarvsgruvan, Naturvårdsområde

The Kårarvs Mine is one of Sweden’s most mineral-rich mines. Pegmatite was mined here during the 19th century. Rare minerals such as helmetite, pyrrhotite, yttrocerite, and fluocerite have been found here.
Photo: Dalarna County Administrative Board

Hike along beautiful trails with signs that tell you more about the area

Along the trail that runs through the nature reserve, you can see many traces of mining from days gone by. Follow the trail and walk in their footsteps to learn more about what Jöns Jacob Berzelius and Erik Nordenskiöld discovered beneath the mosses, lichens, and pine trees!

Berzelius and Nordenskiöld were here

Jöns Jacob Berzelius is considered the father of modern chemistry. His research and discoveries have been of immense importance to the development of chemistry. One of Berzelius’s most famous contributions was assigning letter symbols to the elements, such as gold (Au) and silver (Ag).

A few years after Berzelius’s death, Erik Nordenskiöld came to Falun. In 1860, Nordenskiöld described an unknown mineral discovered during a blasting operation in the area. It was named hjelmit. Since then, it has been associated worldwide with Kårarvet because it was first discovered here.

Hjelmit and quartz are among the finds

Hjelmit is usually completely black, sometimes with shades of brown or gray, and appears as small grains or lumps in the bedrock. It is a rare mineral that has not been found in many places.

In the quartz mines, quartz was mined for use in copper production at the Falu Mine. Quartz is one of the most common minerals on Earth. Rock crystal and amethyst are quartz in crystalline form. Along the trails in the area, you can still find quartz waste from the transport to the copper works.

Test pits led to the discovery of more minerals

A short way up the slope lies an old quarry known as "Gahn’s test pit." A "skärpning" is a site where test mining was conducted. The test mining took place in the early 1800s. During an examination of the surrounding waste piles, many minerals were found, including pyrite, magnetite, and garnet.

Visitor Information

To visit the reserve, there is a small parking lot for about two cars, just over 100 meters after Kårarvsvägen turns into a gravel road. Drive carefully as the parking lot is a bit bumpy.

You’ll find a nature reserve sign at the parking lot.

Hiking Trail

There is a hiking trail around the reserve; the round trip from the parking lot is about 1.4 km. Along the trail, there are information signs about the area’s minerals. Unmarked paths lead into the reserve from several directions.