Scandinavian American. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1945-1958, 1945-07-01

| metric IONS. manganese ana OlHeI
metals, particularly those required
in alloy steel are contained in con-
siderable amounts in these ores.
Current estimates of probable
iron-ore reserves vary widely. The
deposits are by no means mex
haustible. Assuming that all prob
able reserves are retained for the
use of domestic industry and that
steel production averages slightly
above the 1933-1942 figures, the
low phosphorus ores would last
about 1880 years and the manga
niferous ores about 40 years, ac-
cording to recent estimates by the
Swedish Geological Survey and the
Board of Trade. However, should
exports continue at the rate pre-
vailing in the 1933-1942 period, the
ores would probably be exhausted
in As years. Few new mines have
been found in the Central region,
but know m n e S have revealed
unsupported dimensions.
The iron and steel producers
have lately shown renewed inter-
est in prospecting work and Swe-
den has long been prominent in
the development and use of mag
netic, electric, seismic and gravi-
metric methods of ore detection
and in ore location by diamond
drilling.
Iron Ore of Swedish Lapland
Ore reserves contained in the
known deposits of Swedish Lap
land are much more important. A
conservative estimate places the
total quantity of ore at the Kiruna
deposit at 75O,0OO,0OO metric tons.
Later estimates consider twi c e
that quantity possible, and even
2,000,000,00O tons is sometimes
mentioned. Iron content runs from
Sc per cent to an occasional 20
per cent, the bulk of the ore con-
tanning about 81 per cent. Other
Lapland iron-ore deposits include
the II arby Luossavaara and
Malmberget. The PHOSPHORUS con-
tent of the Kiruna ores runs from
0.017 to 1856 per cent. With the
! discovery of the Thomas process,
the high PHOSPHORUS content of
most Lapland ores became an ad-
vantage, and together with their
high iron content made them of
great economic Importance.
In Swedish iron ore mining the
Grangesberg Company is of out
standing prominence, both in re-
gard to the magnitude of it's OPP
erations and it's relationship with
the Swedish government. AS joint
owner with the government a
Grangesberg subsidiary, the Luos-
savaara Kiirunavaara Company
| operates all the most important
ore fields in Lapland.
The Grangesberg Companys ac-
tivities in the Lapland fields are
based on a contract with the gov
ernernment, concluded in 1907 but
since then amended several times.
Under this contract, the company
acquired the common shares of
the Luossavaara Kiirunavaara
Company while the Swedish gov
eminent took over the preferred
stock The total capitalization of
Luossavaara Kiirunavaara is
now 1110,0OO,OOO kronor tS27,-
5O0,O0O), half common, half pre-
ferred. The government has re-
served the right to purchase the
common shares in 1941, or after
that every tenth year.
Other Governmental Supervision
The present Swedish mining law
became effective on January l.,
1910. 1t does not permit prospect
ing by foreigners. A law of May
80, 1916, amended June l. 1884,
prohibits the alien ownership of
mines or mining shares in Swe-
den. except under specified condi-
tions. Foreign ownership of one
field in Lapland and of some nine
iron-mining companies in Central
Sweden, which hold about 9 pei
cent of the ore reserves in that
region, antedated the 1916 law
and were therefore excepted from
its provisions and the subsequent
amendment.