page_title: Olivine
section_title: Norway
hierarchical_section_title: Olivine / Mining / Norway
caption_attribution_description: English: Sunnylvsfjord in Norway, MS Midtnatsol Hurtigruten, olivine surface mining centre.
context_page_description: The mineral olivine is a magnesium iron silicate with the formula (Mg²⁺, Fe²⁺)₂SiO
  ₄. Thus, it is a type of nesosilicate or orthosilicate. The primary component of the Earth's upper mantle, it is a common mineral in Earth's subsurface, but weathers quickly on the surface.
  The ratio of magnesium to iron varies between the two endmembers of the solid solution series: forsterite and fayalite. Compositions of olivine are commonly expressed as molar percentages of forsterite and fayalite. Forsterite's melting temperature is unusually high at atmospheric pressure, almost 1,900 °C, while fayalite's is much lower — about 1,200 °C. Melting temperature varies smoothly between the two endmembers, as do other properties. Olivine incorporates only minor amounts of elements other than oxygen, silicon, magnesium and iron. Manganese and nickel commonly are the additional elements present in highest concentrations.
  Olivine gives its name to the group of minerals with a related structure —which includes tephroite, monticellite, larnite and kirschsteinite.
context_section_description: Norway is the main source of olivine in Europe, particularly in an area stretching from Åheim to Tafjord, and from Hornindal to Flemsøy in the Sunnmøre district. There is also olivine in Eid municipality. About 50% of the world's olivine for industrial use is produced in Norway. At Svarthammaren in Norddal olivine was mined from around 1920 to 1979, with a daily output up to 600 metric tons. Olivine was also obtained from the construction site of the hydro power stations in Tafjord. At Robbervika in Norddal municipality an open-pit mine has been in operation since 1984. The characteristic red color is reflected in several local names with "red" such as Raudbergvik (Red rock bay) or Raudnakken (Red ridge).
  Hans Strøm in 1766 described the olivine's typical red color on the surface and the blue color within. Strøm wrote that in Norddal district large quantities of olivine were broken from the bedrock and used as sharpening stones.
  Kallskaret near Tafjord is a nature reserve with olivine.
caption: Open-pit mining at Sunnylvsfjorden, Hurtigruten ship passing.
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