Aitiks Koppargruva

Aitik Copper Mine

Useful Information

photography — Aitiks Koppargruva, Sweden. Public Domain.

Location:	Gällivare, Lappland. Meeting point: Kåkstan, Kilen 213, 983 33 Malmberget. (67.075045, 20.963530)
Open:	Temporarily closed. [2022]
Fee:	Temporarily closed. [2022]
Classification:	Copper Mine Gold Mine
Light:	n/a
Dimension:
Guided tours:	D=3.5 h.
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:	no
Bibliography:
Address:	Gällivare Turistbyrå (Tourism Office), Centralplan 3, SE-98232 Gällivare, Sweden, Tel: +46-970-16660, Fax: +46-970-66739. E-mail: Boliden Aitik, Sakajärvi 1, SWE-982 92 Gällivare, Tel: +46-970-72-90-00. E-mail: Boliden Group, Klarabergsviadukten 90, Box 44, 101 20 Stockholm, Tel: +46-8-610-15-00, Fax: +46-8-654-80-90. E-mail:
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

1880s	first mining at Malmberget.
1924
1968	Aitik open-pit copper mine opened.
2020	mine tours temporarily closed due to Covid-19.

Description

The Gruvtur (Mine Tour) starts at the open air museum town Kåkstan in Malmberget and then visits the open-cast mine at Aitik. Kåkstan was built in 1888, in the early years wages were high and housing rare. Aitik Mine is a copper and gold mine, producing two tons of gold per year. It is the largest gold mine of Sweden and the largest operating copper mine in Europe. But as it is an open cast mine this tour is not underground. And as it is a working mine there are numerous security rules. But being able to visit a working mine while enormous trucks transport huge amounts of ore around you is quite impressive.

The mine tours were closed during the pandemic, and so far we have no idea if they will be open in 2022. No matter if you have missed to make a reservation or if they are still closed, you should definitely look for the impressive outlooks around the huge pit. There is a public road which branches off E10 which runs rather close to the edge of the open cast on the eastern and southern side, and there are numerous spots which offer a great view. Just be careful and do not obstruct mine traffic.