Tilas Stoll

Useful Information

Location:	Hogbergsvagen 67, Filipstad 682 40. From Göteborg, 44 (E20) to Mariestadt, at Hasslerör turn left on 26 to Filipstad, turn right to Persberg, turn right and follow main road through the village. Two parking lots at the Högbergsfältet. (59.7477889, 14.2911373)
Open:	no restrictions. [2024]
Fee:	free. [2024]
Classification:	Iron Mine
Light:	bring torch
Dimension:
Guided tours:	self guided
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:	no
Bibliography:
Address:	Tilas Stoll, Hogbergsvagen 67, Filipstad 682 40, Tel: +46-.
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

1680s	mining in the area documented.
1738	mining report states that Torskebäck mine has reached a depth of 14 m.
1794	Torskebäck mine closed as ore was mined out.
1803	mining of ore residues left in the upper parts of the mine ends.
1851	new shaft sunken.
1858	shaft reaches the old mine at a depth of 50 m, new ore found and mining increases.
1860s	pump installed for pumping out the water.
1906	end of mining.

Geology

Description

Tilas Stoll is an accessible mine tunnel in the Högbergsfältet (Högbergs mine field). Located in a pine forest in Persberg, just east of Filipstad, the nature reserve has strange rock formations. The forest is full of open cast mines, which form huge pits and even some rock bridges. The first mines were started here in the Middle Ages, and over the centuries the whole area was riddled with tunnels. The iron ore mining ended in 1906, but the limestone is still quarried nearby at the Gåsgruvan.

In the field there were six large mines named Torskebäcksgruvan, Yngshyttegruvan, Krakbogruvan, Braskegruvan, Nils Torstensgruvan, and Bornsgruvan. The last for were originally four different mines, but at a depth of 60 m they collapsed and form now a single huge mine chamber. Torskebäcksgruvan was by far the largest mines, and produced more than half of the ore. It is 217 m deep, while the others are less than 130 m deep. But the deep ore was of poor quality, and finally the mining ended with the closure of the mine. The mine was closed several times, later reactivated, its heydays were during the 1860s and 1870s.

The Yngshyttegruvan (Yngshyttan mine) was worked 1697-1713 under the name Västra Högbergsgruva. At the end of the 1730s it was reopened under the name Stora Högbergsgruvan. In 1751 it reached a depth of 60 m, in the same year it was closed and slowly filled with groundwater. The mine was again reopened in 1763 starting with the pumping out of the water. There was a 10-year plan, but the mine actually was operated until 1813 when it was closed again and again filled with water. The third and last reopening was in the middle of the 1850s, until the ore was finally depleted and the mine closed for the last time in 1869. The final depth of the mine was 100 m. Later tries to reactivate the mine failed. The mine was infamous, because during the third reopening in the 1850s a rockslide killed two miners, Johan Frisk and Nils Söder. It was unclear what had happened to them, but it was clear that they would never be able to reach them alive. So they turned off the pumps to give them a faster death by draining. This was most likely futile, becvause the mine fille very slowly, and it is unknown if they actually died by their injuries, or drowned.

The Tilas Stoll was started in 1767 by two miners from Sala. It was named after the ore geologist and Miner Daniel Tilas (*1712-✝1772). It was a search tunnel, intended to check the structure of the ore deposit. But it was also used to transport ore out of the mine. In the beginning it was mined by hand, which can be seen because the surface is rather smooth. Further, in the tunnel was dug with gunpowder, as a result the walls are irregular. The tunnel leads into the Krakbogruvan, continues on the other side and reaches the Braskeschaktet, which connects to the Nils Torstens mine.

When the mines were still operating during the 19th century, the situation was much different from now. Piles of slag were everywhere, fires were burning, and the smoke was like a fog over the whole area. The site was once called hell's front yard by a visitor. The situation of the miners was also bad, they lived in small huts in the middle of the roaring site. As a result, this was the location of Sweden's first mining strike in 1869. Today there is a memorial, the 1869 Gruvstrejks Minnessten near the car park.

Today the site is a nature preserve, partly because the limestone-rich bedrock neutralizes acids in the soil and makes it more fertile. The buildings are destroyed, only some ruins which were built from glassy green slag remain. But there are trails across the forest leading to the impressive open cast mines.

Normally old mines are extremely dangerous, we do not list them, except probably to warn visitors. But this site is actually an exception, Sweden has several former mine sites which are open to the public on self-guided visits. The site was prepared, not only with trails and educational signs, there was also some stabilization work done to make rockfalls unlikely. Nevertheless, we strongly suggest going with appropriate equipment. Wear clothes which might get dirty, good walking shoes or gum boots, and of course a helmet with headlamp. Especially the helmet is quite important, there are many show mines which give helmets to the visitors, although they are not necessary. In this case, it's the other way round, this site requires a helmet, and with a headlamp you have your hands free.