LKAB:S Visitor Centre / Museum

The vast Kiruna iron ore mine In Lapland is operated by the Swedish mining company LKAB. The ore resource was known for centuries but remoteness and harsh climate prevented exploitation. Finally, surface mining began in 1898 when a railway to the port of Narvik was planned and the town of Kiruna was created (named for the Sámi word for the bird Lagopus muta or ptarmigan). Underground exploitation began in the 1960s and by 2008 it followed the ore body to a depth of 1,365m. In 2014 work began to move the city 3km to avoid subsidence. The latest mine expansion uses remote-controlled machines and transport.

Pre-booked visitors go to the Kiruna tourist information office in the new city centre. They are taken to the LKAB Visitor Centre, which is in caverns 540 metres below ground. A model shows a section through the ore body, shafts and tunnels. Trains, lorries, bulldozers, conveyors and cutting equipment are displayed alongside historical photographs. Geological samples of magnetite and hematite can be examined.