Svappavaara facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Svappavaara
|
|
|---|---|
One of the original buildings at Svappavaara, designed by Ralph Erskine, which forms a long wind break.
|
|
 Svappavaara
Location in Norrbotten
Svappavaara
Location in Sweden
|
|
| Country | Sweden |
| Province | Lapland |
| County | Norrbotten County |
| Municipality | Kiruna Municipality |
| Area | |
| • Total | 0.92 km2 (0.36 sq mi) |
| Population
(31 December 2010)
|
|
| • Total | 417 |
| • Density | 456/km2 (1,180/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) |
Svappavaara (which means Vaskivuori in Meänkieli) is a small town in Sweden. It is located in Kiruna Municipality, in a part of Sweden called Norrbotten County. In 2010, about 417 people lived here. Svappavaara is known as a mining village, meaning its main activity is digging for valuable minerals.
Contents
A History of Mining in Svappavaara
Mining has been important in Svappavaara for a very long time. People first started mining here around the year 1650. This was a small-scale operation, likely done by hand.
Big Changes in Iron Mining
Much later, in 1965, large-scale mining for iron began. This meant using big machines and modern methods to dig up a lot more ore. Iron ore is a rock that contains iron, a metal used to make steel for buildings, cars, and many other things.
The Mine Today and Tomorrow
The main mine in Svappavaara closed in 1983. However, the work didn't completely stop. The town still processes iron ore that comes from a different mine in Kiruna. This process is called "enrichment," which means making the iron ore purer and more useful.
The mine in Svappavaara is owned by a company called LKAB. There are plans to open the mine again for full production around the year 2015. This would bring more jobs and activity back to the town.
Clever Buildings for Cold Weather
Svappavaara is located in a cold part of Sweden. Because of the strong winds and chilly weather, people needed smart ways to build homes.
The Windbreak House
Architects, who design buildings, came up with a clever idea. They built long, curved buildings that act like a shield against the wind. These are called "windbreak buildings." One famous architect named Ralph Erskine designed some of these.
One of his famous designs in Svappavaara was called Ormen Långe, which means "The Long Serpent." It was a very long building that helped protect the town from harsh winds. In 2010, part of this unique building was taken down.
Interestingly, designers of another town called Fermont, Quebec in northern Canada were inspired by Svappavaara's windbreak buildings. They used similar ideas to protect their own town from the cold and wind.
What's Inside the Earth?
The iron ore found in the Svappavaara mine is special. It's an iron-apatite ore. This type of ore is found within certain kinds of igneous rocks. Igneous rocks are formed when hot, molten rock (magma or lava) cools and hardens. The rocks in Svappavaara are part of what is known as the Kiruna Porphyry.
