Spring is absolutely the busiest time of the year for me, and the most wonderful, and I’m not thinking about mathematic examinations. Not really on mineral collecting either. Last year it was pretty good in Tvedalen these days, so then it was, but not this spring. The poor collecting in Tvedalen so far this spring have let me enjoy a couple of other of my interests on a larger scale, like going down to the bird observation tower at the nearest lake, watching the ospreys, cranes and other wonderful birds that are taking a rest on their way further north. Another interest will be focused on here.




Most mineral collectors, especially field collectors, I think, have a wider perspective of their collecting other than filling up cabinets with minerals. Some get caught by the interest of history, among old mines and the societies growing up around them, and most are getting a curiosity towards geology as a science. Walking there on our paths in nature and cultural landscapes, our eyes doesn’t only catch the rock, but also what’s growing around them, what’s moving around them, and I guess not only for me, it have developed into a general love for nature.

In the last couple of weeks I have had a couple of trips to the Eidanger peninsula, it’s only half an hour drive from my home. It’s not noted as a locality here in Mindat, but many of you have probably heard about a locality on it, which you will find here; the Dalen-Kjørholt mine. It’s the largest underground mine in northern Europe, having more than 180 km of adits underground. They extract limestone for the nearby cement factory, but for us collectors it’s famous for the calcite crystals, occurring in a great number of forms in this mine.




The entire Eidanger peninsula is built up of limestone, basically Ordovician and Silurian limestone, and like all limestone rich in fossils. Walking around in the area, knowing the where to look you can find nice brachiopods, corals, trilobites and a lot of other fossils.




The limestone gives also the perfect conditions to a huge number of flowers and plants. The peninsula has an extremely rich flora, and some of the most interesting flowers to be found are some of the few Norwegian orchids. All Norwegian orchids, except for a couple, are dependent on base soil, so the limestone makes perfect condition for a large number of species of orchids. It’s a truly geological dependent group of flowers here. It’s still too early for most of them, but already some of them are blooming now, among them the largest of the orchids in northern part of Europe, the Lady’s slipper. Enjoy the pictures!

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