Visitors to the Faroe Islands in the summertime are often struck by the vibrant greenery that covers the land. This lush landscape is even more impressive given the close proximity of the islands to one another, whether seen from the sky or the sea.
Below this verdant cover, one finds a foundation of basalt from long-extinct volcanoes. The southernmost island, Suðuroy, offers a geological journey, revealing the era during which the Faroe Islands were formed.
Unique to Suðuroy is its rich coal deposit history. It is the only island where significant coal mining was feasible.
Nowadays, Suðuroy’s coal mining past serves as a cultural touchstone, with remnants of its coal-rich history scattered around. Yet, a small mining operation remains active in Hvalba, albeit on a minimal scale.
The earliest record of coal mining attempts in the Faroe Islands traces back to 1733. However, it wasn’t until 1778 that substantial mining began in Hvalba. The Faroe Islands had a modest population then, with the 1801 census recording just 5,000 inhabitants. While the locals predominantly used peat for fuel, foreign investors, including Danish and Swedish capitalists, saw potential in Faroese coal, not only for energy but for other minerals like zinc, copper, and iron.
The ambitions ran so high that in 1875, Christina von Post, a Swedish artist based in Paris, alongside French investors, founded a company and acquired rights to mine coal in Suðuroy. Dubbed “Kolafrúan” or “The Coal Lady” by the islanders due to her significant investments, Christina and her co-investors hoped for a rich mineral yield from the coal mines. Their hopes were dashed, however, upon discovering no such ores, leading to Christina’s eventual financial downfall. She passed away penniless in 1917.
Over the years, the dynamics of coal mining in Suðuroy shifted. Global economic downturns, like the 1929 Wall Street crash, hit the Faroes, but coal mining persisted. Remarkably, light clay from the mines was shipped to Denmark to treat hard water. This clay, sourced primarily from the Rangabotnur mines, was even blended with red ochre soil from Nólsoy to produce paint.
However, the coal industry faced its most significant challenge in the 1960s when the Faroese transitioned from coal-based to oil and electric heating. The once-thriving coal industry dwindled, turning almost obsolete. Today, the Hvalba mine, though operational, serves more as a nod to tradition than a bustling enterprise.
Legacy echoes in the surnames of Suðuroy residents: names like Wiberg, Åkeson, and Ahlén, which hint at Swedish involvement in the coal business of yesteryears.
Interestingly, though coal mining is nearly a memory, the only active mine, Prestfjall mountain in Hvalba, could reveal one of the world’s most breathtaking vistas if excavated completely. Offering panoramic views of the sea, dramatic cliffs, and the historical traces of coal deposits, it would be a homage to a bygone industry and the unmatched beauty of Suðuroy’s western side.
Ólavur Rasmussen
