The gold at Lykling, Bømlo
Bømlo is an island in the south of Vestland, Southwestern Norway. The gold at Bømlo was probably formed 225 million years ago and is found in quartz veins. The deposit has yielded the finest gold samples that have been found in Norway. Gold was discovered by a young boy in 1862 in a chalcopyrite quarry in what is today called Haugesundsgangen in Lykling (where both our exhibited samples of gold and chalcopyrite were found). However, it was not until 1883 that the mining business got under way. English investors became interested, and the company Oscar Gold Mining Co. was established.
The gold rush raged for a few years before it was seen that there was not enough gold to sustain a long-term mining operation. There was eventually unemployment and bankruptcies, and social tragedies followed in the wake. Operations were completely discontinued in 1910.