Resources, Site and Situation

The discovery of copper-rich ore in 1644 was made in a virtually unpopulated area. Within what is today the Røros district there may have been as many as 50 people.

In the book, ‘Historisk Beretning om Røros Kobberværk’ (Historical account of The Røros Copper Works) Peder Hiort wrote with regard to the availability of labour:

The Røros Copper Works started the smelting of copper ore in Røros in 1646, and smelting came to an end after a fire destroyed the smelting house in 1953. Copper, kept things going for more than 300 years.

Today Røros is a densely populated place in a sparsely populated part of Norway, but was it always like this?

The story of how Røros used its resources after the establishment of the Røros Copper Works in 1644 together with the growth and development of the mining town is well known. But what was there to be found at Røros before the time of the Copper Works.

Running the Copper Works required enormous water power, both in the mines and the smelting houses, in order to drive the water wheels, the bellows and the heavy jack hammers.

The business of obtaining sufficient food and consumer items for housekeeping and for the mining operation, was a very tough challenge.

In a note from the Copper Works administration written in 1719 it says, ‘The most meaningful shortage, is the inadequacy of the forests within the Circumference.’

The Røros mountain slopes are more than 600 m. above sea level. There is a typical inland climate with large temperature differences between summer and winter and small amounts of annual precipitation.