The content of this article is the geological structure and minerals of Sweden. Why exactly this country? We are talking not only about the largest of the countries of Western Europe territorially state, but also about the rich nature and many unique features unknown to most Russians. Sweden's geography and minerals are a topic that is interesting not only to geographic experts, but also to many curious readers.
What country is it
Location of Sweden - Northern Europe (Scandinavian Peninsula). Neighbors - Norway from the west, Finland - from the north-east, Denmark - from the south-west. The minerals of Sweden and Finland, as well as climate features, have a similar structure due to their close proximity. The Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Bothnia wash the state in the east and south with their waters. The size of the country is 450,000 square kilometers.
As already mentioned, Sweden is the largest of the countries of Scandinavia. Among all European countries, its dimensions are second only to the vastness of our homeland, as well as Ukraine, France and Spain. The length of its territory in the south-north direction is about 1600 kilometers, and "horizontally" (in the west-east) - about 500 km.
Over half of the area is occupied by forests, another 14-15% falls on the tundra and swamps, and about 9% of the country's territory is occupied by inland waters. The number of rivers, streams and lakes in Sweden reaches 90,000. The names of the largest of the lakes are Vettern, Venern, Mälaren, Elmeren.
The characteristic description of the Swedish river is not too long, but very deep, with waterfalls and rapids. Their channels lie mainly in the direction from the northwest to the southeast. Most rivers flow into the Baltic Sea (its Gulf of Bothnia).
The state has a fairly long coastline (2700 km long), decorated with picturesque islands and sea harbors of natural origin. The names of the largest Swedish islands are Öland and Gotland.
Sweden Relief and Minerals
A mountain called Kebnekaise is the highest point in the country. Its mark above sea level is over 2100 m. The formation of the relief with its main features is based on the location of the Scandinavian peninsula on the territory of the so-called Baltic Shield. Folded mountain structures at one time experienced a significant number of vertical movements with alignment under the influence of glaciers.
The island a huge number of years ago was the center of European continental glaciation. Its territory was covered with powerful glaciers that exceeded the mark of 1,500 m. Scientists have established the existence of the last of these covers approximately in the area of modern Stockholm. It happened about 100 centuries ago. Another massive glaciation was located on the North coast of the Gulf of Bothnia about seven or eight thousand years ago.
A bit of geography
The location of the country's minerals depends on the features of the relief of Sweden. Its territory can be conditionally divided into northern and southern natural areas. Northern Sweden, located mainly on a hill, is divided into upper, middle and lower vertical zones. As for minerals and other natural resources, the Norland Plateau, which occupies the first of these zones, is formed mainly by moraine deposits and peat bogs. In the area of the western coast of the Gulf of Bothnia there is a cluster of marine sediments.
The Norland Plateau serves as the center of major ore deposits. The main stocks of wood are also concentrated there. Part of the northern valleys is rich in fertile soils, which are used mainly for pastures.
In the southern part of the country (on the Småland plateau, the plains of Central Sweden and the Skån peninsula), the country's industry and agriculture are mainly concentrated. There is the highest population density. Due to its relatively mild climate, Smoland is the most favorable place for human life.
On unsuitable soils for agriculture, mainly coniferous forests grow. A fairly large part of the territory is covered with peat bogs. Skane - the south of Sweden - has plains almost completely plowed for agricultural needs. There are good fertile soils that are easy to cultivate and get a high yield. The plains are interspersed with rocky ridges of small height, stretching southeast of the northwest. Once upon a time, the most picturesque plains were covered with impassable thickets with a predominance of broad-leaved trees (ash, oak, maple, beech). Subsequently, beautiful forests were destroyed by human hands.
Swedish minerals - a brief overview of the main types
A distinctive feature of the Swedish bowels is the wealth of metals and the relative poverty of mineral fuels. The land features and minerals of Sweden are interconnected historically. Due to the vast yields of rocks of igneous and metamorphic origin, significant reserves of metal ores are available. A very small amount of sedimentary rocks caused the almost complete lack of reserves of oil, natural gas and coal.
The deposits of Swedish iron ore are usually considered one of the richest in the world. This also applies to the concentration of ore reserves and the content of metal in the ore. The first indicator is about 3 billion tons, and the average metal content in ore exceeds 60%.
In the photos we offer, there are minerals from Sweden (the main types of mining).
Where to look for them
In what areas are hidden the main minerals of Sweden? Over 4/5 of the country's iron ore reserves are concentrated in its most important iron ore region. It is located in Lapland beyond the Arctic Circle. The largest field is called Kirunavara and, according to experts, contains at least 1.6 billion tons.
The richest Lapland ore contains a metal of high concentration - at least 2/3. But, in addition, it has a lot of phosphorus. That is why such ore is difficult to melt. Sweden began to use these minerals on an industrial scale only with the introduction of the Thomas melting method, which happened at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries.
Another of the iron ore areas, called Bergslagen and known since the Middle Ages, is located in the middle part of the country. It is inferior to the north in the amount of ore, but the raw materials mined here contain a smaller percentage of harmful sulfur and phosphorus, due to which it has long been used for industrial needs and especially metallurgy.
Let's talk about non-ferrous metals
In the same way, the geological structure and minerals of Sweden related to non-ferrous metals are interconnected. The places of their largest deposits are on the Norland Plateau. In the Buliden - Kristineberg region, complex and sulfide ores are available in the form of vast deposits. They include the mass of copper, lead, zinc, silver, gold, arsenic, and pyrites. Among other things, there is a lead deposit in the Laisvall area, and copper in Aitik. The richest copper deposits in Europe on the territory of central Sweden, due to centuries of exploitation, have been depleted significantly and currently have no industrial significance.
What other minerals of Sweden take place on its territory? Bituminous shales can also be found there, the deposits of which carry by no means small reserves of uranium. Its amount is estimated at 317,000 tons. This figure is approximately 20% of the total stock of capitalist countries.
But for their development, uranium-containing shales require significant enrichment. This procedure is not very cost-effective given the current price level for uranium raw materials.
The richest deposits of high-quality iron ore in the provinces of Norrbotten and Bergslagen are known not only throughout the country, but throughout the world. In Norrbotten - a lot of copper-pyrite deposits. Their total number there is about 100. The provinces called Westerbotten and Bergslagen, belonging to central Sweden, are also rich in ore and copper pyrites.
About oil in Sweden
All listed minerals of the country of Sweden are practically not exhausted. A few known oil fields are located in the Central European oil and gas basin. Only part of it falls on the territory of Sweden, covering the size of about 30,000 square kilometers. It occupies the island of Gotland in its northwest side. The name of the largest of the deposits is Hamra. The oil reserves there, according to experts, are about 20,000 tons.
There is coal in the country, but there is no need to talk seriously about the significance of its reserves. Here, Sweden's relief and minerals are directly related. The thickness of its seams is not more than 0.8 m. Coal deposits (Eresund, Höganes) can be found in the province of Skåne, located in the western Swedish coast.
Will there be noble metals in Sweden? A small amount of gold and silver is concomitantly mined during the processing of ore from sulfide deposits. However, in Enassen, there is perhaps the only one of the gold-sulfide deposits.
About the Swedish climate
Like all of Scandinavia, most of the Swedish territory lies under a layer of snow. This is due to the peculiarity of the location of the Scandinavian mountains. They serve as a kind of barrier that prevents the free passage of moist air masses arriving from the Atlantic. In the diversity of the Swedish climate, a considerable extent of the country in the meridional direction played a significant role.
Due to the warm waters of the Gulf Stream, the eastern and southern parts of the country have a temperate marine climate with easy transition to the continental. In January, the temperature is kept, as a rule, in the range from - 15 ° C to - 3 ° C. In July - 10-17 ⁰.
About 300-800 mm of precipitation falls annually. Since their volatility is low, there is excessive moisture. Due to the latter factor, the country's territory is largely boggy.
In the mountainous northeastern regions of the country, especially outside the Arctic Circle, the climate is subarctic. A significant part of the northern territory is covered by ice sheets, and many mountain-valley glaciers.
About swedish rivers and lakes
Sweden’s mineral deposits are not its only natural resource. All of the above features of climate, topography, and the geological structure of Sweden are favorable for many existing lakes and rivers, covering the map of the country with a dense network. Swedish rivers flow, as a rule, through narrow valleys and are abundantly decorated with waterfalls and rapids. Very often, their use as energy sources.
If we consider river hydropower as one of the country's natural resources, the most significant resources include those that start in the Scandinavian mountains (on their eastern slopes), flow along the Norland Plateau and flow into the Gulf of Bothnia. Their names are Ongermanelven, Dalelven, Luleelv, Umeelv, Indalselven. Rivers alternate with countless lakes and many lake-shaped extensions that act as natural reservoirs. Thanks to them, it is possible to regulate the flow of water throughout the year.
Lakes are an inseparable characteristic part of the landscape of countries such as Sweden and Finland. Under them, at least 8% of the country's territory is occupied. Located in central Sweden, Lake Venern in Europe is the largest. There is a high waterfall on the river Goeta-Elv flowing from it, which is used by constructing a powerful hydroelectric power station and a number of shipping locks on it.
Plant world of the country
In conclusion, a few words about the plant resources of Sweden. Almost all of its territories, with the exception of the extreme south, belong to the podzolic zone. They are not of particular value to agriculture. More suitable in this regard are sod-podzolic varieties of soils, which are widespread in the lowlands near the lakes of central Sweden.
Brown forest soils, considered the most fertile of all available on the territory of the Scandinavian peninsula, are located in the southern part of the country. They are mainly rich in the Skane peninsula.
Vegetation in Sweden is represented mainly by forests that cover over 50% of the territory. Their area is more than 23 million hectares, thanks to which, according to this indicator, the state holds first place among European countries. Coniferous species constitute the main forest massif. Closer to the north, on the territory of the polar Lapland, the forests growing on the mountain slopes are gradually replaced by birch woodlands as the height increases. Even higher extends the mountain tundra with thickets of lichens, moss, juniper and dwarf birches.
Only in the summer months, the harsh landscape of the mountains is revived by bright flowering lawns with verdant grass. Tundra vegetation occupies at least 1/8 of the space. From broad-leaved species we can talk about maple, oak, linden and ash. In the southern points of the country you can meet with beech forests.
How much wood in Sweden
Sweden’s mineral resources are not the only flagships of the global economy. According to one of the most important natural resources - wood reserves - Sweden is ranked among the leaders of foreign Europe. Its 2.3 billion cubic meters are mined annually, and almost all of it belongs to conifers. Due to such an extensive raw material base, the woodworking and pulp and paper industries are well developed in the country.
If in the middle of the last century there was truly barbaric deforestation of precious forests, its pace over the past decades has been significantly slowed down. The state has spent a lot of money on the restoration and clearing of the natural territory and improving its composition. As a result, the productivity of forested areas has increased markedly.