Orkla Mining Company Ltd., Orkla Grube-Aktiebolag, was a Norwegian mining company established in 1904. The company was the largest mining company in Norway in the aftermath of World War I, and was among the world's largest pyrite producers. After closing of the mining operations in 1987, the company developed into the holding company Orkla ASA, which is among the largest companies at Oslo Stock Exchange.
History
Orkla Mining Co. Ltd. (Orkla Grube-Aktiebolag) was established as a limited company at a constituting meeting in Stockholm on 7 December 1904. The purpose of the company was to acquire the mines in the Orkdalen district and subsequently start operation of the mines. The share capital was applied for the acquirement of several mines from Christian Salvesen, including the mines Løkken, Høidal, Aamot, Grefstad and Dragset, the Drageset forests, Skjenaldfossen, and various properties at Orkedalsøren and elsewhere in Orkdalen. The company bought a significant amount of shares of the company Chr. Salvesen & Chr. Thams's Communications Aktieselskab, whose purpose was to develop the infrastructure of the area. Following a period of exploration mining at the Løkken Mine, large-scale mining of pyrites was initiated. The mining community Løkken Verk was developed, and the Thamshavn Line was constructed for transport of ore to the sea for export. The Orkla Mining Company was the largest mining company in Norway in the interwar years, and among the world's largest pyrite producers. After the closing of mining operations at Løkken Mine in 1987, the company developed into the holding company Orkla Group.