Country Sweden County Örebro County Time zone CET (UTC+1) Local time Sunday 2:42 AM | Province Närke Municipality Askersund Municipality Area 225 ha Population 391 (31 Dec 2010) | |
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Weather 7°C, Wind SW at 11 km/h, 98% Humidity | ||
Zinkgruvan is a locality situated in Askersund Municipality, Örebro County, Sweden. It had 391 inhabitants in 2010.
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Map of 696 76 Zinkgruvan, Sweden
It is situated close to Sweden's second largest lake, Vättern. The village is famous for its mining industry started by the Belgian company Vieille Montagne in 1857, hence the name Zinkgruvan (literally "the zinc mine" in English). Zinkgruvan was founded around the mine in the 1860s, and the history of the village is closely tied to the history of the mine. The people living in Zinkgruvan are mostly mine workers.
Zinkgruvan also contains several ski facilities, including an illuminated cross country ski track. The ski association in Zinkgruvan uses snow cannons to ensure that the ski-track is provided with snow during the entire winter. An old ice hockey rink in the village is filled with ice in the winter for public entertainment. Zinkgruvan is home to a museum that documents the history of the mining industry in the town.
Geography
In addition to Vättern, the area around Zinkgruvan contains several minor lakes. Zinkgruvan, as many small villages in Sweden, is popular with German tourists during the summer. Tourist attractions include the natural surroundings of the town and the elk that live nearby. Selling accessories and souvenirs to tourists is a major source of income for residents of Zinkgruvan. The headframe of the mine, containing the elevators that move miners and ore in the mine shaft, is a major landmark in the village and is well over 70m high. While some residents regard it as a unique feature of the town, it has been criticized for its Soviet-style architecture.