Just in case anyone is wondering what we are eating.

Beef and a few veggies and a bit of gravy.

From the slow cooker.

I'll bet you think we take it in turns to have the biggest half!

And enough trees for a washing line.

To the north of the road is Sjarnja National Park - Europe's biggest quagmire.

We stopped at Nabreluokta, the site of the first Saami church in Sweden.

Built in the 16th century it was burned down shortly afterwards.

Rumour has it that the Shamanist Saami weren't impressed with the idea of being converted.

A mining town that didn't look at all like a mining town.

Everything closed.

We think copper.

There seem to be two town centres.

The best stocked we've seen for a while so we purchased a load of supplies to carry us through Norway.

Thought we'd visit Gruvberget, a copper mine started in 1654. Rock broken by fire and water, before explosives.

Unfortunately there was more recent mining in the way.

While turning round in an old gravel pit we watched a reindeer for a while. I don't think he was overly impressed.

We'd pulled off the main road and noticed a path. Followed it to discover the clearing then a bit of walking to find the road in.

Largest town in this part of the world. Population around 20,000.

Originally open cut mining then underground.

Apparently the architect thought a building that looked like the UN headquarters in New York would be appropriate.

Luossavarra Kirunavarra Co Ltd.

We are in a large 40_ seater bus, about to enter the right hand tunnel.

Just enough clearance.

The magnetite ore body is at a 60 degree angle.

Tunnels from the foot wall into the orebody are used to drill and blast. The orebody collapses. Its dug out, crushed, by train to an ore lift, thence to the surface.

About 30 million tonnes per year.

A visit down under!

The ore is dried and pelletised for shipment through Narvik (Norway port is ice clear all year round) or Lulea (Baltic port).

While its a very large underground mine its small by Aussie iron ore mine standards.

It survives because of the ore quality. Magnetite rather than haematite.

Though a tad smaller.

Much easier to see.

Once the ore body has been dug out the head wall collapses.

The red line on the model is where subsidence is currently observed.

As the mine goes deeper the whole town will be effected by subsidence.

There's a project to move the town.

And a trip to clas ohlson, last seen in Manchester, to see if there's anything we need!