Blue point is ferry dock, red point is Ytterby Gruva.

The ground leading to the mine was littered with debris - mostly quartz.

Ytterby gruva, from which the names of four rare earth elements are derived, is on the island Resarö, in the Stockholm Archipelago. From Stockholm, one can get to Ytterby by land or sea. We opted to take the ferry there and return by bus.

It was a short walk from the ferry stop to the mine, which was fairly well-marked.

The entrance to the mine was located at the top of a rocky ridge. Conveniently, there were stairs.

After the mine closed in the 1930s, it was filled in. As a result, it wasn't obvious where the opening to the mine actually was. There were no remnants of buildings or equipment.

Looking down into the filled-in mine.

We examined the rock wall, but weren't really sure what we were looking at. Maybe there was Gadolinite, but I only recognized quartz and mica.

I found archival photos of Ytterby gruva on Tekniska Museet's website. It was difficult to reconcile the historical photos with the condition of the mine today.

ASM International, a professional organization for materials scientists and engineers, recognized the historical significance of Ytterby gruva.

Text: Michelle McCrackin

Exposed rock at Ytterby gruva.

Interestingly, the content of Engish and Swedish versions of the sign were different.

The streets in the village of Ytterby are named after elements!