Sveagruva, often just called Svea, is a settlement on Spitsbergen, Svalbard, which is located by Sveabukta and Braganzavågen in the innermost part of Van Mijenfjorden. Until 1 October 2016, the settlement was the base for the main production of Store Norske Spitsbergen Kulkompani. There are no permanent residents in the settlement, but at any given time it was approx. 225 people in Sveagruva, including employees in LNS and ISS.
Key remnants include the preserved historic buildings: Saloonen (a social hall), Vinboden (wine storage), Hundegården (dog kennel), and the transformer tower, all dating pre-1946 and restored as cultural monuments. The former Svea Nord and Lunckefjellet mine sites, now re-wilded, highlight the area's mining legacy, with overgrown railway tracks and restored natural terrain. The Kapp Amsterdam coal pier and the surrounding fjord offer panoramic views, accessible via 360-degree digital models created from 170,000 images and 6,000 scans before demolition. The site's rewilding has created new habitats for polar bears, reindeer, Arctic foxes, and seabirds, making it an emerging point of interest for environmental observation.
Sveagruva, often simply called Svea, is a former mining settlement located in the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard, at the head of Van Mijenfjord, approximately 60 kilometers southeast of Longyearbyen, the main administrative center of Svalbard. Its coordinates are 77°54′00″N 16°43′50″E. The area is protected from the open sea by the island of Akseløya, and the terrain includes fjords, mountains, glaciers, and valleys typical of the Arctic landscape. Sveagruva spans a remote, inland fjord setting with no road connections to other settlements, emphasizing its isolation in the high Arctic environment. Nearby features include the Lunckefjellet mountain and the Svea Nord mine site, now part of the re-wilded area, with a coal pier at Kapp Amsterdam about 5 kilometers south, where depths allow for large cargo ships. The surrounding region is part of the broader Svalbard archipelago, characterized by permafrost, tundra, and proximity to Nordenskiöld Land National Park, which has been expanded to include parts of the former mining zone.
Sveagruva's origins trace back to 1910 when the coal deposits were first claimed by Swedish industrialist Bertil Högbom for Jernkontoret og Trafikaktiebolaget Grängesberg-Oxelösund, naming it "Sveagrufvan" or the Swedish Mine. In 1911, the British Northern Exploration Company built two cabins but abandoned efforts. Active mining began in 1917 under the Swedish company AB Spetsbergens Svenska Kolfält, which expanded facilities until economic difficulties forced closure in 1925. A new Swedish entity resumed operations briefly in 1928, but the property was sold in 1934 to the Norwegian company Store Norske Spitsbergen Kulkompani (SNSK) for 1 million Norwegian kroner, driven by government interests in energy security and territorial control. Surveying and development continued until World War II, when in August 1944, a German submarine shelled and set fire to the settlement. Post-war reconstruction occurred, but low coal prices led to cessation in 1949. Mining restarted in 1970 at Svea Øst, suspended in 1987, and a skeleton crew maintained the site until the 1990s. The Svea Nord longwall mine opened in 2001, becoming Svalbard's most productive coal mine with seams up to 6 meters thick, producing up to 4 million metric tons annually and ranking among Europe's largest underground coal mines. A major fire in 2005 caused 700 million Norwegian kroner in damage and an eight-month shutdown. The Lunckefjellet mine opened in 2013 but entered standby mode in 2015 due to low coal prices. In 2017, the Norwegian government decided to abandon coal mining in Svea, leading to full closure in March 2020. Over its lifetime, the mines produced around 34 million metric tons of coal.
As of 2024, Sveagruva has a population of 0, with no permanent inhabitants since the mine's closure in 2020. During its operational peak, it housed up to 300 workers who commuted daily or weekly from Longyearbyen, making it Svalbard's third-largest settlement at the time, after Longyearbyen and Barentsburg. The workforce was primarily Norwegian, with some international miners, reflecting Svalbard's diverse treaty-based demographics, but the settlement evolved from a family-oriented community post-WWII (with schools and infirmaries) to a commuter workplace in later years. No recent population growth or migration has occurred due to the site's abandonment and rewilding.
Sveagruva's economy was entirely centered on coal mining, operated by Store Norske Spitsbergen Kulkompani, with the Svea Nord mine as the primary driver from 2001 to 2020. It supported large-scale operations including power stations, workshops, and transport infrastructure, employing hundreds and contributing significantly to Norway's Arctic resource extraction. Economic challenges, including low global coal prices and environmental shifts, led to closures; the Lunckefjellet mine, for instance, never reached full production. Post-closure, there is no active economy, as the site has transitioned to a re-wilded state with no industrial activity permitted. Broader Svalbard trends show a shift toward tourism and research, but Sveagruva remains excluded due to its protected status.
Sveagruva's cultural aspects were tied to its mining heritage, with historical buildings like the Saloonen, Vinboden, Hundegården, and an old transformer tower preserved as cultural relics from before 1946. These structures now serve as markers of the site's past, leased to the University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS) for research and education. The settlement's history reflects a blend of Swedish and Norwegian influences, but no dedicated arts scene or ongoing cultural events are noted, given its industrial focus and current uninhabited status.
No formal education facilities remain in Sveagruva following its closure. Historically, during family-oriented periods post-WWII, a school operated for miners' children, but this ceased with the shift to commuter operations. Preserved buildings are now used by UNIS for research and teaching purposes, focusing on Arctic studies rather than general education.
Information on sports and recreation in Sveagruva is limited, as the settlement was primarily industrial. Workers likely engaged in informal outdoor activities suited to the Arctic, such as snowmobiling (which could cover the distance to Longyearbyen in under an hour in winter), but no organized facilities or events are documented. Post-rewilding, the area supports wildlife viewing and research-based recreation, though access is restricted.
Sveagruva experiences a polar climate with extreme cold and low precipitation. Mean daily maximum temperatures range from -13°C (9°F) in January, February, and March to 7°C (45°F) in July. Daily means vary from -16.5°C (2.3°F) in January and March to 5°C (41°F) in July, with minima from -20°C (-4°F) in winter to 3°C (37°F) in summer. Annual precipitation averages 271 mm (10.7 inches), with monthly totals from 13 mm (0.5 inches) in May to 30 mm (1.2 inches) in August. The region warms up to seven times faster than the global average, influencing glacier retreat and ecosystem changes.
No roads connect Sveagruva to Longyearbyen or other areas; access was via Svea Airport for flights, with coal shipped from the Kapp Amsterdam port 5 kilometers southwest. In winter, snowmobiles provided an alternative for experienced travelers. Post-closure, transportation is limited to helicopters or boats for research, with infrastructure like the airport and pier removed during rewilding.