Hassel Iron Works (; also rendered as ''Hassel jernverk'' in modern spelling) was a former

mining Mining is the Resource extraction, extraction of valuable geological materials and minerals from the surface of the Earth. Mining is required to obtain most materials that cannot be grown through agriculture, agricultural processes, or feasib ...

and

iron works An ironworks or iron works is a building or site where iron is smelted and where heavy iron and steel products are made. Iron Works may also refer to: * Iron Works, a neighborhood in Brookfield, Connecticut * Clay City, Kentucky, known as Iron ...

company located near the village of

Skotselv Skotselv is a village in the municipality of Øvre Eiker, Norway. Its population (2005) is 684, of which 8 people live within the border of the neighbouring municipality of Modum. It has a railway station on the Randsfjord Line. History Skots ...

Øvre Eiker Øvre Eiker is a municipality in Buskerud county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Eiker. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Hokksund. The old municipality of Eiker was divided into ''Øvre Eiker'' ...

Buskerud Buskerud () is a Counties of Norway, county and a current electoral district in Norway, bordering Akershus, Oslo, Innlandet, Vestland, Telemark and Vestfold. The region extends from the Oslofjord and Drammensfjorden in the southeast to Hardanger ...

Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and the archipelago of Svalbard also form part of the Kingdom of ...

, that existed from 1649 until 1854. Hassel Iron Works received a royal privilege from King

Frederick III of Denmark and Norway Frederick III (; 18 March 1609 – 9 February 1670) was King of Denmark and Norway from 1648 until his death in 1670. He also governed under the name Frederick II as diocesan administrator (colloquially referred to as prince-bishop) of the ...

in 1649. The mines was in production until 1854, when the company was dissolved and its properties auctioned off. However some limited operations continued until the 1870s under new owners. Its most important mines were located at Hassel in

Modum Modum is a municipality in Buskerud county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Vikersund. The municipality of Modum was established on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt). The area has a long tradition of ...

and Barbu near

Arendal Arendal () is a List of municipalities of Norway, municipality in Agder counties of Norway, county in southeastern Norway. Arendal belongs to the Districts of Norway, region of Southern Norway, Sørlandet. The administrative centre of the munici ...

. The operation included a smelter with a large blast furnace. A large water wheel was used to drive the blower in the blast furnace. Hassel Iron Works also received ore from neighboring mines at Sveaas and Skredsvik in

, at

Holtefjell Holtefjell is a mountain located on the border between Øvre Eiker and Flesberg in Buskerud, Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. ...

Dramdal Dramdal is a small village in Øvre Eiker, Buskerud, Norway. It is situated on the eastern bank of Drammenselva Drammenselva () is a river in Buskerud Counties of Norway, county, southeastern Norway. Location Drammenselva is one of the largest ...

and Såsen in

and from

Solberg Solberg is a surname of Norwegian origin (Sol meaning Sun and Berg meaning Mountain), and may refer to: * Asbjørn Solberg (1893–1977), Norwegian politician from Østfold; served three terms in the ''Storting'' * Dorvan Solberg (b. 1934), America ...

and Åserud in

Nedre Eiker Nedre Eiker was a municipality in Buskerud county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Eiker. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Mjøndalen. The old municipality of Eiker was divided into ''Nedre Eiker' ...

References

Other sources

*Berg, Ole Jan ''Hassel Jernverk. Driften og privilegiene 1649–1816'' (Eiker trykkeri AS, Hokksund)

References

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