Kirkenes, 7. March 2012. In for landingAll photographs by Hanne Johnsrud

FIELDS OF EXPLORATION: STUDYTRIP TO KIRKENES. 7-9 MARCH 2012.

Bjørnevatn Gruver seen from the air. The city of Nikel in the background

Soria Moria? Nikel seen from Bjørnevatn

Bjørnevatn open cast mining

Picnic at Bjørnevatn

"Visitor groups are like signs of spring for us that work here at the mine" said by the truck driver who was kind enough to make the group photo

Irene, Xin and Karie checking out the power tools

Man made and nature

The sides of the waiste rock dumps settle at an angle of 37 degrees. As the maximum hight is reached, new areas for waste deposits must be found.

Northern Iron Limited - aka Sydvaranger Gruve

The train yard was sold as the mine closed down in 1996. Plans were made to transform the building into a hotel or offices. Today, the building is protected, and the mining company is renting it back from its new owners - to be used as a train yard..

Each cart carries 60-70 tons of Iiron ore. The breaks are checked regularily.

The train connects the mine to the plant at Kirkenes. 8 km railroad. In 1906, the year after Norwegian self rule, King Haakon travelled the distance on board the waggon seen

From Kirkenes to Bjørnevatn, the empty carts are pushed uphill by the locomotive.

Entering the silo at Bjørnevatn

Inside the silo at Bjørnevatn. As the locomotive slowly pulls out of the silo, each cart is filled by iron ore.

Back down to Kirkenes, the locomotive now pulls 16-19 carts of each 60-70 tons of iron ore

Iron ore is pored off the train, travels up the conveyor belt, is shifted over to the next conveyor belt at the intersection and continues up to the mills at the top

The mountain below is punctured by massive silos, tracks and conveyor belts.

Bergen Group KIMEK - Shipyard for the Russian fishing fleet.

Bergen Group KIMEK - Shipyard

Bøkfjorden.

Twice a month, a ship comes to Kirkenes to collect iron ore

45 km west of Kirkenes is Neiden. The hills surrounding the Neiden river was once at the bottom of the sea. As the river worked is way through, the flat sea floor can be seen as horisontal lines in the landscape.

MULTILAYERED LANDSCAPESROADTRIP9-11 MARCH 2012.

As the river freezes over, new lines of communication opens up along and across its flat surface.

The routes and recreational use of snowscooters is a controversial issue.

Bugøyfjord. Birthplace of the Sámi artist John Savio

Heading for Bugøynes. Vadsø can be seen across the Varanger fjord.

Bugøynes

The fishing village of Bygøynes was one of few settlements spared from the burnt soil tactics of the german forces as they left Finnmark at the end of 2WW

The population of Bugøynes is mainly of finnish descent.and the language is still in daily use here.

Fishing has been the main industry in Bugøynæs. King crab is now a new source of income

Barents sea straight ahead

Leaving Bugøynes these two decided to cross the road in front of us.

As the coast, winds remove the snow, but leaves frosen ground instead

Border town Kirkenes

Borisoglebsky/ Boris Gleb. hydroelectric power plant and Russian orthodox chuch across the border.

Visible and invisible.Across the frosen Pikevatn, the border between Russia and Norway. is marked by thin sticks of wood.

Individually painted. Yellow marks the Norwegian border.

End of the journey. Thanks to Arnt Ucherman and Anne Flaatten for the roadtrip of Sør-Varanger, and for their warmth and hospitality

And thanks to Mathilde who was a great travelling companion