On a glorious autumn day in October, around 70–80 people gathered at Ytterby Mine to celebrate the launch of the mine’s new initiative, featuring updated information signs, new benches, and a visitor app.

The project is led by the Ytterby Mine Foundation and Association, with support from the Swedish Foundation for Strategic Research. Their shared aim is to preserve the mine, keep it open to visitors and research, and inspire young people to take an interest in science. The new app now makes it possible to explore the site independently and delve deeper into both geology and the history of science rooted in Resarö.

“We want more people to discover Ytterby Mine as an inspiring place for the research and learning of the future. With the new technology, its history becomes accessible to more people,” says Magnus Ericsson of the Ytterby Mine Association.

“The mine has a fascinating history. How many people know that the element ytterbium is named after the small fishing village of Ytterby, and holmium after Stockholm? During the 18th and 19th centuries, Sweden was a world-leading country in chemistry and geology. Nearly a quarter of all chemical elements were identified by Swedish researchers,” Magnus explains.

During the launch, visitors were able to follow the mine’s history, from the extraction of raw materials for the Rörstrand porcelain factory in Vasastan to the Cold War period, when the mine was used for fuel storage. Now a new chapter begins for the mine as an inspiration centre for science.