The history of the Outokumpu copper works

Abstract

Abstract March 17th, 1960 was the fiftieth anniversary of the discovery of copper ore in Outokumpu, What led to the discovery was the finding some months earlier of a copper-bearing boulder, brought to light through the dredging of a channel in North Karelia. It was possible by scientific methods to fix approximately the location of the parent rock and, after much exploratory drilling in the parish of Kuusjarvi, miles away in Outokumpu, a deposit of copper ore was found which proved to be the richest in the continent of Europe, containing approximately 4 per cent copper. The book here reviewed was published by Outokumpu Oy, the leading Finnish mining company, to commemorate this important event. Although the work has been written by a Professor of Political Economy, Vilho Annala, known for his historical approach to economics, it contains little background information about the period before 1910. Nevertheless the book makes quite apparent the importance of Outokumpu.