,, 11,, , I ii ' "' ~-------- - -- Thorium-L0V0ya, Langesundfjord, Norway James L. Marshall Beta Eta '71 and Virginia R. Marshall Department of Chemistry, University of North Texas, Denton TX 76203-5070; [email protected]; Computer Technology, Denton ISO, Denton TX 76201 bout 100 kilometers to the southwest of "~ Oslo (Figure 1) lies the Langesund, one of ~ Athe beautiful fjords that encircle the coast Oslo of Norway (Figure 2). This area was home to Henrik Ibsen, the well-known nineteenth cen­ tury playwright who lived in Skien at the north­ ernmost reaches of this fjord. Hundreds of islands dot this inlet-measuring in size from a square kilometer to a mere boulder poking out of the water-rendering a boat necessary for a local traveler (Figure 3). One fateful day in early 1829, the pastor of Figure 1. The southeast part of Nmway (identified by the tcssam, c;i.pandcd in the next figure) played an Brevik was rowing around the rocky islands of important part in the discovery of some of the more wwsua/ c/emmts. the Langesundfjord, hunting for ducks.' As he drifted around L0v0)'a Island (see Figure 4), he thing they had seen before, and noticed a black mineral in the pegmatite boul­ the two Esmarks realized this ders. Curious, he eased his boat by the craggy might be something new. Esmark I 100 km I shore and scrambled ashore. He chipped off senior sent a sample to Jons some of the crystals and took them back to his Jakob Berzelius, the famous parish. The glimmering mineral that the pastor chemist in Stockholm, for a more collected would later be known as thorite, complete analysis, who later that Knaben ThSi04 (Figure 5), and thereby begins the story year discovered thorium in the Mine of the discovery of a new element. mineral (note 1). (Re) The curious pastor was Hans Morten The Kongsberg Mining • Thrane Esmark (1801- 1882), a true Academy (Kongelige Norske Evje Renaissance Man, who like Reverend William • Bergseminarium), the accompa- (Sc) Gregor' probed Nature in all disciplines to nying Norwegian Mining learn Her secrets. In addition to being a Museum (Norsk Bergverks­ Figure 2. Several elemf?11ts were originally found m southeast learned mineralogist, Esmark performed museum), and Kongsberg silver Norway. All of these sites have been visited by the authors, but chemical analyses; he was an expert in potato mines can be visited at only the Brevik area (Langesundjjord) is covered in the present diseases; he made a limestone kiln for the pro­ Kongsberg (Figure 2). The article. Brevik may be reached by automobile from Oslo by means duction of cement; he invented the exploding Academy where Jens Esmark of Kongsberg, where a historical silver mining museum may be harpoon (but didn't get credit for it), and taught still stands (note 2). In visited and where the old academy resides (where Hans Esmark's became the first mayor of Brevik.' And as a 1813 when the University of father was a professor). man of the doth he cared for his flock at the Christiana (note 3) was created, Brevik church (Figure 6). Jens Esmark joined that new university and the leagues-extensive global glaciation was not Esmark showed the interesting mineral to Kongsberg Mining Academy shut down. Jens recognized until Louis Agassiz's work in his father, Jens Esmark, who earlier had been Esmark in the 1820's suggested that Switzerland twenty years later. Professor at the famed Kongsberg Mining Scandinavia had once been covered with ice, Mr. Alf Olav Larsen (Figure 7), the leading Academy. The mineral appeared unlike any- but he was not taken seriously by his col- mineralogist of the Langcsundfjord area, was 70 THE HEXAGON Figure 3. Map of the La11ges1mdjjord area. The main cities are linked by highways, but the swarm ofi slands in the .fjord are accessible only by boat. Figure 4. The exact location of the "thorite hole," where vicar Esmark discovered the original thorium The three islands of main interest are Uro0ya, the mineral, is not known. This is a possible location (N 59• 03.45, E 09° 44.08) identified by Alf Olav Larsen, discovery site of thorite by vicar Esmark; Laven, the foremost mineralogist of the La11gesu11djjord area. the historic source of mosandrite, a source of /an­ tham1111; and Sylteroya, the location of vicar Figure 5. This 20-cm specimen is from the Esmark's church. About 15 kilometers north.is Langesundjjord area. The dark thorite (ThSiO,J is Skieri (not shown), the home of the playwright in a matrix of syenite pegmatite, an alkali feldspar Henrik Ibsen. rock mixed with hornblende and other minerals but lacking quartz. Figure 6. Brevik kirke (N 59' 03.16, E 09' 42.15) on Sylteroya, an island linked to the mainland part of Brevik by a bridge. This stone church our host for our visit to Nonvay and led us on a found. only a few candidates, close to the shore replaces two earlier wooden churches, demolished retracing of Esmark's discovery. There is no rou­ where the ice would have formed. In the old in 1879 and burnt down in 1960, respedively. tine ferry service to Uw0)'a, and Alf took us in days the locality was called the 'thorite hole' his outboard for a tour of the islands in the (Figure 9)." As Alf maneuvered the boat to dock panorama of geological variety. From the mid­ fjord. He headed from his home in Stathelle at a mineralized headland, an eider hen scurried dle of the fjord, we scanned the horizon and (Figure 8), through the Brevik harbor, and then away with her brood. viewed almost a billion years of history, from straight to L0Veya (Figure 4)."Today we do not Unfortunately no more thorite can be found: preCambrian to Permian. The thorite itself was know exactly where Esmark discovered the "After Auer von Welsbach invented his incade­ found in Pennian pegmatites.To one side of the mineral. Alf was telling us as we cruised scent mantle which uses the refractory thorium fjord an Ordovician limestone quarry lay, through Brevik harbor." Esmark mentioned in a oxide, there was a 'gold rush' in 1895-1896, marked by a smokestack of an accompanying letter to Berzelius that when he returned after which essentially deaned out the thorite in the cement factory; to the other side a ~nnian cliff the winter thaw, he assumed that ice had Langesundfjord islands." (note 4). of blue syenitc loomed over the horizon. "This weathered out some of the minerals. That In his boat, Alf toured us across the open is the famous blue schillerizing larvikite used in means it was dose to the shore."Alf told us that water of the fj ord to gain a larger view. The so many buildings of the world." Alf told us he had scoured the whole of L0V0)'a and had scenery in Langesundfjord displayed an ancient (note 5). W1NTER2001 71 beloved Brevik in 1850 to move to Ramnes, 40 km north-east of Brevik, where he served as vicar until retirement in 1870. The case of Esmark exemplifies the large network always responsible for important advances. Time blurs details, and history cele­ brates the discoverer but forgets the supporting cast. Hans Esmark, the pastor, was well known throughout Europe and supplied mineral sam­ ples to many scientists in other countries for their researches. He was the only amateur who has been granted honorary fellowship in the Mineralogical Society of England. A mineral species, esmarkite, was named in his honor (note 6). Upon his death his mineral collection was donated to the University of Tromso, Norway. Figure 7. Mr. Alf Olav Larsen (left) is showing a The Brevik Bymuseum (City Museum) specimen of alvite (hafnium-rich sample of zircon) resides in the old city hall, about 100 meters to one of the authors Jim Marshall (right). This downhill from Esmark's old church (Figure 10). photograph is taken at the Tangen Mine near Inside are beautiful montages, antiques, paint­ Kragem, another site visited by Dr. Larsen and ings, and photographs that describe the history the authors. of the area. And on the wall arc the past thirty mayors of Brevik-the first, at the top, being Esmark wanted to call the new mineral Hans MortenThrane Esmark (Figure 11). Loved 'berzelite,' but the ever gracious and modest by his people, his memory lives on with his (Figure 9) Jenny Marshall, one of the authors, community, which celebrated his 200th birth­ Berzelius declined, preferring to name it 'thor­ poses in Alf Olav's boat beside what 1s suspected day on August 21, 2001. 0 ite,' after the Viking's god of thunder.' Berzelius to be the original"thon'te hole" where vicar and Esmark developed a strong friendship over Esmark discovered thorite. In the foreground to the years, well documented by a series of letters the right can be seen a rich myriad of embedded between the two.' As one peruses the exchange Acknowledgments minerals, including zircon (ZrSiO.i), magnetite of correspondence, one is saddened by late Gratitude is extended to Alf Olav Larsen of (FeFe 0-iJ, aegirine (NaFeSip ), and molybdenite developments in Esmark's life. He solicited the Stathellc, Nol'Way, recognized as the foremost 2 6 (MoS ). aid of Berzelius to write a letter of recommen - mineralogist of the Langesundfjord area, who 2 dation for a post as vicar of Eidanger, the parish extended his hospitality and expertise to the adjacent to Brevik, so that he could remain in authors-not only for the Langesundfjord area, Notes the district and also cam more money, since but also Kragcrn (original source of hafnium), 1.