Geological survey of Norway
The Natural Stone Database

Fjæreheia
Deposit no. 602 in Grimstad (0904) municipality.
(Last updated 16.feb.2010)

Printout created on 31.okt.2025
© Geological survey of Norway


Type of Object : Deposit Area Object no.: 00.00
Name: Fjæreheia Alternative name:
Commodity: Granite and other igneous rocks Sub-commodity: Granite
Evaluation
Economical: Minor interest , (Evaluation done 13.des.2004 by HELDAL_TOM)
Hist. interest: Y (Evaluation done 13.des.2004 byHELDAL_TOM)
Activity/Production
Activity: Stone quarrying Reserves:
Prod. method: Open pit mining Production:
Prod. status: Disused, closed Volume of dump:
Localization
County: Aust-Agder (09) County deposit no.: AA0010
Municipality: Grimstad (0904) Unique object Id.: 0904.602.00.00
Map 1:50000: Arendal (1611-4) Map 1:2500000: Arendal
Marking point: (Coordinates IS confirmed)
UTM Zone: EU89-UTM Zone 32 East(m): 476227
Precision : 1500 North(m): 6470814
Deposit
Lithology: Weathering colour:
Era: Proterozoic Period: Neoproterozoic
Dating: Method:
Genesis: Magmatic Form: Massive
Main texture: Porphyritic
Main grain size: Main alteration:
Strike/Dip: Direction:
Plunge:
Stratigraphic classification of host rock
Era: Proterozoic Period:
Province: South Norwegian Basement Province Geotectonic unit:
Tectonic complex: Igneous complex:
Group: Formation:
..
Description
Grimstadgranitten (også kalt Fjæregranitt eller Fevikgranitt) kom i drift allerede i 1870-årene, etter en bybrann i Arendal. Flere brudd ble drevet utover 1800-tallet, med en samlet arbeidsstokk på 20-40 mann. På begynnelsen av 1900-tallet var over 100 mann i arbeid med å hugge granitt i flere brudd. Under krigen tok tyskerne ut mye steinblokker som var ment til Hitlers seiersmonument i Nürnberg, men ingen steinblokker ble skipet ut. Etter krigen var det lite drift på Grimstadgranitt i de fleste bruddene. Imidlertid ble bruddet i Fjæreheia åpnet igjen i 1966 i et forsøk på å revitalisere driften. Utnyttelsesgraden var imidlertid lav, og konkurransen for røde granitter økte sterkt, ikke minst fra Finland og Sverige. Driften ble derfor nedlagt på midten av 1970-tallet. I dag benyttes bruddet i Fjæreheia til teaterscene. Varianten av Grimstadgranitt fra Fjæreheia er en porfyrisk, rød til rosa granitt, med markerte rødlige krystaller av kalifeltspat. Kvarts fremstår som blålig.
Examples
Grimstadgranitten vant gullmedalje for vakreste bygningsstein på en verdensutstilling i Haag i 1890. Rundt århundreskiftet ble den eksportert til en rekke land, særlig Tyskland. Den er ellers benyttet mye til lokale formål, som bygningsstein, murer og trapper samt gravmonumenter.
Location
Steinbruddet ligger i Fjæreheia langs veg nordøst for Fjære Kirke.

Photos:
Taken by:
Motive:
Fra steinbruddet
Leif Furuhaug Steinbruddet
Leif Furuhaug Teatersalen i bruddet.
Leif Furuhaug Fra scene-området.

Mineralogy:
Relationship:
Mineral:
Amount:
Not defined Microcline Major mineral (>10%)
Not defined Quartz Major mineral (>10%)
Not defined Biotite Subordinate mineral (1-10%)

Operations:
From - To:
Activity:
Comments :
1966 - 1976 Regular production Brudd for blokkeksport

Products:
Name on product:
Fevik granitt
Attributes
Classification :Massive blocks Colour :Red
Play of colours : Uniformity :Good
Lithology :Granite Grain size :Coarse grained (> 3 mm)

Mineralogy:
Microcline Major mineral (>10%)
Quartz Major mineral (>10%)
Biotite Subordinate mineral (1-10%)

Photos:
Motive :Polert overflate

Bibliography:
From NGU's Reference Archive:
Oxaal, John , 1916
Norsk granit
;Norges geologiske undersøkelse;TIDSSKRIFTARTIKKEL;NGU; No.76;1-220 pages
Abstract:
This work is a report of granite and the granite industry in Norway. It contains a description of the various fields of granite and similar rocks from a scientific as well as from a technical and economical standpoint. The geological occurrence of the various rocks, their chemical and mineralogical composition, are thoruoughlyoughly treated, also the questions of practical interest, as the quality and other technical properties, further the problems of location and conditions for transport, conditions for quarrying and otherquestions of interest in the utilization of the various occurrences of granite. Granite: This chapter consideres first the mineralogical and chemical composition of the granite, and the various types of granite resulting from the varying composition; thereafter the most important structural types and how these are dependent on the geological appearance of the rock. Lakkolites and other froms assumed by granite masses when injected into the crust of the earth, are mentioned; some examples of beautifully formed lakkolites are also mentioned. The question of sheet structure and rift in the granite are of great importance in its utilization, and are of interest both practically and theoretically.

References not to be found in NGU's Reference Archive:
Trømborg, D. 2003: Stein på stein. Stein som byggemateriale i Norge. Tapir forlag, s. 134-136