The red paint - Falu Rödfärg
Red paint is mentioned in many descriptions of the copper production at Stora Kopparberg in Falun. Already in 1573, King Johan III wrote a letter to the construction supervisor at Stockholm Palace, stating that he wanted to order "rust lead" or "mine residue" to color all the roofs of the palace red. However, in the 17th century, it was still uncommon and exclusive to paint one's house, and the pigment was mixed with tar for both protection and color. It was not until the 18th century that industrial production of red paint began to be seriously discussed.
After a number some non successful attempts, 25 tons of pigment were produced as a by-product of vitriol production during the period 1764-1774. It was during this time that the paint was combined and boiled with water and rye flour.
The production has been ongoing in the area around Falu mine since 1764. After all previous failures, the Bergslaget wanted to lease the production, and the lease lasted until the mid-19th century. The lessees not only used the slag product from the vitriol plant but also utilized the raw material from the mine water and from old, weathered waste rock (copper-poor ore from mining). Waste rock piles remained in the area, and today's Falu Red Paint still sources it's raw material from there.
Waste rock piles & Mining boys
Long ago, all ore at Falu Mine was sorted by swift young boys in the basin at the edge of the mine. Ore with a lot of metal was piled up, while ore with little metal was placed in the "waste pile."
The piles kept changing, some grew and others became smaller, some became flat and others peaked. The waste piles were and still are Falu Rödfärg's most important source of raw material. Load by load, they brought in the weathered ore, washed off the finest grains, and put back the rest for continued weathering for 20-30 years. The ochre-yellow grains are dried and burned, and it is only at high temperatures that they turn into the red color that has characterized the Swedish landscape for centuries. The higher the temperature during burning, the darker the color becomes. The pigment for the black paint is almost completely burnt.
The Falu mine was closed in 1992, so no new raw material has been added after that. Therefore, every can of Falu Red Paint sold today contains pigment handpicked by those young boys several hundred years ago!
