Stor-Esjeøya

Coordinates: UTM 33W 0364990 7265271, 65°28'54.1''N 12°5'0.8''E

Primary interests: Science, tourism

Soapstone quarry at the island Stor-Esjeøya, neighbour to Bolvær. The soapstone is a result from transformation of Ordovician metagabbro from the Bolvær complex. The layer with soapstone is about three meters thick and well visible from the sea for a length of about 50 meters. This quarry has been in use from the Viking Age until the Middle Ages. It is believed that stone from this quarry was used to build the medieval church at Tilrem.

This site is only in use for scientific purposes today, but there is a potential to use the geosite for tourism and education. This island is important in the on-going project to increase kayak tourism in the area. Esjeøya is, together with other geosites and non-geological sites on islands in the area, part of a purposed geosite tour reached by kayak. Today, this site is only reachable by boat through a private arrangement.