Svalbard From the timeline, Discovery and whaling
1610
Coal is seen in Kongsfjorden
The English whaler Jonas Poole found coal deposits in the Ny-Ålesund area in 1610. Mining there did not begin until 1916.
History Store norske leksikon
Tuesday 13 February 2024Before the Wire, which starts 26 October 2026Updated 23:59
Polar night, day 110 of 112. The sun returns 16 February.
Svalbard Wire starts on 26 October 2026. Pages before that date show the history of the island.