From the quay at Svanøybukt there is a gravel road going east to Nordneset. At the last house, the road continues as a tractor road or path. A rusty iron rod stands by the road with a warning sign on it: DANGEROUS MINE ENTRANCES. The terrain has grown over with pine trees. In this area we find hidden traces of mining activities of former times.
In June 1759, "Grimmeliens Kobberværk" was given royal privilege to run mining operations within a radius of about 20 kilometers. This included Sørdalen in the municipality of Fjaler. For three periods until 1920, around 50 years in all, there was an active mining industry winning copper ore. At its peak the mining community had more than 100 people, the largest concentrated settlement of Askvoll at this time.