[1][2] The Board was an expression of the bergregal principle, the royal ownership of mineral resources, and oversaw activities in the Swedish mountain districts.
The Board issued charters for blast furnaces, trip hammers and various forms of manufacturing.
In 1630 king Gustav II Adolf authorised the formation of a mining office (bergsamt) under the Chamber College (Kammarkollegiet).
In 1637 it became an independent agency under the name General Mining Office (Generalbergsamtet, also called Bergsämbetet), and was led by a governor, with the other members referred to as assessors.
[2][3] In 1649 it was renamed the Board of Mines (Bergskollegium) and in 1651 the title of its head was changed to president.