Browsing by Subject "Gelnica"

Now showing 1 - 1 of 1

Access status: Open Access ,
Geotouristic excursion to selected historical mining sites developed by Slovak and German miners in the Gelnica-Smolnik region, Slovakia
(2010) Rybár, Pavol; Sasvári, Tibor; Hvizdák, Ladislav; Hvizdáková, Jana; Baláž, Bartolomej
The following paper summarizes the history of Gelnica, Smolnik and Rożnava gold, silver, copper and iron orefields in Eastern Slovakia, which have been mined since the Medieval ages by of Slovak and German miners. In Gelnica, where mining operations date back to the Xth century, massive quartz-siderite- chalcopyrite veins with Fe-dolomite, pyrite and tetrahedrite (with silver) cut Lower Devonian phyllites and porphyroids. In Smolnik, where copper mining has commenced in the first half of the XIth century followed by gold, then silver and iron ore exploitation, 10-11 pyrite-chalcopyrite ore horizons are hosted in Silurian phyllites. In Rożnava mining operations for iron, silver gold and copper ores have been known since the XIth century and have lasted until 1992. Over 40 ore veins discovered in this field contain mostly siderite although quartz-siderite-sulphide paragenesis with Ag-bearing tetrahedrite was also observed. In all three mining districts there are numerous objects of mining heritage and other valuable historical monuments, reflecting the wealth of old Slovak mining towns.