800 years of mining activity and 450 years of geological research in the Krušné Hory/Erzgebirge Mountains, Central Europe

Abstract

For over 800 years the Krušné Hory/Erzgebirge Mountains were one of the most important European mining districts and source of Ag, Sn-W, As-Co-Ni, Pb-Zn, and U. The growth of mining activities set the conditions for the appearance of the first geological maps, printing of technical books and foundation of the first mining high school. Economic geology itself developed and established as a distinct discipline right there in the Krušné Hory/Erzgebirge Mountains. Several chemical elements, namely U, Bi, W, Rb, In, Ge, Ra, Po, were discovered in ores or minerals from that region. More recently, based on extensive research database, evolutionary models of some types of granite-related deposits were also developed in this region.