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

The Erzgebirge/Krušnohoří Mining Region stands out as a pivotal area for both historical mining and geological research, with over 800 years of mining activity contributing to the discovery of multiple chemical elements, including uranium (U), bismuth (Bi), tungsten (W), rubidium (Rb), indium (In), germanium (Ge), radium (Ra), and polonium (Po). This region also played a foundational role in the development of economic geology as a distinct discipline, spawning the first geological maps, technical books, and mining high schools. Recent studies have leveraged an extensive research database to refine evolutionary models for granite-related deposits, underscoring its enduring significance in both historical and contemporary geological science.

Breiter, K. (2014). 800 years of mining activity and 450 years of geological research in the Krušné Hory/Erzgebirge Mountains, Central Europe. Boletim Do Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi - Ciências Naturais, 9(1), 105–134. https://doi.org/10.46357/bcnaturais.v9i1.540