Schaubergwerk Hofergraben


Useful Information

Location: Dorf 46, A-9961 Hopfgarten in Defreggen.
From the parking lot at the Hopfgarten city limits 30 min walk.
(46.9210092, 12.5087577)
Open: closed.
[2025]
Fee: closed.
[2025]
Classification: MineGold Mine MineCopper Mine
Light: LightLED
Dimension: A=1,200 m asl.
Guided tours: nein, D=10 min.
Photography: allowed
Accessibility: no
Bibliography: Walter Potacs, Michael Huber (): Das Bergbaugebiet „Im Blindis“ in St. Jakob in Defereggen auf der Grundlage der Diplomarbeit von Friedrich Ehrl „Das Bergknappenhaus im Bergbaugebiet ‚Im Blindis‘ ober St. Jakob im Defereggental, Osttirol“ (Innsbruck 1997) S. 25. pdf Deutsch - German
Address: Tourismusverband Defereggental, Dorf 46, A-9961 Hopfgarten in Defreggen, Tel: +43-4872-5356. E-mail: contact
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then.
Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

15th century beginning of mining.
1442 mine in the nearby Grünalmtal mentioned.
17th century end of mining.
1990er converted into a show mine.

Geology

Description

The Schaubergwerk Hofergraben or Hofer-Graben is located in the Grünalmtal. The area was inhabited by the Slavic peoples during the 6th and 7th century, and they called the mountain slope Rudnig (ore mountain). So they knew already about the local ores. But mining started actually in the 15th century and was abandoned in the 17th century. There is an orebody of about 4 m, mainly copper but also some gold. The ruins of the ore processing can be seen opposite the entrance. The ore was of poor quality and so the mining was not very rentable.

The tunnel had electric light and could be easily visited self-guided. The light switch was at the tunnel entrance. The tourist information office in Hopfgarten sold a brochure about mining in the Derfregertal valley. The path to the tunnel was signposted with "Besucherstollen" (visitor tunnel) and there was a board with explanations at the entrance. The floor is covered with at least 10 cm of water, but the tunnel had a wooden walkway leading across it. At the end of the rather short tunnel is a slightly larger room. Over the centuries, the mountain water has deposited stalactites and stalagmites that shimmer in a wide variety of colours. In fact, these are not regular dripstones made of calcite, but various soluble minerals from the ore. Some of these are dissolved and deposited much more quickly, so that the stalactites also grow much faster.

Unfortunately, this mine has since been closed. This was probably due to the stricter safety regulations introduced after the mining accident in Lassing. In general, however, it is not a good idea to allow visitors to wander freely through a mine. On the one hand, a mine is generally more dangerous than a cave, and on the other hand, there is also the risk of vandalism.