St. Lampertus Fundgrube

Useful Information

Location:	Dresdner Str. 109, 09337 Hohenstein-Ernstthal. (50.805472, 12.726041)
Open:	MAR to OCT last Sat in month 9-12. [2020]
Fee:	Kurze Tour: Adults EUR 5. Lange Tour: Adults EUR 7,50. [2020]
Classification:	Gold Mine
Light:	Incandescent Electric Light System
Dimension:	T=8-10 °C.
Guided tours:	Kurze Tour: D=60 min. Lange Tour: D=120 min.
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:	no
Bibliography:
Address:	Huthaus des ehemaligen St. Lampertus-Schachtes, Dresdner Straße 109, 09337 Hohenstein-Ernstthal E-mail: Anmeldung: Andreas Bachmann, Tel: +49-3723-411-773, Tel: +49-173-1554924. E-mail:
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

1320	first mining tests according to Oberlungwitzer Ortschronist Gumbrecht, not documented.
1400-1450	first mining trial at Pfaffenberg.
1500	Mining on the Zechenberg begins.
1510	Mining settlement Hohenstein receives the rights of a mining town from Regent Countess Anna von Schönburg
1517	declared a city.
1520	declared a mining court.
1610	The Schönburg Mining Office was dissolved and the mining district was assigned to the Scheibenberg Mining Office.
1680	Ernstthal founded.
1720	the first coal found in the Erzgebirge basin.
1767	Glauchau-Schönburg loses its mining rights to the Wettin princely house.
1785	Water ditch renewed.
1846	Huthaus built.
1873	St. Lampertus shaft sunk 125 m deep and a new machine house built.
1876	12 HP steam engine installed.
1871	With the transition to the Reichsmark and gold as currency and coin metal, silver ore mines in the Ore Mountains become unprofitable.
1910	area is closed.
1952	Friends of the Hohenstein-Ernstthal Geology & Mining Association founded.
1996	Deep St. Lampertus Erbstolln renovated to avert the danger of daybreak.
2008	opened as a show mine.

Geology

The granulite mountains are part of the Variscan orogeny, Hohenstein-Ernstthal lies on the south-western edge. Several ore veins of the gravelly blended lead formation occur in the muscovite mica-schist. The veins occur in clusters and strike NNE-SSW which mostly dip at 75° to the east. The most important veins are the St. Lampertus-Stehende and the Wille-Gottes-Stehende.

The main ore mineral of the veins at the Zechenberg is arsenopyrite (FeAsS). Accompanying minerals gold, silver, chalcopyrite (CuFeS₂), arsenic pale ore (tennantite, Cu₁₂As₄S₁₃) and antimony pale ore (tetrahedrite, Cu₁₂Sb₄S₁₃), pyrite (pyrite, FeS₂) and marcasite (FeS₂). In addition, the minerals zinc blende (spahlerite, ZnS), galena (galena, PbS), and bournonite (CuPbSbS₃) are also found.

Description

In the St. Lampertus mine, veins containing sulphuric and arsenic ores were mined. While the main ore was iron, gold and silver were of greater economic interest. Copper, lead and zinc were also extracted. With the transition to the Reichsmark and the conversion from silver to gold as a currency and coin metal, silver ore mines in the Ore Mountains became unprofitable. The mines at Hohenstein-Ernstthal were closed at the end of the 19th century and fell into oblivion. However, as no safety measures had been taken, there was an increasing number of collapses at the end of the 20th century. The municipality tried to redevelop the old mines in order to prevent the collapses. It was discovered that the adit Tiefer St. Lampertus Erbstolln, which allowed the pits to drain by gravity, had collapsed. This caused the pits to fill with water, which was the main cause of the collapses.

The Friends of Geology & Mining e.V. Hohenstein-Ernstthal was founded as early as 1952. Its members had the necessary knowledge to implement safety measures. Supported by the municipality and the municipal savings bank, they rehabilitated the Tiefer St. Lampertus Erbstolln. From this time on, they also offered guided tours for interested people. They also organized public lectures and Christmas Mettenschichten, a typical miners meal held underground. Over the years, other parts were renovated and the Huthaus of the pit "St. Lampertus samt Zubehör" (St. Lampertus including accessories) was renovated and an exhibition was set up. The St. Lampertus Pit was officially reopened as an exhibition mine in 2008. The Huthaus is open on the last Sunday of the month during the summer months, but visitors must register for a visit to the mine.