Fürstenzeche

Duke's Mine

Useful Information

Location:	Lam, Bayerischer Wald.
Open:	All year daily 12, 13, 14, 15, 16.
Fee:	Adults DEM 7,-, Children DEM 5,- (both tour)
Classification:	Fluorite Mine Silver Mine fluorite and silver mine in mica schist
Light:	electric
Dimension:	L=1000m, T=8.6°C, H=98%.
Guided tours:	L=400m, VR=47m. Bergbauhistorische Führung (mining history): D=60min. Geologisch-mineralogische Fachführung (geological-mineralogical tour): D=90min.
Photography:
Accessibility:
Bibliography:
Address:	Besucherbergwerk Fürstenzeche, Zieglerstrasse 4a, D-94469 Deggendorf, Tel/Fax: +49-991-8154. 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

1463	mine founded by Hanns Swanser.
1500	start of silver mining by saxon miners.
1522	Lam was declared gefreite Bergstatt (free mining city). Yearly production 650 kg silver!
1545	mine donated to Herzog Albrecht V..
1546	mine became public property and was closed.
1690	reopened, silver and copper mined.
1732	closed again because of technical problems.
1925	flourspar mined from the heaps, but underground mining of spar flour failed.
1952	prospection for urane.
1962	again closed.
1993	reopened for mineralogical and geological research.
1996	start of development.
1998	opened to the public.

Geology

The Fürstenzeche (Duke's Mine) is located in the Bayerischer Wald (Bavarian Forest), which has numerous mines. The geology of this area is famous for numerous silver, copper, and plumbum ores, spar flour and feldspar. The mining industry gave the area a certain prosperity. This ended in the mid 20th century, when the mining technology made the ores invaluable.

The surrounding rock is primarly mica schist. But the adits of the mine cross six different startas with different rocks.

Description

The Fürstenzeche is famous among mineral collectors. About 60 different minerals are found here. Spar flour, ores and graphite are found and the combinaton allowes the existance of numerous rare minerals.

The tour through the mine shows rimarly the mining history with adits built in different techniques and some ancient machinery.

The mine is also used for speleotherapy.

Four the mineral collecting visitors, one day trips to the area are organized. The visitor use their own cars and 15 people are minimum.