Fürstenzeche

Silberbergwerk Fürstenzeche - Grube Oswald

Useful Information

Location:	Zechenstrasse 16, 93462 Lam. Lam, Bayerischer Wald. Ortsteil Hütten, Besucherbergwerk beschildert. (49.198559, 13.078258)
Open:	closed. [2023]
Fee:	closed. [2023]
Classification:	Fluorite Mine Silver Mine Speleotherapy
Light:	Incandescent
Dimension:	L=1000 m, T=8.6 °C, H=98%, A=660 m asl.
Guided tours:	L=400 m, VR=47 m, D=45 min.
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:	no
Bibliography:	H. Strunz, E. Seeliger, C. Tennyson (1961): Mineralien aus der Fürstenzeche im Bayerischen Wald Aufschluss, Jg.12, Nr.6, S.145-51. H. Strunz (1971): Mineralien und Lagerstätten der Metamorphen Gesteine / Die Sulfidlagerstätten bei Bodenmais und Lam Aufschluss, Sonderband 21, S.14-29. T. Obermüller (2000): Das historische Silber- und Flusspatbergwerk "Fürstenzeche" in Lam/ Bayrischer Wald S.67-74. In: Klose, N., C. Paschen u. I. Dannullis. Aufschlüsse zur Erdgeschichte Bayerns. VFMG Sommertagung in Amberg/ Oberpfalz. Sonderb. Aufschluss, Jg.51, 115 S. T. Obermüller (2003): Das Silber- und Flußspatbergwerk "Fürstenzeche" in Lam/Bayerischer Wald Aufschluss, Jg.54, Nr.4, S.211-233.
Address:	Historisches Silber- und Flussspatbergwerk "Fürstenzeche", Zechenstrasse 16, 93462 Lam, Tel. +49-9943-903541. Tourist-Info Lam, Tel: +49-9943-777. 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 opened by Hanns Swanser.
1500	start of silver mining by saxon miners.
1522	Lam declared gefreite Bergstatt (free mining city). Yearly production 650 kg silver!
1545	mine "donated" to Herzog Albrecht V.
1546	mine nationalised and closed.
1690	reopened, silver and copper mined.
1732	closed again because of technical difficulties.
1925	fluorite mined from the heaps, but underground mining of flourite failed.
1952	prospection for uranium and fluorite.
1962	again closed.
1993	reopened for mineralogical and geological research.
1996	start of development as a show mine.
12-JAN-1998	opened to the public with speleotherapy.
2018	show mine closed.

Geology

The Bayerischer Wald (Bavarian Forest) is a crystalline mountain ridge with numerous polymetallic veins. The geology of this area is famous for numerous silver, copper and lead ores, fluorite and feldspar. The surrounding rocks are mainly mica schist and other metamorphic rocks. The age of the mineralised quartz fluorite veins has been dated at about 240 million years, the veins are the same age as the pile and the Nabburg fluorite district. The mine tunnels cross six different layers with different rocks.

Description

The Silberbergwerk Fürstenzeche (Duke’s Silver Mine) was the most important silver mine in the Bayrischer Wald (Bavarian Forest) until the end of the 16th century. It probably mainly supplied lead, but the silver content was so high that silver was economically much more important. Mining was carried out by miners from the Erzgebirge (Ore Mountains) who were familiar with the mining of the silver-bearing veins. Why the first phase of mining ended in 1546 is unclear, but it seems to have been political rather than economic reasons. Another mining phase ended around 1700 due to technical difficulties, presumably water drainage problems. A length of 25 km is given for the medieval tunnels, but this seems to be the sum of all the tunnels in the mining district, and moreover only an estimate.

In the Middle Ages, fluorite was of no economic importance and was considered slag. However, as it became increasingly important for industry in the 20th century, so fluorite was successfully mined from the medieval slag heaps. However, attempts to mine the fluorite underground were not profitable and were quickly abandoned. After the Second World War, the demand for uranium was very high due to the Cold War. Similar to the Erzgebirge, uranium was therefore prospected for, but without success. Nevertheless, the mine was operated for a decade for the mining of fluorite until this became unprofitable.

The Bavarian Forest is a forested low mountain range on the border with the Czech Republic. Because of the dense forest and hills, it was always sparsely populated and out of the way. Economically relevant was primarily lumbering and glass production. However, mining also brought the region a small amount of prosperity over the centuries. This ended in the middle of the 20th century, when the mining of gangue ore became unprofitable due to low world market prices. Although the mining of fluorspar is still economically interesting today, the gangues were not thick enough for this.

The mine was turned into a show mine after it was excavated for mineralogical and geological research in 1993. The tour of the mine mainly showed the history of local mining with galleries built using different techniques and some machinery which was used. The top level of the mine is about 100 m long, the first 30 m are built with circular steel supports common in mining today, probably a remnant of fluorspar mining. The speleotherapy facilities are also located on this level. A 100 m long ramp with a 30° incline leads to the second level. A 50 m long cross-cut to the west is particularly interesting geologically because it passes through the contact zone of two abutting mountain ranges. The mine still has two deeper levels, but these have been flooded.

In the meantime, the show mine has been closed, but this is generally described as "temporary". However, it was already closed in 2018, and a concept for the municipality to run the show mine failed in 2020. The Corona pandemic certainly didn't help either. Presumably, there is simply no operator to be found; a show mine is usually not particularly lucrative and is therefore usually run by a non-profit association with a lot of voluntary work. We will leave this page as it is, but we assume that this show mine is closed for good. After a few years, the lighting system and paths break down and a new operator would first have to carry out extensive renovations.

The special thing about this mine, however, is not the show mine; in fact, the Erzgebirge has dozens of comparable show mines. Much more interesting is the extraordinary mineralogy. The Fürstenzeche is famous among mineral collectors, the Mineralienatlas lists 82 different minerals that can be found here. Fluorite, feldspars and various ores are found in the veins and are the source materials for numerous rare minerals. A speciality is the so-called Bayerwaldsmaragd, a green mineral that only occurs in Lamer Winkel in Central Europe. At least that is what the tourist information office claims, but unfortunately does not specify which mineral is meant. In any case, emerald does not occur, the crystals are only called such because of their green colour. However, some overburden heaps are very productive, most minerals were not commercially interesting for mining.