Geo Gallery 2 -- Ore Types of the Rammelsberg Deposit in Germany :
Few ore deposits ever have been of such importance and sustainability as the Rammelsberg mine at Goslar in Northern Germany. Started in 968 or even earlier this exceedingly rich copper, lead and zinc mine was in continuous production until 1988, that is more than 1000 years ! Emperors and kings got their silver, gold and copper from this mountain and made adjoining Goslar one of the richest towns of Germany. A world class deposit indeed !
More recently the ores of the Rammelsberg with more than 20 % combined metal content were the crown jewel of the many mines of the Preussag company. Since 1988 the Rammelsberg is believed to be exhausted, though current exploration aims to find new ore reserves. Today the Rammelsberg mine is a World Heritage Site and a major part of the surface buildings as well as part of the underground system can be visited.
More information about the Rammelsberg can be found in this German publication and on the website of the Rammelsberg Mining Museum.
Please click (!) on the thumbnails to get a larger image with some description. If you have any questions, donīt hesitate to contact me.
- View of beneficiation plant and historic mine buildings, Rammelsberg Mine
- Mine model of the two major ore lenses of Rammelsberg deposit with "Altes Lager" and "Neues Lager" in foreground
- Front view of the "Altes Lager" ore lens left and "Neues Lager" ore lens right
- Melierterz from Rammelsberg :
High grade ore from the Neues Lager with about 6 % copper, 20 % zinc and 6 % lead
Specimen width : 20 cm - Melierterz from Rammelsberg :
Alternating stratification of copper rich and zinc/lead rich ore beds.
Specimen height : 25 cm - Melierterz from Rammelsberg :
Intense ore folding, due to submarine transport of unconsolidated ore sludges.
Specimen width : 15 cm - Melierterz from Rammelsberg :
Detail with laminar ore structures and little blebs of white barite.
Image width : 5 cm - Lagererz from Rammelsberg :
Lagererz with inclusions of white barite. Metal grades at 4 % copper, 6 % zinc and 4 % lead.
Specimen width : 20 cm - Banderz from Rammelsberg :
Banderz are thin ore layers grading into shales with a "poor" metal content of 0.6 % copper. 8 % zinc and 4 % lead. Specimen height : 30 cm - Vitriol from Rammelsberg :
Blue vitriol copper sulphate was used for sulphuric acid production and leather tanning.
Sample width : 10 cm - Vitriol from Rammelsberg :
Goslarite, a zinc vitriol named after the nearby Goslar town, was mined extensively in the Rammelsberg.
Sample height : 1 meter - Ore mining ceased at the Rammelsberg on 30th June 1988. The final mine cart hoisted has been preserved for posterity at the Rammelsberg museum.