Platzertal mine
The former Platzertal mine is located in the municipal areas of Pfunds and Tösens in the Platzer and Bergletal in the Tyrolean Ötztal Alps .
Some of the mined ore deposits were already in the glacier region in the ridge between the Platzer and Bergletal valleys. The highest tunnel was cut at an altitude of 2,815 m , but individual pits reached even higher. Mainly lead , zinc and copper ores were mined, with ore reserves estimated at 1.5 million tons. Mining dates back to the 15th century and a union was founded in 1539 . In 1610 the mining had to be stopped because of the advancement of the Bergler Ferners , the plants were run over by the glacier.
Mining was idle for around 250 years, and was resumed in 1884. At that time there was also a separate cable car that delivered the ore deposits for processing. Up to 1.5 tons per hour were processed in preparation during the heyday. It was not until the end of the 19th century that the 10 km long path from Tösens to the mountain houses was newly laid out or made accessible. Previously, draft animals were available, although a separate stables had to be built in the mountain house. Women also made a significant contribution to the history of mining, because they had to bring food and drink from the valley to the high mountains. The miners only took on the arduous life in the high mountains because of the high silver content. The workforce at that time was around 60 men (around 30 for the mine and around 30 for processing). In 1910 the mining was finally stopped, despite the considerable ore content, the high extraction costs and the winter break did not allow any economic mining.
The mining of significant ore deposits in the Platzer and Bergletal up to a height of 3000 m and the fact that scientists described the "Bergbau Tösens" as the only really significant ore deposit in the Landeck district were reasons enough to do this with the two crossed hammers ( Iron and mallets) in the municipal coat of arms of Tösens.
In 2007 a new association called “Verein Bergwerk Platzertal” was founded with the municipalities of Tösens and Pfunds and the Tiroler Oberland Tourist Association. The aim of the association is to preserve the listed mining facilities, some of which have already fallen into disrepair. In 2010, maintenance work is to begin after the snow has melted.
The mine in the Platzertal is one of the highest located mines in Europe. In the immediate vicinity there are 14 three-thousand-meter peaks in the bell tower ridge .
Web links
- The dilapidated ruins of the mine in Platzertal 1988 accessedon YouTube on May 3, 2013
Individual evidence
Coordinates: 46 ° 57 ′ 9 ″ N , 10 ° 39 ′ 47 ″ E