002.2.Idrija

Idrija Mercury Heritage Management Centre, Bazoviška 2, SI-5280 Idrija

Public

Republic of Slovenia

4455 Anthony's Main Road

Ore deposit

The area of the natural value Anthony's Main Road contains the level of the entry tunnel called Anthony's tunnel and level I/17 and I/20 of the Kropáč mining field (MF). Anthony's Main Road is located in the highest part of the ore deposit, characterised by inverse position of the layers, which are the result of tectonic transformation of the ore deposit. The oldest, carbon rocks lie on top, followed by younger Skonca beds and the youngest, pyroclastic rock layers on the bottom. On the levels I/17 and I/20 of the Kropáč MF we can observe epigenetic mineralisation with crystal of cinnabar and native mercury and syngenetic cinnabar mineralisation in the form of the sedimentary ore. In the Anthony’s Main Road area, eight geological profiles of the utmost importance are evidenced.

It contains 1200 m of pit paths in three levels. The lowest point is 96 m below the surface or 22 m below the level of entry tunnel.

Native mercury, syngenetic and epigenetic cinnabar mineralisation

Approximately 238 million years ago, in the Mid-Triassic tectonic stage, which took place from the middle Anisian and the upper Ladinian.

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On this part of the Idrija ore deposit, the economic entity Idrija Mercury Mine formed the underground system for mercury ore exploitation, which took almost 500 years. A part of the Idrija ore deposit, observed in the Anthony’s Main Road, on the levels I/17 and I/20 and the intermediate decline, is part of the former far northern part of the north carbon threshold in Idrija Mid-Triassic rift. Next to the delivery faults rich epigenetic impregnations with native mercury and crystal of cinnabar were formed in the carbon rocks. A large part of hydrothermal solutions was flowing in the then wetlands, where the typical Idrija ore deposit wetland Skonca beds and rich sedimentary ores were deposited. Simultaneously with the sedimentation of Skonca, rich syngenetic layered ores were formed, which were later additionally soaked with epigenetic crystal of cinnabar and native mercury.

The natural value Anthony's Main Road is being preserved, secured and presented as important natural heritage of Idrija with exceptional universal values. This area is secured as a cultural monument of national importance (since 2001), within the museum part of the mine, Anthony's Main Road. It has had the status of a geological natural value of national importance since 2004. Eight geological profiles are evaluated within the natural value Anthony's Main Road. In this area, the economical amounts of the cinnabar mineralisation were mainly excavated, but we can still observe the quantitatively small mineralisations of syngenetic and epigenetic creation. Sedimentary cinnabar ore in Skonca beds and tuffites can be observed in the decline I/20–I/19 on level I/20 of the mining field (MF) Kropáč. Epigenetic mercury mineralisation in carbon rocks can be found on the level I/20 of Kropáč MF and on the left side towards the Attems' decline on the level I/17 of the Kropáč MF. In the decline I/20–I/19 of Kropáč MF, on the left and right side of Skonca beds, there is also epigenetic mineralisation with mercury drops and mould superficial layers of crystal of cinnabar.

The entrance in the Anthony's Main Road is located on the southern outskirts of Idrija at the dimension mark at 330 metres. The tunnel runs south under the town area Pront and continues east under the hill called Smukov grič. Under the Anthony's Main Road, there are also the levels I/20 (316 m above sea level) and I/17 (308 above sea level) of Kropáč MF.

No changes

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Performing regular maintenance services by the programme, including status control and preservation, security and presentation of the heritage.

Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia no. 111/2004 of 14/10/2004; 4623. Rules on the designation and protection of natural values, p. 13173–13175; https://www.uradni-list.si/glasilo-uradni-list-rs/vsebina/51517. See: Annex 1: Seznam naravnih vrednot in njihova razvrstitev na vrednote državnega in lokalnega pomena.

Mestni muzej Idrija

Miha Kosmač

Miha Kosmač

27. 2. 2018

Never