Name 1
MINING GEOLOGICAL COLLECTION
Name 2
/
ID number
002.6.Idrija
Manager / Administrator
Idrija Mercury Heritage Management Centre, Bazoviška 2, SI-5280 Idrija
Ownership
Public
Owner
Republic of Slovenia
Local / Original ID Number
/
Type of Object
Ore deposit
Description
Short description
The Mining Geological Collection contains 529 samples. The collection is divided into seven thematic sets – namely Idrija-Cerkno territory rocks, the ore deposit rocks, tectonic samples of Triassic and tertiary tectonics, Idrija ore deposit minerals, sygenetic and epigenetic ore and samples of different ore bodies. Rocks and ores samples represent important geological elements important for the interpretation of the creation of Idrija ore deposit and its development to the current state.
Measures
529 samples of different dimensions
Materials
Rocks, tectonic samples, minerals and crystals, syngenetic and epigenetic cinnabar ore, native mercury
Dating
The rock samples are from the carbon, Permian period and Early and Mid-Triassic (Scythian, Anisian, Ladinian). Minerals and cinnabar ores are from the period of the Mid-Triassic tectonic phase, which took place from the Middle Anisian to the end of Ladinian (from 242 to 238 million years ago).
Author / Producer
/
Picture attachments
Original use
The first data on minor collections of minerals and ores, owned by the then mining officials, date back to 18th century. The important milestone of the geological branch of natural science was set by the mine manager Marko Vincenc Lipold (after 1867). Later, the samples of ores, minerals, rocks and fossils, were collected by Mining and Geological Engineers, the professors at the Idrija Secondary School of Natural Sciences and the museum staff. Geological research was the base for successful mining. At the end of the 1950s and in the 1960s, “the Idrija Geology School” became world known too. Most specimens preserved until today were collected by mining geologists and engineers between 1957 and 2003, while exploring the Idrija ore deposit and the surroundings of Idrija. In 2003, Dr Jože Čar with his colleagues from the Geological Service, rearranged the collection in the renovated premises of the Idrija Mercury Mine Administration office at Francis' Shaft.
Present use
The Idrija Mercury Mine Geological Collection is being preserved, secured and presented as important natural heritage of Idrija ore deposit with exceptional universal values. The collection is a proof of 160 years of planned exploration of the ore deposit and indirectly also 500 years of mining. It wraps up the discoveries of several generations of geologists on the creation and development of the Idrija ore deposit, which has represented a special challenge for several researches. It represents a unique soil “archive”, as all the specimens were excavated in the Idrija ore deposit and also stored. The larger part of the collection is available for researchers and interested public. The nicest specimens are available for visitors in the museum part of the mine in Anthony's Main Road.
Original location
Idrija ore deposit and wider surroundings of Idrija
Present location
CUDHg, Bazoviška 2, SI-5280 Idrija; Anthony’s Main Road, Kosovelova 3, SI-5280 Idrija
STATE OF CONSERVATION
History of conservation:
The collection is systematically organised and the samples are professionally described. Security of the premises is taken care of.
Present state
good
Necessary activities:
Regular seasonal maintenance.
DOCUMENTATION
Addresses / collections / links etc. where further in-depth information is accessible:
- CUDHg Inventory Book;
- Čar, Jože. Rudniška geološka zbirka: Seznam in opis vzorcev. Mercury Mine Idrija, 2003, p. 1–122, [material is kept in the CUDHg archive].
- Čar, Jože. Rudniška geološka zbirka: Seznam in opis vzorcev. Mercury Mine Idrija, 2003, p. 1–122, [material is kept in the CUDHg archive].
Submitted
Mestni muzej Idrija
Submitted by
Miha Kosmač
Edited by
Miha Kosmač
Date Submitted
27. 2. 2018
Date Edited
Never