Name 1
COLLECTION OF MINERALS OF THE IDRIJA ORE DEPOSIT
Name 2
/
ID number
002.9.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 collection of minerals of the Idrija ore deposit contains XY samples. The collection consists of all important minerals of Idrija ore deposit – primary and secondary. Individual types of minerals are of different forms. We find them in veins, cavities, fractures and are often growing from the surface and mould superficial layers. The special feature of the collection are crystals of cinnabar and metacinnabar, Idrialite and native mercury drops, which are the most common in carbon slate claystone. Some mineral samples were transected and polished.
Measures
XY samples of different dimensions.
Materials
Minerals (primary: crystal of cinnabar, marcasite, pyrite, sphalerite, dolomite, flint, calcite, metacinnabarite, fluorite, kaolinite, pilolite; secondary: epsomite, melanterite, gypsum, limonite, bitumen, Idrialite
Dating
/
Author / Producer
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Picture attachments
Original use
The Idrija ore deposit is monometallic and monomineralic, since only a cinnabar mineral and native mercury are found in economical amounts. Namely, 25 different minerals were found in the ore deposit. Some are common, others are very rare and only represent mineralogical specialty. It occurs in different amounts on all rocks, which are found in the ore deposit. They appear in the form of massive layers (crystal of cinnabar), veins, top layers, mould superficial layers and individual lumps and crystals. Metacinnabarite is a very rare mineral with the same chemical composition as crystal of cinnabar and it crystallises in tiny black cubic crystals. Green Idrialite is a mineralogical special feature. It is an extremely rare mineral of organic creation, which was first described by Janda in 1892 and named it after Idrija. Crystal of cinnabar is accompanied by minerals dolomite, flint and calcite. A very common and typical Idrija secondary mineral ore is epsomite, which was first described in 1761 Joannes Antonius Scopoli.
Present use
The mineral samples are being preserved, secured and presented as important natural heritage of Idrija ore deposit with exceptional universal values. The collection 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 researchers. It represents a unique soil “archive”, as all the minerals were excavated in Idrija ore deposit and also stored. The larger part of the collection is displayed and available to researchers in the CUDHg administrative premises within the Francis’ shaft. The described specimens are mostly presented in display cases. The rest of them are stored in the drawers under the display cases. Samples can also be used for temporary exhibitions and for other types of Mercury heritage promotions.
Original location
Idrija ore deposit
Present location
CUDHg (Mining Geological Collection), Bazoviška 2, SI-5280 Idrija
STATE OF CONSERVATION
History of conservation:
The samples are appropriately preserved. Additional interventions are not necessary. 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 archive of CUDHg];
- Drovenik, Matija, Čar, Jože, Strmole, Dragica. Langobardske kaolinitne usedline v idrijskem
rudišču. Geologija, 18, 1975, p. 107–155;
- Drovenik, Matija, Dolenec, Tadej, Režun, Bojan, Pezdič, Jože. O živosrebrovi rudi iz rudnega telesa
Grübler v Idriji. Geologija, 33, 1990, p. 397‒446;
- Drovenik, Matija, Mlakar, Ivan. Strukturne in genetske posebnosti idrijskega rudišča. Geologija, 14, 1971, p. 67‒126;
- Schrauf, Albrecht. Ueber Metacinabarit von Idria und dessen Paragenesis. Jahrbuch der k.k. Geol. R.A. 41/2 (1891), Wien 1892, p. 349‒400;
- Vidrih, Renato, Mikuž, Vasja, Peljhan, Martina, Klemenčič, Tomaž. Minerali idrijskega rudišča.
Proteus, 57/7, 1995, p. 269‒276;
- Vidrih, Renato, Mikuž, Vasja. Minerali na Slovenskem. Ljubljana: Tehniška založba Slovenije, 1995;
- Rečnik, Aleksander. Minerali živosrebrovega rudišča. Ljubljana: Institut "Jožef Stefan"; [Salzhemmendorf]: Bode, 2012.
- Čar, Jože. Rudniška geološka zbirka: Seznam in opis vzorcev. Mercury Mine Idrija, 2003, p. 1–122, [material is kept in the archive of CUDHg];
- Drovenik, Matija, Čar, Jože, Strmole, Dragica. Langobardske kaolinitne usedline v idrijskem
rudišču. Geologija, 18, 1975, p. 107–155;
- Drovenik, Matija, Dolenec, Tadej, Režun, Bojan, Pezdič, Jože. O živosrebrovi rudi iz rudnega telesa
Grübler v Idriji. Geologija, 33, 1990, p. 397‒446;
- Drovenik, Matija, Mlakar, Ivan. Strukturne in genetske posebnosti idrijskega rudišča. Geologija, 14, 1971, p. 67‒126;
- Schrauf, Albrecht. Ueber Metacinabarit von Idria und dessen Paragenesis. Jahrbuch der k.k. Geol. R.A. 41/2 (1891), Wien 1892, p. 349‒400;
- Vidrih, Renato, Mikuž, Vasja, Peljhan, Martina, Klemenčič, Tomaž. Minerali idrijskega rudišča.
Proteus, 57/7, 1995, p. 269‒276;
- Vidrih, Renato, Mikuž, Vasja. Minerali na Slovenskem. Ljubljana: Tehniška založba Slovenije, 1995;
- Rečnik, Aleksander. Minerali živosrebrovega rudišča. Ljubljana: Institut "Jožef Stefan"; [Salzhemmendorf]: Bode, 2012.
Submitted
Mestni muzej Idrija
Submitted by
Miha Kosmač
Date Submitted
27. 2. 2018
Date Edited
Never