Significant occurrences of ore on Medvednica

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Lead, zinc, silver

Medvednica is an area with long mining tradition. There are many traces of mining activities – remains of smelting furnaces, deposits of iron slag, and abandoned mines. One of them is Zrinski mine.

Besides in Zrinski mine, a very similar occurrence of lead-zinc ore with inclusions of silver inside galena (PbS) can be found in French mines at Bistranska gora. There we can find several mining pits of smaller length. This is a token of unsuccessful mining enterprises of French noble man Carion from the beginning of 19 th century. He eloped from France after the revolution in 1789 and settled in Oršić castle in Bistra.


GalenaHematite

Iron

On the southern side of Medvednica occurrences of iron form a zone which begins in Pustodol , goes past Adolfovac and ends at Tisova peč . About twenty smaller occurrences of iron ore have been noted on this route. The ore is enclosed inside green schist in a form of small layers. The main ore mineral is hematite (Fe₂O₃). Occurrence of iron has been registered near St. Jacob as well.

During 1950's there was a great interest in iron exploitation on Medvednica. For that reason a pit was excavated and explored on Pustodol, which is now partially drowned. The name of Bliznec stream can also be connected to iron exploitation (“bliznica” is an old name for steel), as well as findings of slag. It should also be mentioned that count Kulmer used to smelt iron in Gračani at the beginning of 19 th century.

The other occurrence of iron is connected to Rudnica on Zagorje side. The ore is located in Paleozoic limestone and green schist. Those are smaller veins, a few decimeters thick. The most abundant mineral is limonite (yellow, brown, rusty colored) which was formed by degradation of iron carbonate – siderite (FeCO₃) under the influence of surface waters.


LimoniteSiderite

Cooper

Mineral findings which contain copper have been recorded in French mines, and are also mentioned on southern slopes in the area of Mikulić stream, St. Jacob and Bačun.

Gold

Information of occurrences of gold-bearing pyrite (FeS₂) near St. Jacob's chapel has not been confirmed. It is possible that when it was mined at Zrinski mine, the ore was excavated at St. Jacob's as well.


Pyrite

Barite

Near Brestovac sanatorium recorded are findings of barite - barium sulfate.

Salt

The oldest recordings of mining on Medvednica are connected to Slani stream on Zagorje side. It has a characteristic salty-bitter taste. The salinity comes from dissolved sodium chloride (NaCl – kitchen salt, halite), and the bitter taste probably comes from dissolved magnesium salts.

In the upper part of the stream we can see a caved entrance and support beams of an old 18 century mine. Surface salt depositions have not been recorded in this area. It has been recorded that during salt shortage people from this area used water from salt wells called «šokoti».

Coal

In early Miocene sediments on Medvednica brown coal occurs . Inside Nature park recorded were occurrences near Jablanovac on Podbjelk hill, and near Bidrovec. The most significant occurrence of coal is near Gornja Planina in the eastern part of the Park.

In Gornja Planina coal occurs in a shape of small layers, inside sands, sandy clays, conglomerates and limestones. It has been excavated since 1800's and the existence has been recorded in three pits. The entrance in one of the pits next to the road to Gornja Planina is still visible.