Horní Slavkov

Location: The Karlovy Vary Region, Sokolov area

Brief history

Tin mining began at Horní Slavkov and Krásno in the 15th century. Quartz veins containing cassiterite and apical parts of tin were mined. The main sites, Huber’s stock and Schnöd’s stock, were opened in the 16th century with dozens of shafts and adits and a part was also quarry mined. Mining took place to a depth of 250 m. In the 16th century there were widespread cave-ins which later even complicated modern mining.

From 1945, five shafts, two large boreholes and one ventilation shaft were dug into the site. Sn and W ore in the surrounding sites and Cu ore from Tisová u Kraslic were processed at the mill in Krásno. From 1945 until the end of mining in 1991, 3,949 kt of ore were extracted with a metal concentration of 0.237% Sn and 0.053% W. The total mined-out space at Huberov, including the historic mines, is estimated at 2 mil. m³.
The Krásno mining district has not yet been disturbed and has been within the protected deposit territory of Horní Slavkov since 1975. Sn and W ore in the amount of 13,665 kt have been registered.

Type of activity

• Underground and partly open pit mining of tin-wolfram ore, in some places containing arsenic (> 1 %).
• Mostly the historic fire setting method was used, as well as wall-slicing and quarry excavation.
• The ore was processed using the gravitational and floatation methods.

Present-day conditions

The original mine tunnels have been dismantled or secured in compliance with valid mining regulations. The underground has been filled with water.

Mine Water

The Environmental Problem and its Solution

Effects on the Landscape

There are depressions, landslides and cave-ins due to widespread mining close to the surface of the sites (in particular the Schnöd’s stock cave-in and the landslide at quarry of the Huber’s stock). The exact location of most of the historic mines is not known, and it is impossible to make a prognosis on the potential for cave-ins in actual locations in the district. The solution is research and regular monitoring of the affected area with ongoing repair of the damage caused by undermining.

Mine Water

Mine water from the Huber’s stock and seepage water from the Stannum tailings impoundment are released underground through a borehole and directed to the Barbora shaft where they mix with water from this former uranium mining district and are then pumped to the Údolí u Lokte mine water treatment facility. Sludge from the treatment is used as backfill for the remediation of cave-ins etc.