Horní Benešov

Location: The Moravian-Silesian Region, Bruntál area

Brief history

The first written notice concerning exploitation dates back to 1271. Modern prospecting at this polymetallic site began after 1949, mining was reinitiated in 1963 and ended on 31 March 1992. Extracted were 72,509 metric tons of Zn, 27,396 metric tons of Pb, 58.7 metric tons of Ag, 59.4 kg of Au and 21,085 metric tons of barite. The site had two vertical shafts (Obránců Míru and Železná) and a slanted upcast air shaft. The old hereditary adit is without a proximate location.

The new Josef shaft, dug in 1990 to a depth of 840 m, was never put in use. Mining occurred to a depth of 450 m beneath the surface. The mining district, with an area of 84.62 ha, was transferred to another authority in 1995 and was declared protected deposit territory in 1966.

Type of activity

Underground mining of Pb-Zn-Ag ore using the open chamber winze method with gradual occlusion.

Present-day conditions

The dismantling of the mine and the surface structures took place from 1992 until 1996 and the mine was filled with water. The new Josef shaft, 2.5 m beneath the surface, has been secured by a cover of steel-reinforced concrete. The dismantling of the Železná shaft has not been fully dealt with. The property, including usable structures, the Obránců Míru shaft, the Úklonná shaft and the tailings impoundments were gradually sold to a new purchaser.

The Environmental Problem and its Solution

Mine Water

There has been seepage of mine water into the surrounding land since the mine was filled with water. Monitoring of surface water in progress

Waste Dumps

Tailings piles removed – used for backfill and cave-in repair.