Mineralienatlas (name for mineral atlas) is the platform for people interested in mineralogy, geology, palaeontology and mining since 2001. We operate a significant database for minerals, fossils, rocks and their localities. Mineralienatlas is not limited to a section. We bring together information and inform comprehensive.

To complete our information constantly, we need your support. With us, everyone can and should participate. Currently Mineralienatlas is used and expanded by 10531 members. Every month hundreds of thousands of visitors use our website as an information source.
 
Geolitho Foundation non-profit GmbH
Geolitho Foundation non-profit GmbH is the non-profit supporter of the Mineral Atlas (Mineralienatlas), the Lithotheque, the Geolitho Collection Management and the Marketplace and Store by collectors for collectors. The Foundation promotes public education in the field of mineralogy, geology, paleontology and mining by operating, maintaining and further expanding earth science projects.
 
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The Alps are the high­est and most ex­ten­sive moun­tain range sys­tem that lies en­tire­ly in Eu­rope, stretch­ing ap­prox­i­mate­ly 1,200 km across eight Alpine coun­tries from Aus­tria and Slove­nia in the east, Switz­er­land, Liecht­en­stein, Ger­many, and France to the west, and Ita­ly and Mo­na­co to the south. The ... moreThe Alps are the highest and most extensive mountain range system that lies entirely in Europe, stretching approximately 1,200 km across eight Alpine countries from Austria and Slovenia in the east, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Germany, and France to the west, and Italy and Monaco to the south. The Caucasus Mountains are higher, and the Urals longer, but both lie partly in Asia. The Alps were formed over tens of millions of years as the African and Eurasian tectonic plates collided. Extreme shortening caused by the event resulted in marine sedimentary rocks rising by thrusting and folding into high mountain peaks such as Mont Blanc and the Matterhorn. Mont Blanc spans the French–Italian border, and at 4,810 m is the highest mountain in the Alps. The Alpine region area contains about a hundred peaks higher than 4,000 m known as the "four-thousanders".
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The Al­ten­berg tin mine is well known for its huge sur­face break left by the min­ing ac­tiv­i­ties. Among min­er­al col­lec­tors the mine is fa­mous as well for its unique Py­c­nite de­posit, a va­ri­e­ty of to­paz oc­cur­ring in mas­sive colum­nar ag­gre­gates up to a length of 30 cm.

The min­ing start­ed in 1440 and c ... moreThe Altenberg tin mine is well known for its huge surface break left by the mining activities. Among mineral collectors the mine is famous as well for its unique Pycnite deposit, a variety of topaz occurring in massive columnar aggregates up to a length of 30 cm.

The mining started in 1440 and continued, with several ups and downs and some total shut-down periods, until 1991. The mining activities aimed for a plutonic granite body (350 to 400 metre in diameter and hydrothermally mineralized mainly with cassiterite and smaller amounts of wolframite, molybdenite, arsenopyrite, bismuth and others) and managed to extract a total sum of 37 million tons of ore. The huge surface break, called "The Altenberger Pinge", is the result of several roof collapses caused by excessive ore excavation and later on the continued drawing of caved material from the bottom of the fracture zone.

Collectible minerals were rare and small, so the Altenberg tin mine became never as famous as the Freiberg or Ehrenfriedersdorf districts, but its unique geology and mining technology made it quite interesting and worth a closer look.

(Full text in german)
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Zirko­nia, auch bekan­nt als Zir­co­nia oder Fianit, bezeich­net kün­stlich hergestellte Einkris­talle aus Zir­co­ni­um(IV)-oxid (chemische Formel: ZrO2), die in ihr­er ku­bischen Hochtem­per­a­tur­phase sta­bil­isiert sind. Es han­delt sich dabei um kein natür­lich vork­om­men­des Min­er­al. Im Jahr 1937 ent­deck­ten die Min ... moreZirkonia, auch bekannt als Zirconia oder Fianit, bezeichnet künstlich hergestellte Einkristalle aus Zirconium(IV)-oxid (chemische Formel: ZrO2), die in ihrer kubischen Hochtemperaturphase stabilisiert sind. Es handelt sich dabei um kein natürlich vorkommendes Mineral. Im Jahr 1937 entdeckten die Mineralogen M. V. Stackelberg and K. Chudoba das natürliche Vorkommen von kubischem Zirkoniumoxid in Form mikroskopisch kleiner Körnchen in metamiktem Zirkon. Sie interpretierten diese Körnchen als Beiprodukt des Metamiktisierungsprozesse. Beide Mineralogen würdigten das Mineral nicht mit einem eigenen Namen, da ihnen dies damals unwesentlich erschien. Mittels Röntgendiffraktomie konnten sie die Existens des natürlichen Ebenbildes des künstlichen Produktes nachweisen.

Ein Beitrag von Klaus Schäfer
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Mineralien Kalender