| Iin 1546 Georgius Agricola reported about a white metal which is fused to the Rammelsberg lead and silver melter and that you could scrape off. He called this metal "contrefey", because it could imitate gold. Agricola did not recognize that this metal was zinc. He further observed that a similar met ... moreIin 1546 Georgius Agricola reported about a white metal which is fused to the Rammelsberg lead and silver melter and that you could scrape off. He called this metal "contrefey", because it could imitate gold. Agricola did not recognize that this metal was zinc. He further observed that a similar metal, which he named from some unknown reasons "ZINCUM" arose under similar circumstances in Silesia during smelting. |
| Calcite is one of the most abundant natural minerals. It is found in very different shapes, both compact as limestone as well as sinter in caves and in the crystalline state. But even in our daily life calcite is always present: in some regions it blockes water pipes as "chalk", we build our houses ... moreCalcite is one of the most abundant natural minerals. It is found in very different shapes, both compact as limestone as well as sinter in caves and in the crystalline state. But even in our daily life calcite is always present: in some regions it blockes water pipes as "chalk", we build our houses with it, it is in our food chain and without it we could not stand upright. Calcite is not rare, but the varied mineral on Earth. The variety of forms and variations of the forms of calcite are unmatched in the world of mineralogy. By 2009, more than 800 Calcit forms have been described. |
| Die Viloco Mine liegt hoch über der Ortschaft Viloco auf bis zu über 4900m. Die Mine zieht sich dabei über mehrere hundert Meter entlang des Berges in die Höhe. Sie befindet sich im "Cordillera Quimsa Cruz" (Aymara-Sprache) oder "Kimsa Krus" (Quechua-Sprache) oder auch "Tres Cruces" (deutsch "drei K ... moreDie Viloco Mine liegt hoch über der Ortschaft Viloco auf bis zu über 4900m. Die Mine zieht sich dabei über mehrere hundert Meter entlang des Berges in die Höhe. Sie befindet sich im "Cordillera Quimsa Cruz" (Aymara-Sprache) oder "Kimsa Krus" (Quechua-Sprache) oder auch "Tres Cruces" (deutsch "drei Kreuze") genanntem Gebirgszug im Departamento La Paz. Zahlreiche Stolleneingänge und meist verfallene Bergwerksbauten zeugen von einer umfangreichen Bergbautätigkeit. Verschiedene Quellen schreiben auch von Araca Mine, der Name sei quasi austauschbar. Hierbei handelt es sich um einen historischen Namen. |