Heaps and Sinkholes Line

The line of heaps and shaft collapses at the Schweizer silver vein provide an outstanding example of surface remains from mining activities in the first half of the 16th century when mining was largely focused on shallow pits located close to each other. More than 100 heaps and shaft depressions have been preserved. They follow the N-S trending outcrop of the ore vein along a distance of more than 2.5 km. Thus, it represents one of the largest continuous relicts of early modern heaps and shaft depressions in Europe. Many heaps show characteristic funnel-shaped depressions on its top (up to 3 per heap), 8 m in diameter and depth. They represent the collars of caved-in shafts.

Under the Jáchymov mining code, the so-called “discovery shafts” were located in the centre of the mining claim (84 x 14 m). Additional to this claim, mining claims (56 x 14 m) were alloted on both sides of the “discovery shaft”. Due to the small size of the allotments, the outcrop areas of the ore veins were covered with hundreds of small shafts located close to each other. The Schweizer vein, discovered in 1526, has been the second most profitable vein within the Jáchymov mining district.  Until 1589 a number of 31 mines worked on this vein producing 30 tons of silver. Reportedly, silver “could be dug out with a hoe” down to a depth of 80 m.