The fascinating history of the formation of the Ramsbeck ore deposit

The Ramsbeck ore deposit is ancient, but the surrounding rock is even older. It is made up of 390 million-year-old sea sediments from the Lower-Middle Devonian age.

The term deposit describes a particularly high concentration of metals such as lead, zinc and silver within a limited geographical area. This is what makes deposits so valuable to us.

The fascinating formation history of the Ramsbeck deposit is closely interconnected with the geological development of Central Europe. In the Later-Lower Carboniferous age, about 320 million years ago, the supercontinents Gondwana and Old Red Continent, also known as Euramerica or Laurussia, collided. In the collision region the sediments were folded to form the Variscan mountains, which the Sauerland is part of. In a large fold which geologists call the "Ostsauerländer Hauptsattel", cracks opened in which ores could deposit. These are the Ramsbeck lodes and "Flachen".

In the Mesozoic Era, the age of dinosaurs, the mountains that had been flattened began rising episodically. The most recent tectonic uplift started in the Tertiary age and is still taking place today. In the south, Africa collided with Europe. This led to new tensions in the central European earth crust. The Alps began rising and in the northern foreland a  mosaic of old and new deep cracks developed. They made  possible the rise of hot solutions rich in salt content. A new era of ore and mineral formation started and overprinted the lodes and "Flachen" as well as the surroundings of the old deposit.

Climatic contrasts like tropical warmth and polar cold have been eroding and transforming the Ramsbeck ores on the surface for millions of years. A multitude of colourful and often rare minerals formed in this zone, which miners call "Eiserner Hut", mineralogists oxidation zone.

A new section of our museum about the geology and mineralogy of the Ramsbeck deposit is expected to open in the middle of 2012. There, you will be able to gain insight into the mysteries of this old ore deposit and learn about the historical formation of Central Europe. A whole range of precious and partly rare minerals from Ramsbeck will shine in new splendour. The current mineral exhibition remains open during the renovation. Prepare to be surprised!

Translated from a German text written by Gabi and Peter Penkert in 2011.