25
Crystal Breeding Simulator
Every crystal originates from a tiny crystal seed. Over years or even decades, the smallest building blocks, such as atoms, molecules, or ions, attach themselves layer by layer. This is how regular—and sometimes unusually shaped—three-dimensional crystal structures are formed.
At this station, you can observe the growth of several minerals that are also found in the Feengrotten. In time-lapse, you can see how crystals of jarosite, pyrite, rapidcreekite, dypingite, and volborthite form.
Find out more
Learn more:
“A miner without light is a poor wretch.”
So goes an old German proverb. It gets straight to the point: mining without lighting would be simply impossible. Since the beginnings of mining, technical developments over many centuries have continuously improved the way light was generated and used underground.
The first artificial light source in the Stone and Bronze Ages was the pine torch—a resin-rich piece of wood that burns brightly. In antiquity, oil lamps were made of clay and usually filled with animal fat, primarily beef tallow.
In the Middle Ages, lamps like those used in the Jeremias Glück mine were developed. These open or closed miners’ lamps were made of clay, brass, or iron. Tallow or oil extracted from the seeds of turnip rape—a plant related to rapeseed—served as fuel.
The miners’ lamps were equipped with a sturdy hook. This allowed the miners to attach their lamps to the mine supports or to their clothing. This way, both hands remained free to work safely in the tunnels and shafts.