Samson Pit

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The Samson Pit is a historic mine in Sankt Andreas mountain in the Upper Harz.

Here is the last functional driving skills in the world, whose functions can be demonstrated with appropriate guides. The driving skills, built in 1837 in the Samson Pit was previously driven by the water power of the Rehberger trench. Starting point of the trench Rehberger is the Oderteich, which is part of the Upper Harz Water Regale. The large Kunstrad ( water wheel with 12 m diameter), which drive the driving skills until 1922, is now applied only for demonstration purposes with water and an electric motor takes over the driving of the driving art.

As part of the extension of the World Heritage ore mine Rammelsberg and Historic Town of Goslar to the facilities of the historic Upper Harz Water Management, the Samson Pit was recognized in 2010 as part of world heritage by UNESCO.

History

The Samson Pit was part of their operating time to the deepest mines in the world.

The mining industry in Sankt Andreas Berg finds its origin before 1487th The beginning of the first period of operation at the Samson can not be for lack of sources accurately determine, but is dated to the early 20s of the 16th century. The first written record comes from the year 1537., The oldest, the Samson relevant mining authority protocol comes from the year 1661.

Soon after the opening of the pit Samson experienced mining in Sankt Andreas Berg in the 1560s its first heyday. The periods with good yields were always accompanied by severe cuts to a complete halt of mining. In particular, the construction of the new trench Rehberger (1699 - 1703) to pre- charge the water dissolved the regular problem of water shortage (low precipitation, frost ). With a silver recovery of 1000 - 2000 kg per year of Sankt Andreas Berger mining was in the years 1700 to 1730 its second heyday. On December 12, 1777 drove Johann Wolfgang von Goethe as part of his first trip to the resin pit Samson and later noted in his diary the evening moved into Samson, by Neufang to God's grace out. Ward me very angry this time.

At the beginning of the 19th century, the silver production was almost always over 2000 kg per year, with the highest silver production per year ever was 3040 kg (1822 ). After the silver extraction in the Samson Pit was getting worse (1905 obtained 364 kg, in 1909 only 90 kg), it closed in 1910 for economic reasons. The last layer with 80 miners was held on 31 March 1910. The mine consisted of 42 routes with a total depth of approximately 840 m.

Famous was the mine in the 18th century by the discoveries magnificent and rare minerals that have been sold, inter alia, a minerals defeat in Clausthal. Especially popular silver minerals Pyrargyrite were ( Dark Rotgültig ) Dyscrasite and Pyrostilpnit ( Feuerblende ), the calcite crystals in various formations ( Papierspat, Blätterspat, Kanonenspat, Würfelspat, Compositenspat ), analcime crystals ( " Andreas Berger dewdrops " ), pink Apophyllite, shards of cobalt ( pure arsenic) Gänsekötigerz, Breithauptit, native antimony, Buttermilcherz and more. After the pit the very rare mineral Samsonit was called, which was found there in 1910 for the first time.

In 1950 opened the mine museum Samson mine, now also with its own museum. Upstairs the museum now houses a small exhibition on the St. Andreas Berger little train with historic photos, tickets, station signs, and a model of the train station of St. Andrew mountain town. In the days Gaipel Additional facilities since 2001 is the Harzer Roller canary Museum.

In 1987 the American engineer sat Association American Society of Mechanical Engineers, the Samson Pit on the list of international historic mechanical engineering landmarks.

In the shaft of the pit Samson are now two caverns power plants in the Harz Energie ( Osterode ), with the power of water or pond is converted to electrical energy. It covers the most of the required in the mountain town of electrical energy ( about 95 %). At a depth of 130 m is the power plant Grüner Hirsch ( installed 1922), whose water through the 1.4 km long Green Hirscher tunnels (total length 10.2 km ) is derived for blocking Lutter. The power plant Sieber tunnel was installed in 1912. It is a depth of 190 m and is drained by the 3.1- km-long tunnel Sieber (total length 13.1 km ) in the Sieber.

Last layer before Gaipelgebäude on March 31, 1910.

Miners in drilling on the Jacob Glücker gear.

Kraftwerk " Sieber tunnel " in 190 meters depth. The turbine still comes from the year 1912.