Similar to Blatenský vrch, tin-bearing greisen veins have been mined since the 14th century in the vicinity of Hřebečná near Abertam. The local mines were among the leading tin producers in the Czech Ore Mountains. The deepest tin mine was the Mauritius mine, declared a national cultural monument in 2014. It is estimated that over 10 thousand tons of tin were mined in this mine during its entire operation. There were several unsuccessful attempts to resume mining in the last century. According to the post-war geological survey, the unmined reserves represent about 26 thousand tons of ore with an average content of 0.79% tin, from which it would be possible to obtain 200 tons of pure metal.In the underground mine, which is open to tourists, it is possible to observe hand-carved passages and traces of rock breaking by the fire setting method. The Kryštof shaft is 272 meters long and opens into a large chamber 65 meters long, 4–9 meters wide and 15–25 meters high. On the surface, it is connected to the Schnepp's Pinna.The territory of Abertama - Boží Dar - Horní Blatná is part of the Mining Region of the Ore Mountains/Erzgebirge, which was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2019.
Photo 1: Background of the Mauritius mine
Photo 2: Excavated underground spaces of the Mauritius tin mine in Hřebečná (Ore Mountains/Krušnohoří mining region)
Photo 3: The mouth of the Kryštof adit.