Silver in box – Dul Svornost, Jachymov, CZ

Silver, which comes from the Svornost mine in Jachymov, has an interesting and historically significant past. The Svornost Mine in Jachymov is a deep mine, which is considered to be the oldest uranium mine in the world and the oldest mine still in use in Europe. In the past, it was mined mainly for silver, later for uranium ores and, since the beginning of the 20th century, for radon water, which is still used in the Jáchymov spa. This spa was the first of its kind in the world to use radon therapy.

The beginnings of mining

Silver mining began in 1525. The name 'Svornost' refers to a settlement between two mining companies that later mined together. In 1801, the mine was bought by the town of Jáchymov, which was struggling with problems caused by the mine being flooded by groundwater. The financially costly pumping out of the water led to the state taking over the mine in 1850. In 1853, uranium ore mining began, and the mine was repeatedly flooded by underground springs, which complicated the work. One of the major springs discovered in 1896 flooded the mine up to the sixth level.

Significance during the 20th century

The mine was a place of forced labour for Soviet prisoners of war. The Allies considered it a strategic target, but the planned bombing ultimately did not take place. Uranium was mined for the Soviet Union after the war. In 1964, the mine was handed over to the Jáchymov Therapeutic Spa, which began using it exclusively for radon water extraction.

Present

The mine is unique for its use of radon water, which is naturally enriched underground and is considered medicinal. It is also known as the deepest mine in the world used exclusively for the extraction of water, not raw materials. The water here comes from springs tens of thousands of years old. Visitors can occasionally descend to the twelfth floor of the mine at a depth of 500 metres.

The Svornost mine remains an important monument of mining history, a symbol of innovation and a source of therapeutic therapies.