Rubble Mines in the Environs of Veszprém (Bakony Region, Hungary)

Abstract

In the Bakony Region, in the mines of dolomite (dolostone) surfaces between the settlements of Márkó and Pétfürdő (Várpalota), in rubble beds exposed by them and with the consideration of these, the process of rubble formation is studied here in order to interpret the characteristics of rubble beds (different thicknesses and vertical changes in grain size) in the studied area. The mines in the area (differentiated between old-school/traditional mining or mechanical mining) were classified with the consideration of mining methods. Rubble varieties were differentiated, the bedding of rubble beds was studied along profiles, and the elevation difference between mines of mechanical mining and Stream Séd was determined. The calcareous content and structure compactness of 124 samples originating from dolomite, rubble, and non-rubble in the Bakony Region were compared. The data prove that the rubble developed by dissolution. Dissolution might have been caused by both meteoric water and karstwater. The rubble of mines excavated by traditional mining mainly developed to the effect of the dissolution effect of meteoric water (the rubble beds are of coarser and coarser grain size downwards), while the mines excavated by mechanical mining were formed to the dissolution effect of karstwater (the rubble beds are coarser and coarser upwards). The formation of rubble by karstwater origin has not been mentioned in the literature yet. However, dissolution of meteoric water origin may also take place in the case of the latter, and dissolution of karstwater origin also plays a role in the development of mines excavated by traditional mining.