In 2020, the German government updated its raw materials strategy to secure a sustainable supply of non-energy mineral raw materials for Germany. Accompanied by the EU Commission's “Critical Raw Materials Act”, domestic raw materials are described as an indispensable pillar of the national raw materials supply. With its new raw materials strategy (2022), the Free State of Saxony is building on the goals of the Federal Raw Materials Strategy and wants to bring its measures to life.
In addition to stone and earth mining throughout Saxony, the Ore Mountains in particular still have significant ore and spar deposits, which are currently experiencing a modern “Berggeschrey”. One of these is the planned mining of one of Europe's largest lithium deposits in the Altenberg/Zinnwald area in the Eastern Ore Mountains. On the other hand, the numerous mining waste dumps containing valuable materials are increasingly becoming the focus of renewed raw material extraction (“re-mining”). Specifically, this involves metals such as indium, germanium or other strategically important accompanying elements of the once historically mined main compounds from lead, tin and zinc ores, which are becoming increasingly interesting for the world market.
The GEOPARK Sachsens Mitte covers an area in the Eastern Ore Mountains with numerous geological features, a diverse mining history and interesting raw material potential. In its Guideline 8, the New Saxon Raw Materials Strategy describes raw materials awareness and acceptance as the “key to the future raw materials economy”. The GEOPARK Sachsens Mitte is already tying in with this social interface in the form of raw material-relevant educational offers and public event formats such as the “Open Quarry Day” and will continue to expand these in the raw material state of Saxony in the future.
