Historical development of ore mining in Switzerland

Ores are mineral resources from which metals can be extracted. Already in the Bronze Age, mining was carried out by smelting. Slag finds and bronze objects bear witness to this earliest form of ore mining. Mining sites from the 14th and 15th century are known in Graubünden and Wallis. The 16th and 17th century represented in many places, a high point in the development of mining, just as the first half of the 19th century. Mining was again sharply reduced during both of the two world wars. The last two iron ore mines were closed in the 1960s.

Ore deposits today of no economic importance

Despite the fact that well over 1000 ore deposits are present in Switzerland, today this group of natural resources no longer has economic importance. In the production statistics, Switzerland has almost no mention, but has a high per capita consumption in the consumer statistics. Recycling therefore plays a central role in Switzerland: In the future, secondary raw materials from everyday objects (e.g., rare earth metals in cellphones) will be as important as the primary raw materials stored in the ground.

Scientific importance

The minor economic importance is contrasted by a strong interest in ores in science. There are many national, cantonal and communal institutions, archives, libraries, museums, societies and associations which devote themselves to various forms of scientific, historical and documentary aspects of this resource group.