Agricola and the Wismut company: A historical review from the days of silver mining to those of uranium mining in the Erzgebirge. Reflections in view of the 500th return of the birthday of Georg Pawer, who named himself Agricola

On the occasion of the 500th return of the birthday of Georgius Agricola (1494-1555) the author, drawing on his own experience from decades of work in bismuth/uranium mining, celebrates this great Saxonian humanist, whose achievements influence even modern-day mining. The book spans the period of history from silver mining in the Saxonian Ore Mountains during Agricola's time to the period more than 400 years later when uranium was extracted at an unparalleled scale. As substantiated by the historical comparison, Agricola's mining science, the mining technology for which he laid the basis, were still applied even centuries later in bismuth mining. At the same time the book offers a critical review of the last great mining activities in the area, so momentous to man and the environment. (orig./HP)