Colditz shafts at Wachberg

Commercial mining took place underground from 1898 to 1958. The kaolin deposits, ranging from 5 to 40 meters in thickness, were located at a depth of 163 to 205 meters above sea level at Wachberg. The raw kaolin, extracted with a pickaxe, was shoveled into mine carts, transported via shafts or elevators, and then hauled away by horse-drawn carts.

The kaolin was sold as "Glossen Earth" to the faience factory in Hubertusburg Wermsdorf, as well as for the production of stoneware to Colditz and for the manufacture of stove tiles to Mügeln.

The kaolin deposits were formed by the chemical weathering of the mineral feldspar during the tropical climate conditions of the Tertiary period. Feldspar is an important component of the Rochlitz quartz porphyry, which was formed by supervolcanism in the geopark area almost 290 million years ago.

Please pay attention to the information provided by the municipalities and owners regarding the condition and accessibility of the geotopes.