Speaker: Markus Zingelmann

The natural stone industry is an important branch of raw material extraction in many countries. In addition to metal ores, Saxony also has a rich spectrum of mineral raw materials that have been extracted over the centuries and used, for example, as natural stone for historical buildings. Local natural stone occupies a prominent position as a building material of past cultural epochs and is therefore also a defining element of the cultural identity of the state. In modern times, the use of Saxon natural and decorative stones initially faded into the background, as the origin of the raw material played a subordinate role compared to the price. In 2012, the Saxon state government issued a raw materials strategy that also emphasises the material, cultural and economic benefits of using local natural and decorative stone as a focal point of raw materials policy. This is intended to strengthen the traditionally important economic sector of stone and earth mining. As part of the implementation of Saxony's raw materials strategy, this natural stone register was created, which provides an overview of Saxony's natural stones with their geological and petrological properties and their petrophysical and technical characteristics.

Location: TU Bergakademie Freiberg, large lecture theatre of the Abraham-Gottlob-Wernerbau,
Brennhausgasse 14 in Freiberg

Free admission

The Freiberg Colloquium is a series of lectures organised by the Saxon State Office for Environment, Agriculture and Geology, the Saxon State Archives/Mining Archives Freiberg, the Saxon Mining Authority, the TU Bergakademie Freiberg, the Helmholtz Institute for Resource Research, terra mineralia and the Geokompetenzzentrum Freiberg e.V. (Freiberg Geocompetence Centre).