The find site is about 300 meters from the tunnel entrance in the ceiling area. The Uri construction department announced on Friday that the blasting boss had responded in an exemplary manner and immediately called the cantonal mine supervisory authority.
At the end of September, they encountered large numbers of quartz specimens, apophyllite and pink fluorite. The latter in particular was of exceptional quality. According to geologist Peter Amacher by the Uri Minerals Inspectorate, this is one of the best finds in Switzerland in years.
Over the course of about 24 hours, he and his team collected several hundred kilograms of rocks with the help of a lifting platform. Amacher had already undertaken mineral inspection during the construction of the SBB power station in Amsteg and the Gotthard main tunnel. In 2011 he published the book “NEAT minerals – crystal treasures deep in the mountain”.
The stones currently found belong to the canton of Uri. The finds are currently being cleaned, sorted, recorded and evaluated for material value. The most beautiful are going to an exhibition.
(SDA)