>>>>Agnes
>>>
>>>Does mining still happen there? Even in the states we have areas that were productive, vibrant communities that after environmentalists got involved, became poverty stricken (due to the closing of mines).
>>>
>>>Right now there is an area in California where farmers no longer have water for their crops because environmentalists are protecting the Delta Smelt (the endangered species act). There is an argument going on as to which is more responsible for the loss of water - the drought from previous years or the severe reductions in pumping due to protections for the fish.
>>
>>For the moment there is no mining there, the tin mines where closed in the late nineties after 600 years. There are plans to open a feldspar / barite mine. Minor activites are in the uranium mines to close and seal those.
>>
>>The area is settled for longer then 800 years and has had it's ups and downs. Vital times where the silver rush and the uranium exploitation. It was know for textil manufaturing, toys etc. Things a farmer can do in the times of winter when the snow was to high and the days short.
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>>It also take some use out of the salt transportation to Bohemia along the pass ways.
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>>Deserted places are rare and mostly a result of the ethnical cleansing after WWII (german villages on the bohemian side).
>>
>
>That's what I love about Europe. 800 years ago this happened..... We simply don't have that in the U.S.

The second silver rush was close to the times when columbus reached the caribbean islands. (1491/92) The first one was 1168

Take a look at China or Egypt. Thats old.
Agnes