Gold Mines, Radhausberg, Kreuzkogel massif, Naßfeld valley, Gastein valley, Hohe Tauern Mts, Salzburg, Austria

Ancient gold mining area. At an elevation of about 1900 m (above sea level), a series of roughly parallel, SSW trending quartz-carbonate veins carrying a suite of gold-rich sulphide minerals are included in gneisses of the Siglitz formation. The veins were developed by several mines located on the slopes to the southeast of the Naßfeld valley, on Radhausberg mountain and, further southwest, on Salesenkogel mountain and in the Baukarlriegel area where their southern extensions were worked. The gold mainly occurred as inclusions in sulphides, the richest ores carrying around 60 g Au/t. Very rarely, gold contents of up to 500 g/t were observed. The mining activities ceased in the late 19th century. Today, the workings are inaccessible, but some dumps still remain.

Ref.: A. Strasser: Die Minerale Salzburgs, 1989