Hoher Hagen Basalt Quarry and Geology Mining Trail

The basalt mining on the High Hagen began at the end of the 18th century. The attachment of the road networks (Chauseenbau) begun under Napoleon continued even after 1815, and basalt rock was considered a coveted building material. The further development of traffic engineering, especially the construction of the railway network, led to an increased need for basalt. Basalt is today due to its properties such as high density, hardness and weathering resistance many demanded in the construction industry requirements. So it is still processed into paving stones, gravel and split, and used as Gleisbettungsschotter, as shoreline and water block or as an aggregate for mineral concrete.
In the course of almost 200 years of mining history, a total of 3.5 million cubic meters of rock have been taken from the Hohen Hagen on a 15 ha surface. (...) The summit of the originally 508 m high mountain, however, is completely cleared away. Today the Hohe Hagen is given with an official height of 493.5 m.
(Source: information board of the Geology Mining Trail)

The Geology Mining Trail is signposted from the parking lot at the Gaußturm. He leads first along the mining edge, then into the boiler and s-shaped back to the tower and the parking lot. Information boards inform about the mining industry and "telescopes" illustrate the location of the collapsed Alten Gaußturm.

Gauss tower