Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Geoheritage and Mining Heritage in the Promotion of Theme Parks: An Example of the National Park Đerdap (Carpathian-Balkan Thrust-And-Fold Belt, Eastern Serbia)

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Geoheritage Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The National Park Đerdap (eastern Serbia, vicinity of the Danube River) occupies a segment of the Carpathian-Balkan fold-and-thrust belt and has a significant geoheritage potential, accounting for the impressive natural (geological) and cultural legacy. In addition to the extraordinary orogenic-type landscape or nappe-stacked mountainous configuration, the region contains evidence of ancient mining activities, uncovered within its immediate neighbourhood. The ancient mining activities date back a few thousand years ago and represent a solid ground for the idea of establishing a theme park, including the accompanying mining museum. Historic sites of this type are very attractive, whereas the global practice indicates that the abandoned ore derelict mines could not be easily transformed into a facility with new economically viable content. These have often been left to reveal their dumps, junk piles and ruined leftovers of the formerly used mining tools and equipment.

A recent global trend tends to preserve the ancient mining sites, with the attempt to establish a mining museum or theme park. The foundation of the theme park has the goal to make an attractive tourist offering for this part of Serbia. Importantly, old mines are in a social–historical sense the archaeological localities documenting the pioneering mining and archaeometallurgy attempts. Ancient mining sites offer a rich legacy of mining and metallurgical tradition, representing objects or geosites needing conservation and preservation at the social level to outline the sustainable development of a region. This goal is in line with the guidelines and the criteria for developing theme parks, proposed by UNESCO. Thus, here we emphasize the importance of natural and cultural heritage, which represents a significant input of the mining legacy further supporting the idea of establishing a theme park within the National Park Đerdap.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8

Similar content being viewed by others

Notes

  1. Geotope by Strasser et al., 1995, are places of distinct geological or geomorphological interest relevant for understanding the evolution of certain regions, the importance of rocks as being parts of the unit landscape.

    Lugon et al. (2003), Geotopes are complex geological features represented by distinct localities. Many of them display historical, economic and cultural values, too.

References

  • Antić MD, Kounov A, Trivić B, Spikings R (2017) Evidence of Variscan and Alpine tectonics in the structural and thermochronological record of the central Serbo-Macedonian Massif (south-eastern Serbia). Int J Earth Sci 106(5):1665–1692

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Balintoni I, Balica C, Ducea MN, Hann HP (2014) Peri-Gondwanan terranes in the Romanian Carpathians: a review of their spatial distribution, origin, provenance, and evolution. Geosci Front 5(3):395–411. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gsf.2013.09.002

  • Belij M, Đurđić S, Stojković S (2018) The evaluation of geoheritage for geotourism development: Case study on the potential Geopark Djerdap. Zbornik Radova-Geografski Fakultet Univerziteta u Beogradu 66–2:121–132

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Berza T, Ilinca G. (2011) Late Cretaceous magmatism and metallogenesis: the banatite. In: Ilinca, G., Berza, T., Iancu, V., Seghedi, A. (Eds.), Field Trip Guidebook: The Late Cretaceous Magmatic and Metallogenic Belt and the Alpine Structures of the western South Carpathians. 3rd International Symposium on the Geology of the Black Sea Region Bucharest, 1–10 October 2011. Eco-Geo-Mar, Geosciences Department of the Romanian Academy, University of Bucharest, Romanian Geological Society, Bucharest, pp. 10e27.

  • Brankov J, Jovičić D, Milijašević D (2015) Sustainable tourism in national park “Đerdap”, Serbia–attitudes of local population. Journal of the Geographical Institute “Jovan Cvijić” SASA 65(2):183–199

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bugarin M (1998) Geološko-strukturne karakterstike zlatonosno-kvarcnih žica Grabova reka, Blagojev kamen. XIII kongres geologa Jugoslavije, knjiga IV – Mineralne sirovine, Herceg Novi. (in Serbian). 489–499.

  • Bugarin M, Ljubojev M (2007) Evaluation of potentiality the primary gold deposit in the ore zone Blagojev kamen. Bakar - Copper 32(1):19–26 ((In Serbian with English abstract))

    Google Scholar 

  • Calder J (2014) Geoheritage sites:the starting point for Global Geoparks.6th UNESCO Conference on Global Geoparks, st.John, NB Canada, 19–22. septembar.

  • Carrión Mero P, Herrera Franco G, Briones J, Caldevilla P, Domínguez-Cuesta MJ, Berrezueta E (2018) Geotourism and local development based on geological and mining sites utilization, Zaruma-Portovelo. Ecuador Geosciences 8(6):205

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Conesa HM, Schulin R, Nowack B (2008) Mining landscape: A cultural tourist opportunity or an environmental problem? The study case of the Cartagena–La Unión Mining District (SE Spain). Ecol Econ 64(4):690–700

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Deleon G, Lovrić A, Červenjak Z (1962) Some data on the age of granitoid rocks and some mineralization within Carpatho-Balkanides in the East Serbia. Referati V Savetovanja geologa FNRJ, (in Serbian), Beograd, 59–62.

  • Đorđević D, Mustecić S (2012) Perspektive razvoja rudnika bakra Majdanpek (Prospects of copper mines Majdanpek). III Symposium with international participation “Mining 2012.” Zbornik Radova/proceedings, Zlatibor 07–10:17–24

    Google Scholar 

  • Gallhofer D, von Quadt A, Peytcheva I, Schmid SM, Heinrich CA (2015) Tectonic, magmatic, and metallogenic evolution of the Late Cretaceous arc in the Carpathian-Balkan orogen. Tectonics 34:1813–1836. https://doi.org/10.1002/2015TC003834

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gonzalez-Martinez A (2003) La Socieded Espanola Para la Defensa del Patrimonio Geologico y Minero.Patrimonio Geologico Minero en el contexto del cieree de minas.Rio de Janeiro:CNPq/CYTED, 260p:il. ISBN 85–7227–168–6,3–27.

  • Ielenicz M (2009) Geotope, geosite, geomorphosite. Ann Valahia Univ Targoviste, Geog Series, Tome 9(2009):7–22

    Google Scholar 

  • Janković S (1990) The ore deposits of Serbia: Regional metallogenic setting, environments of deposition, and types. Faculty of Mining and Geology, Belgrade. (in Serbian, with English summary).

  • Janković S (1997) The Carpatho-Balkanides and adjacent area: a sector of the Tethyan Eurasian metallogenic belt. Miner Deposita 32:426–433

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jelenković R, Kostić A, Životić D, Ercegovac M (2008) Mineral resources of Serbia. Geol Carpath 59:345–361

    Google Scholar 

  • Jovanović B (1982) Rudna glava – najstarije rudarsvo bakra na Centralnom Balkanu. Muyej rudarstva i metalurgije, Posebna izdanja, 17, Bor.

  • Jovanović D, Cvetković V, Erić S, Kostić B, Peytcheva I, Šarić K (2019) Variscan granitoids of the East Serbian Carpatho-Balkanides: new insight inferred from U-Pb zircon ages and geochemical data. Swiss J Geosci 112:121–142. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00015-018-0325-4

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Karamata S (2006) The geological development of the Balkan Peninsula related to the approach, collision and compression of Gondwana and Eurasian units. In: Robertson AHF, Mountrakis D (eds) Tectonic development of the Eastern Mediterranean Region. Geological Society London, London, pp 155–178

  • Kaźmierczak U, Strzałkowski P, Lorenc MW, Szumska E, Sánchez AAP, Baker KA (2019) Post-mining remnants and revitalization. Geoheritage 11(4):2025–2044

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kovacs M, Fulop A (2009) Baia Mare Geological and Mining Park-a potential new Geopark in the northwestern part of Romania. Studia Universitatis Babes-Bolyai Geologia 54(1):27–32

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Koželj D, Petrović Ž (1998) Geološko modovanje prorfirskih ležišta bakra Timočkog magmatskog kompleksa. XIII kongres geologa Jugoslavije, knjiga IV – Mineralne sirovine, Herceg Novi. (in Serbian). 367–376.

  • Kovács S, Sudar M, Karamata S, Haas J, Péró CS, Grădinaru E, Gawlick HJ, Gaetani M, Mello J, Polák M, Aljinović D, Ogorelec B, Kolar-Jurkovšek T, Jurkovšek B, Buser S (2011) Triassic Evolution of the Tectonostratigraphic Units of the Circum-Pannonian Region. Jahrbuch / Geologische Bundesanstalt 151:199–280

    Google Scholar 

  • Kräutner HG, Krstić B (2002) Alpine and pre-Alpine structural units within the southern Carpathians and eastern Balkanides (Proceedings of XVII. Congress of Carpathian-Balkan Geological Association Bratislava. Geologica Carpathica 53).

  • Кrivošejev V (2014) Upravljanje baštinom i održivi turizam. Narodni muzej Valjevo, Artis centar, 1–245, Valjevo-Beograd.

  • Krstekanić N, Stojadinović U, Kostić B, Toljić M (2017) Internal structure of the Supragetic Unit basement in the Serbian Carpathians and its significance for the late Early Cretaceous nappe-stacking. Geološki Anali Balkanskoga Poluostrva 78:1–15

    Google Scholar 

  • Kubalíková L (2013) Geomorphosite assessment for geotourism purposes. Czech Journal of Tourism 2(2):80–104

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lugon R, Reynard E, Fuchs C (2003) Géotopes valaisans: typologie, état des lieux et recommandations pour un projet d'inventaire. Institut universitaire Kurt Bösch

  • Maran A (2012) Geoconservation in Serbia – State of play and perspectives. Journal of European Federation of Geologists, 34. Geoheritage, 29–35.

  • Maran A, Grigorescu D (2006) Geosite conservation strategy: Examples from Serbia and Romania. [In Sudar M. et al. (Eds), Proceedings of] XVIIIth Congress (pp. 336–339). Carpatho-Balkan Geol. Association: Belgrade, 336–339.

  • Maran Stevanović A (2015) Methodological guidelines for geoheritage site assessment: a proposal from Serbia. Geološki Analai Balkanskoga Polustrva 73:105–113

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Marescotti P, Brancucci G, Sasso G, Solimano M, Marin V, Muzio C, Salmona P (2018) Geoheritage Values and Environmental Issues of Derelict Mines: Examples from the Sulfide Mines of Gromolo and Petronio Valleys (Eastern Liguria, Italy). Minerals 8(6):229. https://doi.org/10.3390/min8060229

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Miljković M (2006) Socijalno ekonomski i ekološki problemi na područjima rudnika u zatvaranju. EkoIst 06, Ekološka Istina/ Ecological Truth, 04–07.06.2006. 445–451.

  • Milovanović D, Maran A (2014) Geonasleđe u Srbiji/Geoheritage in Serbia. Zbornik radova, Komisija Republike Srbije za saradnju sa UNESCO/Procedings, Commission of the Republic of Serbia for UNESCO, 108–114.

  • Orche E (2003) Puesta En Valor der Patrimonio geologico-minero: el proceso de adaptacion de explotaciones mineras a parques tematicos.Patrimonio Geologico Minero en el contexto del cieree de minas.Rio de Janeiro:CNPq/CYTED, 260p:il. ISBN 85–7227–168–6,51–69.

  • Pearson M, McGowan B (2000) Mining Heritage Places Assessment Manuel.Australian Council of National Trusts and Australian Heritage Commission Canberra. ISBN 0 908 19815 9

  • Plissart G, Diot H, Monnier C, Mărunţiu M (2018) New insights into the building of the Variscan Belt in eastern Europe (Romania, Serbia, Bulgaria). in: Ferrero, S., Lanari, P., Goncalves, P., Grosch, E.G. (eds.). Metamorphic Geology: Microscale to Mountain Belts. Geological Society, London, Special Publications 478. 389–426.

  • ProGEO.The European Association for the Conservation of the Geological Heritage (2011) Conserving our shared Geoheritage-a protocol on geoconservation principles, sustainable site use, management, field work, fossil and mineral collecting.

  • Rabrenović D, Belij S, Mojsić I, Mladenović M (2014) Osnovne vrednosti područja Đerdapa, potencijalnog Geoparka. XVI Kongres geologa Srbije,Donji Milanovac,22–25 maj,866–871.

  • Rabrenović D, Milovanović D, Mojsić I (2010a) Geodiverzitet Nacionalnog parka Đerdap u funkciji promovisanja Geoparka. Zbornik radova Geoeco 2010a. Međunaodni simpozijum Žabljak-Nikšić. 562–570. ISBN 978–86–7798–043–6.

  • Rabrenović D, Milovanović D, Mojsić I, Đaković M (2010) Geodiverzitet Nacionalnog parka Đerdap u funkciji promovisanja Geoparka. Geoekologija-XXI vijek, teorijski i aplikativni zadaci. Međunarodni simpozijum. Geoeco 2010. Žabljak-Nikšić, 21–24, septembar, 562–571.

  • Rabrenović D, Milovanović D, Vasić N, Srećković-Batoćanin D, Živanović V, Mojsić I, Malešević N (2019) Geološko turistička karta nacionalnog parka Đerdap, ISBN 978–86–7352–222–7, Beograd, 80.

  • Rabrenović D, Mojsić I, Belij S, Mladenović M (2014a) Osnovne vrednosti područja Đerdapa potencijalnog Geoparka. Proceedings Volume of the XVI Serbian Geological Congess, 866–872, 22–25 May, Donji Milanovac. ISBN 978–86–86053–14–15.

  • Rybar P, Molokač M, Hvizdak L, Štrba L, Bohm J (2012) Territory of Eastern Slovakia-area of mining heritage of, ediaeval mining. Acta Geoturistica 3(2):29–35

    Google Scholar 

  • Serban NV (2020) Banatite metallogeny of North Poiana Rusca Mts revisited. Geoloski Anali Balkanskoga poluostrva 81(1):67–77

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schmid MS, Bernoulli D, Fügenschuh B, Matenco L, Schefer S, Schuster R, Tischler M, Ustaszewski K (2008) The Alps-Carpathians-Dinarides-connection: a correlation of tectonic units. Swiss Journal of Geosciences 101:139–183. https://doi.org/10.1007/S00015-008-1247-3

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schmid MS, Fügenschuh B, Kounov A, Matenco L, Nievergelte P, Oberhänsli R, Pleugerg J, Schefer S, Schuster R, Tomljenovići B, Ustaszewski K, van Hinsbergen DJJ (2020) Tectonic units of the Alpine collision zone between Eastern Alps and western Turkey. Gondwana Res 78:308–374. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gr.2019.07.005

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Spahić D, Gaudenyi T (2022) On the Sava Suture Zone: Post-Neotethyan Oblique Subduction and the Origin of the Late Cretaceous Mini-Magma Pools. Cretaceous Research, 131. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cretres.2021.105062

  • Spahić D, Bojić Z, Popović D, Gaudenyi T (2021) Vestiges of Cambro-Ordovician continental accretion in the Southern Carpathian-Balkan orogen: First evidence of the Cenerian event in the central Serbo-Macedonian Unit. Acta Geol Pol 71:219–247. https://doi.org/10.24425/agp.2020.134558

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Spahić D, Gaudenyi T (2018) Primordial Geodynamics of Southern Carpathian-Balkan Basements (Serbo-Macedonian Mass): Avalonian vs Cadomian Arc Segments. Proceedings of Geologists Association 130(2):142–156

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Spahić D, Gaudenyi T, Glavaš-Trbić B (2019) The neoproterozoic–Paleozoic basement in the Alpidic Supragetic/Kučaj units of eastern Serbia: a continuation of the rheic Ocean? Acta Geol Pol 69(4):531–548

    Google Scholar 

  • Strasser A, Heitzmann P, Stapfer A, Stürm B, Vogel A Weidmann M (1995) Géotopeset la protection des objets géologigues en Suisse: un rapport stratégique., Fribourg. Suisse. Groupe Suisse pour la protection des géotopes.

  • Udubasa G (2003) Museum mines in Romania: a dream? An.Inst.Geol.Rom., 73, Special Issue, Bucurest, 7.

  • Udubasa S, Udubasa G (2014) Keeping alive the mining tradition/heritage: The Museum Mines and Geoparks in Romania. Rom J Mineral Deposits 87(1):7–10

    Google Scholar 

  • Vasković N, Jović V, Matović V (2010) Early Cretaceous glauconite formation and Late Cretaceous magmatism and metallogeny of the East Serbian part of the Carpatho-Balkanides. Acta Mineralogica-Petrographica, Field Guide Series, vol. 25, 32pp. (G.Pap eds); HU ISSN 0324–6523, HU ISSN 2061–9766; ISBN 978–963–306–057–5.

  • Velojić M, Jelenković R, Cvetković V (2020) Fluid evolution of the Čukaru Peki Cu-Au Prorphyry System (East Serbia) inferred from a fluid inclusion study. Geologica Croatica 73(3):197–209

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • von Quadt A, Moritz R, Peytchevam I, Heinrich CA (2005) Geology and Geodynamics of Late Cretaceous magmatism and Cu-Au mineralization in the Pangyurishte region of the Apuseni-Banat-Timok-Srednogorie belt, Bulgaria. Ore Geol Rev 27:95–126

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Voudouris P, Melfos V, Mavrogonatos C, Photiades A, Moraiti E, Rieck B, Kolitsch U, Tarantola A, Scheffer C, Morin D et al (2021) The Lavrion Mines: A Unique Site of Geological and Mineralogical Heritage. Minerals 2021(11):76. https://doi.org/10.3390/min11010076

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zimmerman A, Stein HJ, Hannah JL, Kozelj D, Bogdanov K, Berza T (2008) Tectonic configuration of the ApusenieBanateTimokeSrednogorie belt, Balkans-South Carpathians, constrained by high precision REeOS molybdenite ages. Mineralia Deposita 43:1–21

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Živković P, Milovanović D, Maran Stevanović A (2014) Geonasleđe ležišta Majdanpek (Istočna Srbija). XVI Kongres geologa Srbije, Donji Milanovac, 22–25 maj, 880–883.

Download references

Acknowledgements

This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors. The authors would like to thank Slobodanka Sudar and from the Geological Survey of Serbia (Department of Raw Materials) for the help with some field and literature data.

Funding

This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Ministry of Mining & Energy, Belgrade, Republic of Serbia

    Ivana Mojsić Velikić

  2. Geological Survey of Serbia, Belgrade, Serbia

    Dragoman Rabrenović & Darko Spahić

  3. Faculty of Mining & Geology, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia

    Danica Srećković-Batoćanin

Authors
  1. Ivana Mojsić Velikić
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Dragoman Rabrenović
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Danica Srećković-Batoćanin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Darko Spahić
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Contributions

All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Material preparation, data collection and analysis were performed by Ivana Mojsić Velikić, Dragoman Rabrenović and Danica Srećković Batoćanin. The first draft of the manuscript was written by Ivana Mojsić Velikić, and all authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript. Darko Spahić expanded earlier version of the manuscript and restructured for the journal requirements. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Darko Spahić.

Rights and permissions

Springer Nature or its licensor holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Velikić, I.M., Rabrenović, D., Srećković-Batoćanin, D. et al. Geoheritage and Mining Heritage in the Promotion of Theme Parks: An Example of the National Park Đerdap (Carpathian-Balkan Thrust-And-Fold Belt, Eastern Serbia). Geoheritage 14, 102 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12371-022-00735-3

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12371-022-00735-3

Keywords

Search

Navigation