The traces of Mining in Lubsko (western Poland) - proposal of the geotouristic path

Abstract

Lubsko is a city in the Lubuskie province (western Poland) with a population around 15 000. The use of raw clay minerals in this region has its beginning in the Middle Ages. Through the years the production has changed to the centralised mining industry. The end of this branch has begun in the late 1980s due to the political changes in Poland. Nowadays, the signs of this significant history of the city are ruined or in bad conditions. The reason for organising geotouristic path is to protect the geoheritage of this region, mainly old open-pits and the infrastructure. Proposed stops will teach about the mining heritage in Lubsko, the geology of the glacial region, the processing of raw clay minerals and various usages of this material. Moreover, connecting both didactic and recreational use may give the chance to integrate touristic sites in the city. The development of such a path may attract tourists from Poland and Germany, which may result in an improvement of the financial situation of Lubsko. Considering the possible benefits and obstacles the SWOT analysis is presented in the article.