The Upper Franconian mining districts were partly in the Fichtelgebirge, which was under the rule of the Hohenzollerns until around 1800, and partly in the Franconian Forest, which was mostly in the former prince-bishopric of Bamberg. Mining underground is from the middle of the 14. Century proves. It reached its peak in the 15., 16. and 17. Century. Partially revived, individual deposits were still mined until the middle of the 20. Exploited at the end of the nineteenth century. Only in exceptional cases does mining continue to the present day. Important mining centers were Arzberg, Goldkronach, Kupferberg, Weibenstadt, Wunsiedel, Lichtenberg, Fichtelberg and Naila. Gold, silver, copper, iron ore and tin were mined, from the 18. In the nineteenth century also lignite and hard coal.
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Mining in Upper Franconia
Mining for precious metals, iron, tin, copper and minerals was already carried out in the Fichtelgebirge and Franconian Forest in the Middle Ages. The sovereigns in the eastern part of Upper Franconia were the Nuremberg burgraves as heirs of the Andechs-Meranians since 1248/1260 and in the western part the high diocese of Bamberg. The mining industry, especially in the Fichtelgebirge, promoted the acquisition and expansion of the two Franconian territories of the Burgraves. The Hochstift was active in the Franconian Forest; however, the economic focus of Hochstift mining was in its possessions in Carinthia.