Stock Photo - 28 November 2019, Saxony-Anhalt, Sangerhausen: Thomas Wäsche (l), tour guide, leads an excursion through the old mining industry in the Wettelrode Röhrig shaft. For about 20 years the museum ""ErlebnisZentrum Bergbau Röhrigschacht Wettelrode"" has been offering longer excursions underground at a depth of about 300 metres. Recently, a new tour has been launched, where a part of the route is covered by canoes. The first miners began digging for copper ore in the Mansfelder Land about 800 years ago. From the year 1750 onwards, intensive mining was carried out. In total, approximately 2.6 million tonnes of copper and 14,213 tonnes of silver were extracted from the ore in the area. (to dpa ""With knee pads, wader and canoe - special tour underground"") Photo: Hendrik Schmidt/dpa-Zentralbild/dpa. - Sangerhausen/Saxony-Anhalt/Germany