Úrkút Ancient Karst Nature Conservation Area (Úrkút)

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Location: The protected area is situated in the fields of the village Úrkút.
Visitors: Free of access for visitors.
Management: Local government of Úrkút
The significance of the area is similar to that of described at the Darvas lake abandoned bauxite mine about twenty km to the west: it is an imprint of geological changes of hundreds of millions of years. A bauxite-lense was exploited from the Triassic limestone underneath at Darvas lake, while a manganese mine worked beside Úrkút.
The surface manganese mine opened in 1917 worked until 1930, is the second largest place of occurrence of manganese ( at present the valuable ore is exploited by deep working). The area was explored searching for mineral coal, and the manganese was exploited with manual tools, which makes the abandoned mine unparalleled. Because the Jurassic limestone base of Csárdahegy where the manganese compound sedimented remained intact. The karst phenomena from the Mesozoic became uniquely visible in the abandoned mine: sink-holes, water-holes and other karst formations. A rich material of finds of intact lime frames of once lived creatures – different shells and snails, sea lilies can be found in the limestone. Further specialties are the tuber or crust shaped remains of formations of manganese precipitation of different colours.
The protected area is fenced but it is freely accessible through the entrance.


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