Preliminary Assessment of the Geological and Mining Heritage of the Golden Quadrilateral (Metaliferi Mountains, Romania) as a Potential Geotourism Destination

Abstract

The Metaliferi Mountains (Western Romania) are known worldwide as the richest gold region in Romania and hosts for numerous porphyry and epithermal deposits. In these mountains, mining for gold dates back to Roman and even pre-Roman times. The Golden Quadrilateral constitutes a remarkable example of an area having a significant geological and mining heritage. The main purposes of this work are to emphasize this heritage, to present, for the first time, an assessment of the geological and mining heritage of the Golden Quadrilateral as a possible geotourism destination, and to point out the important role that geotourism could have in the sustainable development of local communities. To achieve our goals, the features of thirteen sites are presented, and two geotourism itineraries are proposed. A quantitative assessment of the geosites’ capacity to support scientific, educational, and geotourism/recreational uses indicates that the Golden Quadrilateral presents a high potential not only for scientific studies but, also, for enhancement of the public understanding of science; geotourism could be part of the development strategy of rural areas. The two museums (Gold Museum and Gold Mining Museum) can have an important contribution both to the geo-education of visitors and in promoting the sustainable development of the region.

Linking Geoheritage or Geosite Assessment Results with Geotourism Potential and Development: A Literature Review

“…[79] "The quantitative assessments of the geosites as potential sites for educational and geotourism/recreational uses indicate that each of the eight geosites can be used for geo-education and geotourism." [80] "The assessment of geoarchaeosites according to the criteria proposed by Kubalikova (2013) raised a good potential in sustaining and increasing the geotourism potential of certain sites viz., Lothal and Vadnagar." [81] "The Ruta Escondida, located in a singular volcanic complex, holds unique geomorphological landscapes with geotouristic potential.…”

Mining-based tourism in Sawahlunto National Geopark

“…Secondly, the inventory model and quantitative assessment of geosites and geodiversity are needed for site management (Brilha, 2016). The example of the quantitative assessment for thirteen sites in the Metalliferous Mountains in Western Romania to support scientific, educational, and geotourism has been done by previous researchers (Milu, 2021). Mining tourism also aims to show the importance of mining activity despite its difficulties and to contribute to the economy of the local mining community in Sawahlunto.…”