Mining in the Harz refers to digging deep down into the earth to take out precious minerals like silver, lead, and zinc. Imagine you are playing in a big sandbox, but instead of playing with sand, we are looking for shiny and valuable stones that can be used in different things like jewelry or coins.
In the Harz, people have been digging for these minerals for hundreds of years. The miners used special tools like hammers and chisels to break apart the rock and find the minerals hiding inside. It's like trying to chip away a toy from a block of ice.
To get down into the ground, the miners had to dig tunnels, like underground roads. They would use special carts to move the rocks and minerals they found in the tunnels to the surface. Afterwards, the valuable minerals were separated from the rocks so they could be used for different things.
Mining was an important job in the Harz because it helped people make money and provided materials for different things we use every day. Today, mining is not as common in the Harz as it used to be, but people can visit the old mines and learn about what it was like to be a miner.