Marko Vincenc Lipold, the first Slovenian geologist and a trained mountaineer, was born into a mining family in Mozirje. After studying law in Graz and Vienna, he went on to study at the Mining Academy in Banská Štiavnica (Schemnitz) in Slovakia. In 1849, he was employed by the Imperial Geological Survey in Vienna. Over the next seventeen years, he explored and mapped the geology of numerous regions of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy. Between 1867 and 1883, he was director of the Idrija mercury mine. Upon his arrival in Idrija, Lipold modernised the mine. He also began detailed geological mapping of the surrounding area, producing an excellent geological map which was awarded a prize at the Vienna Exhibition in 1873. During this time, he also collected numerous geological samples, which are now housed in Idrija. Several fossils are also named after him. Marko Vincenc Lipold is undoubtedly a pioneer of modern Slovenian geology.

Exhibition authors: Martina Peljhan, Matija Križnar, Katarina Kadivec, Tristan RomePhotographs: Jani Peternelj, Tristan Rome
Archival materials provided by: the Geological Survey in Vienna, the archive of Dr Anton Ramovš, the Ljubljana Historical Archives – Idrija Unit, and Idrija Municipal Museums (photo archive)
Design: Ivana Kadivec
Proofreading: Metka Rupnik
Image processing: Jaka Modic

The exhibition was prepared and made possible by: CUDHg Idrija, Idrija Municipal Museum, the Slovenian Museum of Natural History, the Idrija Museum Society, the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Engineering (Department of Geology), the Slovenian Geological Society, and the Geological Survey of Slovenia.