Above the local train tracks there’s a hill of rust reaching all the way up to where the cable cars are at the end of the sky lift. Various ores were being dug out from the depths of the mountain in this area. The first mines opened with sultan firman (law) in 1880 in order to exploit the rich resources and minerals of the area.
A Greek-German consortium was in charge of the preservation and viability of the mines up to 1942 and a Bulgarian-German consortium built in 1944 the sky lift to transport the metal ores easier and faster. In 1962 the Greek Organization for Industrial Development invited French geologists to study for metal resources in the area, but the results were dissapointing, the mines were either depleted or not cost-worthy to be used.
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The Kirki Mines may be found right outside the Kirki village, by following a dirt road, that also passes through the picturesque old railroad station.