Der Bergkristall - Schatz in den Schweizer Alpen (ARTE 360° Reportage)

The Fascination of Rock Crystal: Mining it is not permitted everywhere in the Swiss Alps. A special permit, known as a "Strahlerpatent," is usually required. Mineral and crystal hunters in Switzerland are called "Strahler." Technical aids are not allowed. Armed only with a pickaxe, hammer, chisel, and a "Strahler" (a type of metalworking tool), these men and women venture high into the mountains. A film by Anja Reiß © 2022, licensed by MedienKontor / ARTE Subscribe to wocomoTRAVEL: https://goo.gl/tIk2Qc Follow us on Facebook:   / wocomo   Armed with pickaxe, hammer, and chisel, the "ARTE 360° Reportage" takes viewers on a treasure hunt high in the mountains. The object of their desire: rock crystal. This is quartz in its purest and most transparent form. In the Swiss Alps, mineral and crystal hunters, also known as "rock crystal hunters," need a permit to extract rock crystals. This requires venturing into deep rock crevices and cavities, known as fissures. It's a dangerous undertaking, and some crystal hunters risk their lives. However, the price is worth it, as collectors often pay several thousand euros for rock crystals. Amateurs and professional rock crystal hunters travel to the Swiss Alps for a variety of reasons: Jelena Brkic is a jewelry designer and has founded her own jewelry label. She also feels it's important to keep a traditional craft from her homeland alive. Or take Thomas Steinbrugger, a professional rock crystal hunter and former extreme climber, who lives solely from extracting the valuable rock crystals: Every summer, he and his brother set up their base camp at an altitude of 3,500 meters. Up here, searching for rocks becomes a not entirely risk-free expedition. Climate change is both a blessing and a curse: On the one hand, the melting of glaciers exposes new crevasses, on the other hand, the thawing of the ice also poses a considerable danger to treasure hunters – accidents occur almost every year.