Summary
Minjera is an abandoned natural-bitumen mine north of Škrip, where mine passages connect with natural cave spaces. It bears witness to Brač’s mining and industrial history and to the processing of bituminous rock into mineral pitch (paklina).
Mining ceased in 1874; the site was investigated again from a mining-geological perspective in 1967.
Location and identity of the site
Minjera lies in the Galerija area north of Škrip, beside the road towards Splitska. Mining literature links the name with the Italian word miniera, meaning mine. The main old shaft and nearby exploratory adits belong to the former Škrip asphalt mine.
This is a Brač bitumen mine, distinct from the Minjera with the same name in Istria. The material extracted here was carbonate rock impregnated with natural bitumen.
History of mining and mineral-pitch production
Specialist literature dates the start of extraction to around 1750. The town’s planning documents are more cautious, suggesting it began in the mid-18th century and identifying a mining permit from 1780 as the first written record. These details should be distinguished: an estimated start of work is not the same as a surviving permit.
Heating bituminous rock produced mineral pitch (paklina), which was transported to Venice and other Adriatic ports for asphalt production. Production intensified in the 19th century. Mining ceased in 1874, and new mining-geological and geodetic surveys were carried out in 1967.
Mine passages and a natural cave
Minjera connects excavated passages with natural underground cavities. A basic low passage is followed by a branching network of side tunnels and chambers created while searching for and extracting bituminous layers. The speleological account distinguishes the main passage from the combined length of all surveyed channels: the figure of about one kilometre refers to the network, not to a single straight gallery.
Vlado Božić also describes natural cave sections and dangerous areas with old mine supports. The historical surveyed length of the passages should not be taken as the length of a developed or currently passable visitor route.
Importance for Škrip and underground research
The Minjera mine adds to the story of work in Škrip: alongside agriculture and stoneworking, it shows the extraction of bituminous rock. While the Roman quarries illustrate the extraction of building stone, Minjera tells of obtaining and processing a different raw material.
The site is also important as an underground habitat. A 2017 scientific paper records sampling cave fauna at Minjera in September 2014 and publishes the site coordinates. These details confirm the mine’s research value but do not establish current access conditions.
Map location and access
The map location comes from published site coordinates in a scientific paper. It does not identify a verified parking area, developed approach or safe entrance. A town planning brief describes the entrance and proposed improvements to the mine; the project itself does not prove that the work was carried out or that public visits are organised.
This is an abandoned mine with underground passages, low ceilings and old mining works. Before visiting, check permission from the owner and current conditions with the relevant local authorities or a speleological society. Do not enter the underground site alone or without suitable equipment and an expert guide.
