Amber from Switzerland (called plaffeit)

In Switzerland there are several amber deposits southeast of Fribourg up to the area of Lake Lucerne (see map). About 55 million years ago this, at that time subtropical, coastal area was covered by the sea, whereby the plant remains and resin pebbles were washed into a flysch soil.  A distribution area, "Gurnigelflysch", lies on the northern edge of the Prealps between Lake Geneva and Lake Thun. The second distribution area, "Schlierenflysch", is located between Lake Thun and Lake Lucerne. The word "Flysch" is Swiss dialect and means slipping/running off and was used in scientific literature as a term for low fossil sandstones and clay slate areas of the older Tertiary of the Alps (see Michael Soom / Dieter Schlee, Fossiles Harz from the Gurnigel and Schlierenflysch).

The amber findings in the area "Gurnigelflysch" are mainly the following;

  • Roggeli quarry, Plasselbschlund (FR) (GPS - coordinates: 7.2394531, 46.711901703)

  • Road near Falli, Plasselbschlund (FR) (GPS - coordinates: 7.24598546, 46.715241204)

  • Zollhaus quarry, Plaffeien (FR) (GPS - coordinates: 7.307060264, 46.716498009)

  • Wissenbach, Gurnigel (BE) (GPS - coordinates: 7.438896724, 46.746799494)

  • Ziegerhubel, Gurnigel (BE) (GPS - coordinates: 7.459717, 46.736749)

  • Chrutboden, Musherenschlund (FR) (GPS coordinates: 7.360599145, 46.684793235)

  • Falli Quarry, Plasselbschlund (FR) (GPS coordinates: 7.247161862, 46.715423104)

The amber findings in the area "Schlierenflysch" are mainly the following:

  • Glaubenberg, Sarnen (OW) (GPS - coordinates: 8.107211061, 46.893003609)

  • Fallhörnli, Alpnach (OW) (GPS -coordinates: 8.23604, 46.92773)

Generally, one can say that Swiss amber is often very brittle, cracked and fragile due to the folding of the Alps (see photo). The found pieces of amber are mostly less than 1 cm thick and decay easily and are therefore not suitable for grinding. Plaffeite pieces without inclusions are light yellow and can show orange-yellow to wine-red tones with progressive oxidation. Plaffeite pieces may contain insects (especially mosquitoes, wasps), plant fibers and grains.

Swiss Amber (plaffeite)

Swiss Amber (plaffeite)

Swiss Amber (plaffeite)

Swiss Amber (plaffeite)

Literature:

Michael Soom / Dieter Schlee, Fossiles Harz aus dem Gurnigel-und Schlierenflysch (Schweizer Voralpen, Aus dem Jahrbuch des Naturhistorischen Museums Bern, Bd. 8., 1981 – 1983

Stefan Weiss, Bernstein aus der Schweiz. In: Mineralienmagazin Lapis. J. 30, Nr. 5, Mai 2005, Seiten 16-19