Asian Journal of Geological Research 3(3): 15-26, 2020; Article no.AJOGER.60388 Considerations on the Philatelic Testimony of the Maramureș Mining Activity (I) Alexandru Leonard Pop1, Bogdan-Vasile Cioruța1,2* and Mirela Coman3,4 1Office of Informatics, Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, North University Centre of Baia Mare, 62A Victor Babeș Street, 430083, Baia Mare, Romania. 2Faculty of Applied Sciences from Bucharest, Politehnica University of Bucharest, 313 Splaiul Independenței, 060042, Bucharest, Romania. 3Faculty of Engineering, Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, North University Centre of Baia Mare, 62A Victor Babeș Street, 430083, Baia Mare, Romania. 4Faculty of Agriculture, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine from Cluj-Napoca, 3-5 Calea Mănăştur, 400372, Cluj-Napoca, Romania. Authors’ contributions This work was carried out in collaboration among all authors. Authors ALP and BVC designed the study, performed the literature searches and wrote the first draft of the manuscript. Author MC managed the analyses of the study. All authors read and approved the final manuscript. Article Information Editor(s): (1) Dr. Adewumi, Adeniyi John Paul, Achievers University, Nigeria. (2) Dr. Ahmed Abdelraheem Frghaly, Sohag University, Egypt. Reviewers: (1) Volodymyr Krasnoholovets, NASU Institute of Physics, Ukraine. (2) Sidney K. Berman, University of Botswana, Botswana. (3) Prajoy Podder, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, Bangladesh. (4) Raymundus I. Made Sudhiarsa, “Widya Sasana” School of Philosophy and Theology, Indonesia. (5) Suhaimi bin Hassan, Fakulti Kejuruteraan Mekanikal dan Pembuatan (FKMP) & Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM), Malaysia. Complete Peer review History: http://www.sdiarticle4.com/review-history/60388 Received 01 July 2020 Original Research Article Accepted 06 September 2020 Published 11 September 2020 ABSTRACT It is well known that on the entire territory of Maramureş County (Romania), from East to West, there were and still are important deposits of gold-silver and copper ores, as well as lead and zinc ores. The geological and geomorphological specificity of the Maramures mining area meant that over time the mining activity did not go unnoticed in the annals of history, as well as in those of thematic philately. The philatelic movement in Maramures County, especially in Baia Mare, has an old tradition. This tradition has particularly followed mining activity. Through this paper, in order to _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ *Corresponding author: Email: [email protected]; Pop et al.; AJOGER, 3(3): 15-26, 2020; Article no.AJOGER.60388 pay a tribute to the forerunners, we set out to review the beginnings of the Maramures philatelic movement which had as its subject the mining activity, with emphasis on philatelic materials (stamps, first-day covers, occasional and special envelopes, postcards and maxims, etc.) that have aimed at promoting the natural heritage, and local and regional geodiversity. From the analyzed materials, some reproduced even in these pages, it was found that special attention was paid and still is paid to the mining activity in the Maramures region, collectors of philatelic materials being themselves involved in mining and related activities, as well as in promoting geodiversity in-country and abroad. Keywords: Geolog; mining in Maramures; postal circulations; the first philatelic testimony. 1. INTRODUCTION 2. MATERIALS AND METHODS The Maramureș region has been a mining basin, The present work aims to make a foray into time that directly falls into the field of geology, since and bring to light cracks from the old philatelic the time of the Roman Empire. The philatelic activity that existed in our county. We stopped, movement in this region of Romania, especially this time, after addressing the implications of in Baia Mare, which in the previous years was a philately in ecological education and promoting natural tradition, has an old tradition. Since the protected natural areas [1-3], the implications of beginning of the last century, the existence of philately with the ecological house, architecture groups of philatelists holding exchange meetings and traditional crafts [4-7], and the implications of was recorded. Also in the same period, a philately on mining activity [8-10], which have philatelic magazine appeared in Baia Mare, been prominent topics of discussion in considered to be a valuable directory for postage publications on mining. Indeed, Maramures for stamp collectors. In its pages, it was shown a several generations was a rich mining basin with high level of interest of local philatelists to the a specific geology. The oldest term of the activity and lives of miners, which influenced geological formations is represented by them to make appropriate stamps, first-day crystalline schists covering most of the covers (FDCs), special and occasional Maramures Mountains - a reality well exploited envelopes, postcards and maxims, etc. by native philatelists. So this article pays tribute to the forerunners by presenting stamps, After the reunification of Romania in 1918, postcards, occasional envelopes, advertising especially after the middle of the last century, the stamps, and other philatelic effects (from philately experienced a real development, platforms such as Colnect, Delcampe, PicClick, gaining a mass character over a period that StampWorld, etc) that we have managed to lasted until 1995. In 1956, the first philatelic identify and which we have arranged group was established in Baia Mare, under the chronologically. patronage of the Club of Metallurgical Plants for Nonferrous Metals. In the immediate period after, 3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION new philatelic groups were set up in Baia Mare, Sighetu Marmaiei, Vişeu, and Borşa. 3.1 Philatelic Earliest Records of In 1970, the philatelic circles of Baia Sprie and Maramureș Mining Activity Cavnic were established. Throughout this period, philatelic circles for youth and students were During the period November 7-17, 1951, in Baia established in almost every educational Mare, the first philatelic exhibition in the county, institution. Unfortunately, after the Revolution of hed to celebrate "Miner's Day" was organized. 1989, interest in philately gradually disappeared, With this exhibition, an occasional envelope (see especially among the "young free". New Fig. 1) was published by the Ministry of Posts technological development, poor management by and Telecommunications through the P.T.T. leading stakeholders in Romanian philately, and Regional of Baia Mare [11,12]. It is worth the inflation that afflicted Romania for many mentioning that, after the exhibition in Constanța years led the youths to quickly move away from in July of the same year, the exhibition hosted in collecting postage stamps and philatelic effects. Baia Mare was the second philatelic exhibition in Only nostalgics and few of those who began to the country. For the creation of this philatelic rediscover this passion after their teenage years piece, the first one with this theme addressed in remained. our county has used the image used to make the 16 Pop et al.; AJOGER, 3(3): 15-26, 2020; Article no.AJOGER.60388 Fig. 1. Occasional envelope - 7-17.11.1951 - "Philatelic exhibition" in Baia Mare envelope "the first day" (First Day Cover - FDC) Seven years later (August 9, 1958) it was of the issue "Miner's Day" appeared on August replaced with a similar work that exists today. We 12, 1951. This time the color of the pattern was invite you to find out, by reading the article red, and the legends were changed. mentioned in the bibliography [21], why the two statues were changed and what is the mystery For stamping, the stamps of the same issue were around them. The postage is also a purely used (placed in the upper right corner) [13-15] to philatelic one. It keeping the theme of the which was added the stamp with the nominal exhibition, the resulting nominal value not being value of 2 lei from the "Five Year Plan" issue (LP under the postal rates in effect at that date. The #292) [16] representing the extraction of coal. round stamp of the exhibition was applied in The postage thus obtained was purely philatelic brown ink, without graphic elements, with the so that the nominal value was not placed under period of the exhibition mentioned centrally. any of the postal tariffs in effect at that date. The round stamp of the exhibition was applied in black ink, having as a central graphic element, the chisel and hammer which are the symbols of mining. On the occasion of the Philatelic Exhibition in Baia Mare, which took place from October 6 to November 20, 1952, a maximum postcard was made [17,18] (see Fig. 2). The illustration was stamped with the complete series of stamps "Miner's Day" (LP #328) [13,19,20], published on August 15, 1952, and obliterated with the special stamp of the philatelic event. The supporting illustration, printed in sepia, represents the "Miner" statue displayed in front of the former building belonging to the Baia Mare Technical Middle School of Minerals. According to an article published by Cătălin Vischi in eMaramureș [21], on October 16, 2011, the statue, belonging to the Maramures sculptor Vida Gheza, had been unveiled on August 12, 1951, in Gheorghe Gheorghiu Dej Square (hereafter referred to as Fig. 2. Maximum postcard - "Philatelic Victoria Square, but which is now widely known Exhibition" in Baia Mare -