Arno-Lippmann-Schacht (shaft) with its characteristic industrial architecture of the young GDR was named in 1966 in honour of the resistance fighter Arno Lippmann from Zinnwald. It is almost 300 m deep and from 1968 more than 0.5 million tonnes of ore was extracted annually and by 1986 1 million tonnes was achieved. After political reunification, the mine was abandoned in 1991. Early mining installations of the Neufang mines were reused during the last mining period of Altenberg and are functionally connected to the operation of the Arno-Lippmann-Shaft and the Zwitterstock deposit. The shelter on the Rothzechner hoisting shaft, sunk in 1793, was built in 1958 to protect the shaft mouth and was used as an escape and ventilation shaft by the Altenberg Tin Mining Company between 1954 and 1991. Subsequently, in the second half of the 20th century, an elaborate ventilation system was built to supply the underground mine workings with fresh air. Located next to the former powder house, the system consisted of ventilation shafts 20 and 32. The former commenced operation as a discharge shaft in 1967, and served as a fresh air shaft once the ventilation system was converted in 1982. Ventilation shaft 32 was used to provide fresh air from 1974 onwards.
The Arno Lippmann shaft documents the last period of tin ore mining in the Altenberg mining district. The construction of the shaft building, head frame and machine house with winding machine, installation of all technical equipment, and full development of the infrastructure followed in the years 1961 and 1962. Mining ceased in 1991, and the main building was restored and preserved as a monument between 1996 and 1999. The winding machine is preserved in its original condition.
