Mineral and Thermal Waters

The reason for such an abundance of mineral and thermal water throughout Slovenia, with the exception of the western karstic and coastal regions, lies in its geological diversity and the complexity of tectonic structure.

There are 78 known sources of mineral and thermal waters, most of which are located in the eastern, i.e. the Pannonian part of the country. It seems as though nature wished to balance the absence of abundant karstic sources in the drier more thirsty Pannonian regions by endowing them with mineral springs. One quarter of all such mineral water sources are natural, whilst the remainder have been obtained through sinking man-made wells.

Mineral water, which has a high content of soluble salts, is most abundant in Pomurje, the region which surrounds the Mura river, as well as in and around Rogaška Slatina, Velenje, Ravne na Koroškem, Kamna Gorica and Jezersko. In Pomurje the mineral water's thermal energy, as well as the water itself, is harnessed and utilized. At the eastern spa resorts of Rogaška Slatina and Radenci mineral water is bottled as well as used for balnaeological and recreational purposes.

In northeastern Slovenia, water was found when wells were sunk in search of petroleum. Although oil was not struck, the initial disappointment soon dissipated when it was realized that the thermal mineral waters which had been discovered were a great asset. Indeed, thermal spas (at Radenci, Rogaška Slatina, Ptuj, Zreče and Dobrna, as well as those of Moravske Toplice, Banovske Toplice, Atomske Toplice and Lendavske Toplice) were built as a result of these discoveries and continue to draw large colonies of tourists who enjoy their recreational and therapeutic facilities. Other sources of thermal water which are tourist attractions can be found within in the Laško Tertiary Basin (at Laško, Rimske ("Roman") Toplice and Medijske Toplice) and inside the Krško - Novo mesto Basin (at Čatež, Šmarješke Toplice and Dolenjske Toplice). There are 17 natural health and spa resorts in Slovenia, with a total hotel capacity of about 7,000 beds.

Abstract from the book "Vode v Sloveniji" / "Waters of Slovenia", text by Dr Dušan Plut, photographs by Matevž Lenarčič, (Nazarje): EPSI, 1995