# Teufe

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***Teufe*** is the German [mining](/source/Mining) term for depth.[1] The *Teufe* (*h*T) indicates how deep a given point lies below the surface of an open-cast pit or below the ground level in the area surrounding the [pit](/source/Mining). By contrast, the height, *h*, refers to its distance from a reference surface 'above'.[2] The vertical distance between the surface and a point in the mine (*Grubengebäude*), i.e. the vertical depth, was formerly also called the *Seigerteufe*.[3] This difference is no longer made today. The terms *Teufe* and *Seigerteufe* are synonymous.[4]

## Reference points

The *Teufe* is always given from a reference point. In earlier times, during the construction of [galleries](/source/Adit) (*Stollen*) there was the concept of "gallery depth" or *Stollenteufe*. For this purpose, the survey engineer or *Markscheider* determined a fixed reference point from which measurements were made. The gallery was either above or below the reference point. If the gallery lay above the *Markscheider's* reference point, it had a positive "vertical height difference" (*Seigerteufe*). If the gallery lay below the reference point, it had a negative vertical height difference.[5]With the emergence of [mining engineering](/source/Mining_engineering) the upper surface of the terrain was used as the reference point, usually at the [headgear](/source/Headgear_(mining)).[2]

Today the reference surface for mining in Germany is standard sea level ([Normalhöhennull](/source/Normalh%C3%B6hennull), NHN, formerly [Normalnull](/source/Normalnull)).[4] As a result there are negative and positive heights, however, these heights are not an indication of depth. If a point is below NHN, it is give a [minus sign](/source/Minus_sign) (-); if it is above, a [plus sign](/source/Plus_sign) (+). A height based on the NHN has the symbol *H*.[2]

## References

1. Woldemar Schneider: *Taschenbuch für practische Bergleute und Bergwerksunternehmer*. Verlag von J. H. Heuser, Neuwied, 1857.

1. DIN 21913: *Bergmännisches Rißwerk*, Teil 11: *Geometrische Größen im Grubengebäude*.

1. Carl von Scheuchenstuel: *IDIOTICON der österreichischen Berg- und Hüttensprache*. k. k. Hofbuchhändler Wilhelm Braumüller, Vienna, 1856.

1. *Markscheiderbergverordnung* [Online](http://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/bundesrecht/markschbergv/gesamt.pdf) (pdf; 109 kB) (last retrieved 9 April 2015).

1. Heinrich Veith: *Deutsches Bergwörterbuch mit Belegen*. Verlag von Wilhelm Gottlieb Korn, Breslau, 1871.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Teufe](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teufe) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teufe?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.