The Romanian salt mines are located between low altitude hills, of 500-700 m, in an gentle continental climate, having the main climatic parameters less pronounced that we find in the fields and mountain regions, with a relaxing bio-climate, tranquilizer-apathetic, sparing, with a great number of thermal comfort average days. As a consequence of salt mining activities huge cavities were created, which by shape and aspect are representing real points of touristic attraction and a new kind of services was linked with the valorisation of these cavities in the rock salt massifs, representing real “saline palaces”. Considering the admission of the saline treatment efficiency, mostly in pulmonary diseases, the development of speleo-therapy in Romania is presently in continuous development. If, initially, the saline micro-climate did not exceeded the volume of a surgery room, resorting to speleo-therapy procedures the characteristic eco-system elements are increased, the micro-organisms concentration grows and the micro-flora is modified. It should be noted that in the old mining rooms the micro-climate parameters are having peculiar values, such as 12ºC temperature, about 50% of air humidity and an atmosphere charged with saline aerosols, with recognized therapeutical effects on human body’s health. The above-mentionned properties lead to setting-up in time in some abandonned exploitation rooms, located in stable areas of the mining field, of zones dedicated to various purposes: such as: touristic tracks; medical treatment facilities, especially for lung diseases; professional athletes training facilities; halidoms; museums; etc. The paper presents views from several Romanian salt mines, whose underground spaces, resulted after salt mining activities, are having presently touristic or medical purposes, such as: Salina Slănic Prahova, Salina Praid, Salina Ocna Dej.

mine; salt; tourism; medical

Presentation: oral