The Eger Graben is part of the European Cenozoic Rift System and was created geologically on the same principle as the Rhine Rift Valley. It was formed by the almost complete erosion of the Variscan Mountains and sits on a fault-block caused by the horizontal pressure of the African continental plate. This block dropped, however, in contrast to the surrounding area. The Ore Mountains are fault-block mountains which rise very gently in Germany, but drop very steeply into the Eger Graben. The trench thus follows the main fault line of the Ore Mountains. Researchers believe that a new volcano is in the process of forming and hope to be able to drill holes in the area to better study what they believe is an awakening volcano.