Pit oath
The Eid mine is a disused ore mine in the Külzbachtal between Alterkülz and Neuerkirch in the Hunsrück .
description
The pit consisted of two main tunnels , one in the Külzbachtal, the other in the adjacent Osterkülztal. The Louisengang had a height of 100 cm, the Mariengang a height of only 60 cm. The mineral veins consisted of milky white quartz with spate iron stone and zinc blende , galena , copper and sulfur pyrites . Funding was carried out to a depth of 35 meters.
The processing plant for the ores was located at the mouth of the Osterkülzbach in the Külzbach. An artificial mill ditch flowed between the Eid pit and the processing plant, and a rail connection was planned.
All that is visible today are the filled-in tunnel entrances , the mighty mill ditch, the spoil heaps of the processing plant and the septic tanks that are now used as fish ponds.
history
It is assumed that ore was mined in the Külzbachtal as early as Roman times. The Eid mine received a prospecting permit in 1870 and was in operation with interruptions until 1907. A concession relates to the mining of silver, copper, lead and zinc; the mine processing plant is still popularly known today as the silver smelter.
The mine yield was obviously permanently on the verge of profitability, an indication of this was a frequent change of ownership.
- In 1789 the union "Gute Hoffnungsgrube" can be found in the records
- In 1794, with the French invasion, mining comes to a standstill
- 1847 Stoclet & Leclaire union applies for mining rights
- 1848 Concession to mine silver, copper, lead and zinc
- In 1852 operations are suspended
- 1853 Resumption of mining
- 1860/1861 bankruptcy and foreclosure sale
- 1863 New owner: Baron von Zeppenfeld
- 1905 Bergdirektor Honigmann a. D. from Boppard leases the mine
Historical sources repeatedly report business interruptions and arbitrary layoffs.
Shutdown
In March 1908 a shaft collapsed and subsidence occurred above ground . The operation was closed because the owners did not want to make any maintenance investments. In addition, in the years before there were considerable environmental problems due to water pollution from the treatment process, the villages down the valley could no longer use the stream water as drinking water for people and cattle, washing water and for irrigation. Today the pit is said to be still owned by Stolberger Bergbau AG.
literature
- German Mining Museum Bochum
- Gustav Schellack, Willi Wagner: Neuerkirch a village in the Hunsrück - past and present. Series of publications by the Hunsrück History Association No. 17, Neuerkirch 1986
