Coal mine Saint Louis.
Spoil tip at Ronchamp colored red from subterranean combustion

The Ronchamp Coal Mines were an area of coal mines located in the Vosges and Jura coal mining basins, in eastern France. They covered three municipalities; Ronchamp, Champagney and Magny-Danigon. Operated for more than two centuries, from the mid-eighteenth century until the mid-twentieth century, they have profoundly changed the landscape, the economy and the local population.

Mining began in Ronchamp in the mid-18th century and had developed into a large industry by the late 19th century, employing 1500 people.

Extraction started in adit before being dug at coal mine Saint Louis in 1810, introducing the first real extraction mine-shaft. The shaft seams sunk more and more, and became deeper until the well, owned by (Civil Society coal Ronchamp), eventually became the deepest mine in France beating the coal mine du Magny (694 meters) in 1878 and the coal mine Arthur de Buyer (1010 meters) in 1900. After the nationalisation of mines in 1946, the shaft and the thermal power station was entrusted to Electricité de France.

After closing in 1958, the mining sites and infrastructures were demolished and workers had to convert to other professions. Later, a museum and two associations were created to preserve the memory of the mining heritage and several sites were redeveloped to become tourist attractions.

The museum looks back at the miner's work, their techniques, tools they used and their social life. A collection of miners lamps are also on display.[1][2]

Geography

Ronchamp coal mines is located in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté
Ronchamp coal mines
Location of Ronchamp, in the east of the department of Haute-Saône in the region of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté.

Situation

The zone exploited and influenced by the coal mines corresponds to the Ronchamp and Champagney mining basin which is at the heart of the Vosges and Jura coal mining basins, on the eastern part of the French department of the Haute-Saône, in the northern part of the French region of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, close to Alsace and the industries of Mulhouse. The coal mines are then an essential source of energy for both regions. The Alsatian catchment area is between the towns of Mulhouse, Thann and Cernay.[3]

The concession of Ronchamp, Champagney and Éboulet, where the mines are exploited, has 4503 hectares and includes the communes of Ronchamp, Champagney, Magny-Danigon, Clairegoutte, Andornay, Palante and La Côte (only the first three have coal mines). It is surrounded by the Mourière concession to the northwest, the Saint-Germain concession to the west and the Lomont concession to the south but also by other exploratory mines to the east.

History

Beginning

Coal deposits were discovered in Ronchamp in the mid-18th century. Mining activity was a complementary resource for a population whose main occupation was agriculture. In 1744, two exploration galleries and various surface excavations were dug, but these works were unofficial.[2] In 1749, the lord of Gensanne, owner of mines in Plancher-les-Mines and several mines in Alsace, sent a piece of coal to a laboratory in Besançon for analysis.[2] It was in 1751 that several applicants for exploitation came forward. Among them, two local industrialists: the lord of Gensanne and François Guy, owner of a large forge in Magny-Vernois. In the end, none of them obtained a concession.[4]

Two concessions were finally granted in 1757,[2][5] the concession of the lords of Ronchamp in Ronchamp, granted on September 11, 1757, and the concession of the prince-abbots of Lure in Champagney, granted on April 21, 1757.

The decree of September 24, 1768 granted the barons of Ronchamp and associates the exclusive exploitation, for a period of about thirty years, of all the coal mines that are located within the extent of the barony of Ronchamp. The two concessions became one, and they were operated at common expense by the two concessionaires, who requested a single concession. This was granted by the decree of March 1, 1763.[2]

Mine list

DiggingNameDepthActivityFunctionOther functions
1810Coal mine Saint-Louis135 m1823 – 1842Extraction
1815Coal mine Henri IV61 m1816 – 1835Extraction
1822Coal mine Samson19 m1824Extraction
1825Coal mine #1164 m1827 – 1833Extraction
1825Coal mine #2156 m1828 – 1833Extraction
1825Coal mine #338 m1826 – 1829Extraction
1829Coal mine #445 m1830 – 1841Extraction
1830Coal mine #574 m1832Research
1832Coal mine #666 m1834 – 1836ExtractionVentilation 1839-1850
1839Coal mine #7205 m1843 – 1849ExtractionVentilation 1849-1872
1845Coal mine Saint Charles / #8315 m1847 – 1895Extraction
1850Coal mine Saint Joseph453 m1855 – 1895Extraction
1851Coal mine Notre Dame d'Éboulet564 m1859 – 1896ExtractionDrainage 1896-1958
1854Coal mine Saint Jean51 m1856Research
1854Coal mine Sainte Barbe324 m1860 – 1872ExtractionVentilation of coal mine Sainte-Pauline
1854Coal mine Sainte Pauline546 m1861 – 1884Extraction
1855Coal mine de l'Espérance103 m1858Extraction
1864Coal mine Sainte Marie359 m1866 – 1869ExtractionVentilation 1869-1958
1866Coal mine Saint Georges470 m1870 – 1873Extraction
1873Coal mine du Magny694 m1878 – 1958ExtractionService 1916-1928
1873Coal mine du Chanois588 m1900 – 1951Extraction
1883Coal mine du Tonnet / #9574 m1886 – 1888Extraction
1884Coal mine #10247 m1886 – 1896Ventilation
1892Coal mine Arthur de Buyer / #111 010 m1900 – 1954Extraction
1949Coal mine de l'Étançon / #13 bis44 m1950 – 1958Extraction

Picture

References

  1. ↑ "Ronchamp et son association les amis du musée de la mine de Ronchamp". Les Amis du Musée de la Mine. Retrieved 2023-10-22.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "Le bassin houiller de Ronchamp" [Ronchamp Coal Basin]. Les Amis du Musée de la Mine. Retrieved 2023-10-22.
  3. ↑ Godard 2012, pp. 6–7.
  4. ↑ Parietti, Jean-Jacques (2002). Les houillères de Ronchamp. Vesoul: Éd. comtoises. p. 87. ISBN 978-2-914425-08-7.
  5. ↑ Trautmann, E. Auteur du texte (1885–1886). Bassin houiller de Ronchamp / par E. Trautmann,... ; Ministère des Travaux publics, Service des topographies souterraines.

Sources

See also

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