Black Darling

It was by an initiative of the Société des Houillères de Sarre et Moselle that the coking plant Black Darling (fake name), initially named coking plant of the shaft 6, has been created in 1910. It was the first coking plant in Lorraine. It has been an operation unit of the Houillères du Bassin de Lorraine (Groupe Charbonnages de France) from 1946 to march 31st, 2004. Since april 1st, 2004, the coking plant belonged to ROGESA (Roheisengesellschaft Saar mbH), a common agency of the saarland's iron industrials Dillinger Hütte and Saarstahl AG.

The coking plant had two coking oven units (86 ovens and 90 ovens) with a capacity of 900 000 tons of coke by year. It has been definitvely closed on october 15th, 2009 because no asset stripper could be found. 400 workers have lost their job.

Die Kohlenwäsche

In 1856 the coal mining at a small village in France started with a concession Monsieur Charles de Wendel and James Georges Tom Hainguerlot obtained. The mine was opened, what is now Wendel 2 was sunk 1862, in 1866 the pit of Wendel 1 was started. It was mined for more than 100 years until it was closed in 1988.

Bureau Central

The bureau central was build in the year 1892 by Humbert de Wendel and enlarged in the year 1926 to face the development of the company. This huge building has probably been abandoned in 1986 due to a fusion between two important companies in the iron industry in France.

Coal Mine in Germany

This coal mine was one of the major coal mines in the Saarland in Germany. It was first exploited by Saarbergwerke AG and later by Ruhrkohle AG (RAG). The coal extraction started 400 years ago and was first documented in the "Quierschieder Jahrgding" in 1446. This mine has been closed in the year 2000 and has the highest shaft of Germany. I has been declared the symbol of the failure of governemental coal politics. The latest and highest shaft (IV) has only been used during the last 6 years. The highest extraction level was reached with 1.050 Tons of coal per hour and this is equivalent to 2,5 million tons in a year.

This mine is being reconverted to a museum. As long as the reconvertion is not finished I will not disclose the name of the mine.

Coal Mine Beeringen

The first piece of coal was extracted in the year 1901 from the underground of Kempen. In fact, seven coal mines were established in Kempen: Winterslag, Beringen, Eisden, Waterschei, Zwartberg, Zolder and Houthalen. They largely contributed to the industrial rise of the Limbourg area. But in the late 1950s, coal was competed by other more competitive energy sources. The last mining cart ascended the pits of Beringen October 18, 1989.

STUL Herserange

STUL Profil ARBED Herserange

Torpedo Bridge in Esch-sur-Alzette

This bridge related two ARBED entities. The torbedo brought the melted iron from ARBED Schifflange to the steel converters in Belval over this bridge.