Schmalgraf mine, Kelmis, Liège, Wallonia, Belgiumi
Regional Level Types | |
---|---|
Schmalgraf mine | Mine (Abandoned) |
Kelmis | Municipality |
Liège | Province |
Wallonia | Region |
Belgium | Country |
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Latitude & Longitude (WGS84):
50° 41' 50'' North , 5° 59' 12'' East
Latitude & Longitude (decimal):
Type:
Mine (Abandoned) - last checked 2019
Deposit first discovered:
1858
Age:
358.9 ± 0.4 to 298.9 ± 0.15 Ma
Geologic Time:
Köppen climate type:
Nearest Settlements:
Place | Population | Distance |
---|---|---|
Lontzen | 4,862 (2011) | 2.3km |
La Calamine | 10,232 (2011) | 2.9km |
Welkenraedt | 9,006 (2012) | 4.3km |
Plombières | 9,596 (2011) | 4.8km |
Wolfhaag | 125 (2017) | 6.9km |
Nearest Clubs:
Local clubs are the best way to get access to collecting localities
Local clubs are the best way to get access to collecting localities
Club | Location | Distance |
---|---|---|
Vieille Montagne Heritage | Kelmis / La Calamine, Belgium | 2km |
Mindat Locality ID:
122727
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:2:122727:0
GUID (UUID V4):
16e13640-a037-40a4-ba09-617555522f80
Other/historical names associated with this locality:
Comborn; Driesschacht; Klousterschacht; Oskarstollen
The Schmalgraf mine.
This mine was part of the “Vieille Montagne Moresnet concession” with headquarters in the management building in Kelmis/La Calamine, the current MVM Museum Vieille Montagne.
The lead-zinc deposit of Schmalgraf, the deepest Belgian metallic mine (290 m deep), was discovered in 1858 at the "Klousterschacht". It's situated at about 2,500 m SW of the Altenberg mine (La Calamine), below the dump pits of ancient working.
The exploration started in 1867, after the digging of a horizontal drainage adit (Oskarstollen) of 500 m long between the ore deposit (at a depth of 42 m) and the valley of the river Hohnbach.
From the -42 m level, the ores were transported through the Oskarstollen directly to the wash plant of the Vieille Montagne zinc factory of the Altenberg mine. This transport was done by means of a narrow-gauge train on the banks of the river Hohnbach.
The mine was closed in 1932 due to mining problems at depth and a depressed overall economic situation.
The mine had two main shafts, a transport- and a pump shaft to the -132 m level.
Additionally, there were 3 shafts side by side (260 m west from the first) for transport, pumping, and cables and 2 ventilation shafts. The first of these ventilation shafts went down to the -132 m level and the second one went all the way down to the -290 m level with a built-in ventilator at level -42 m.
Most important was the one horizontal adit at -42 m (Oskarstollen) for the evacuation of the ore.
The mine had several levels: -42 m, -92 m, -132 m, -155 m, -210 m, -255 m and -290 m.
Above ground, 30 people were occupied, 120 miners worked underground.
Total production between 1867 and 1 May 1932:
22,641 tonnes of calamine, 333,654 tonnes of schalenblende, 21,188 tonnes of galena and 29,295 tonnes of pyrite.
1903-1905: An underground connection to the Eschbroich mine (https://www.mindat.org/loc-192001.html) was excavated at -132 m.
Select Mineral List Type
Standard Detailed Gallery Strunz Chemical ElementsCommodity List
This is a list of exploitable or exploited mineral commodities recorded at this locality.Mineral List
11 valid minerals.
Rock Types Recorded
Note: data is currently VERY limited. Please bear with us while we work towards adding this information!
Select Rock List Type
Alphabetical List Tree DiagramDetailed Mineral List:
ⓘ 'Calamine' References: François Wouters collectionIdentified by François Wouters: Visual Identification |
ⓘ Calcite Formula: CaCO3 References: |
ⓘ Cerussite Formula: PbCO3 |
ⓘ Dolomite Formula: CaMg(CO3)2 References: |
ⓘ Galena Formula: PbS References: |
ⓘ Gypsum Formula: CaSO4 · 2H2O Habit: Usually as grains but sometimes typical crystals occur sticked to schalenblende.
Colour: Transparent to white Description: Some schalenblende specimes, found on the dump, have some small gypsum crystals growing on them. The most I found where on light beige schalenblende specimens and where found quite deep in the dump where the rocks where almost dry. References: |
ⓘ 'Limonite' References: |
ⓘ Marcasite Formula: FeS2 |
ⓘ Pyrite Formula: FeS2 References: |
ⓘ Quartz Formula: SiO2 References: |
ⓘ Smithsonite Formula: ZnCO3 References: |
ⓘ Sphalerite Formula: ZnS |
✪ 'Strickblende' Formula: PbS Habit: Knitted galena forms pine tree-like aggregates imbedded in schalenblende Colour: Silver grey |
ⓘ Willemite Formula: Zn2SiO4 |
Gallery:
List of minerals arranged by Strunz 10th Edition classification
Group 2 - Sulphides and Sulfosalts | |||
---|---|---|---|
ⓘ | Sphalerite | 2.CB.05a | ZnS |
ⓘ | Galena | 2.CD.10 | PbS |
ⓘ | Pyrite | 2.EB.05a | FeS2 |
ⓘ | Marcasite | 2.EB.10a | FeS2 |
Group 4 - Oxides and Hydroxides | |||
ⓘ | Quartz | 4.DA.05 | SiO2 |
Group 5 - Nitrates and Carbonates | |||
ⓘ | Calcite | 5.AB.05 | CaCO3 |
ⓘ | Smithsonite | 5.AB.05 | ZnCO3 |
ⓘ | Dolomite | 5.AB.10 | CaMg(CO3)2 |
ⓘ | Cerussite | 5.AB.15 | PbCO3 |
Group 7 - Sulphates, Chromates, Molybdates and Tungstates | |||
ⓘ | Gypsum | 7.CD.40 | CaSO4 · 2H2O |
Group 9 - Silicates | |||
ⓘ | Willemite | 9.AA.05 | Zn2SiO4 |
Unclassified | |||
ⓘ | 'Limonite' | - | |
ⓘ | 'Calamine' | - | |
ⓘ | 'Strickblende' | - | PbS |
List of minerals for each chemical element
H | Hydrogen | |
---|---|---|
H | ⓘ Gypsum | CaSO4 · 2H2O |
C | Carbon | |
C | ⓘ Calcite | CaCO3 |
C | ⓘ Cerussite | PbCO3 |
C | ⓘ Dolomite | CaMg(CO3)2 |
C | ⓘ Smithsonite | ZnCO3 |
O | Oxygen | |
O | ⓘ Calcite | CaCO3 |
O | ⓘ Cerussite | PbCO3 |
O | ⓘ Dolomite | CaMg(CO3)2 |
O | ⓘ Gypsum | CaSO4 · 2H2O |
O | ⓘ Quartz | SiO2 |
O | ⓘ Smithsonite | ZnCO3 |
O | ⓘ Willemite | Zn2SiO4 |
Mg | Magnesium | |
Mg | ⓘ Dolomite | CaMg(CO3)2 |
Si | Silicon | |
Si | ⓘ Quartz | SiO2 |
Si | ⓘ Willemite | Zn2SiO4 |
S | Sulfur | |
S | ⓘ Galena | PbS |
S | ⓘ Gypsum | CaSO4 · 2H2O |
S | ⓘ Marcasite | FeS2 |
S | ⓘ Pyrite | FeS2 |
S | ⓘ Sphalerite | ZnS |
S | ⓘ Strickblende | PbS |
Ca | Calcium | |
Ca | ⓘ Calcite | CaCO3 |
Ca | ⓘ Dolomite | CaMg(CO3)2 |
Ca | ⓘ Gypsum | CaSO4 · 2H2O |
Fe | Iron | |
Fe | ⓘ Marcasite | FeS2 |
Fe | ⓘ Pyrite | FeS2 |
Zn | Zinc | |
Zn | ⓘ Smithsonite | ZnCO3 |
Zn | ⓘ Sphalerite | ZnS |
Zn | ⓘ Willemite | Zn2SiO4 |
Pb | Lead | |
Pb | ⓘ Cerussite | PbCO3 |
Pb | ⓘ Galena | PbS |
Pb | ⓘ Strickblende | PbS |
Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality
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References
www.eifelnatur.de (2009) http://www.eifelnatur.de/Niederl%E4ndisch/Seiten/Zinkmijn%20Schmalgraf.html
www.mineralienatlas.de (2020) https://www.mineralienatlas.de/lexikon/index.php/Belgien/L%C3%BCttich%20%28Li%C3%A8ge%3B%20Luik%29%2C%20Provinz/Verviers%2C%20Bezirk/Plombi%C3%A8res-Vieille%20Montagne%20%28Plombi%C3%A8res-Altenberg%29%2C%20Distrikt/Kelmis%20%28La%20Calamine%29/Moresnet/Grube%20Schmalgraf
Schmalgraf mine, Kelmis, Liège, Wallonia, Belgium