Roter Bär Pit
Encyclopedia
The Roter Bär Pit in Sankt Andreasberg
in the Upper Harz
is an iron ore mine that was worked from about 1800 until the 1860s. Today it is operated as a show mine under the name of Roter Bär Pit Educational Mine by the Sankt Andreasberg Society for History and Archaeology (Sankt Andreasberger Verein für Geschichte und Altertumskunde). The name Roter Bär means "Red Bear".
In line with historical practice the funds required to restore the historic mine were raised through the formation of a mining trades union and issue of share certificates.
The mining of brown iron ore
, which occurs here as lens-shaped inclusions in a Middle Devonian shale-limestone series, began around 1800 and ended in the mid-1860s. The pit, which was operated by private individuals (Eigenlehnern), produced about 50-60 tons of ironstone annually with a workforce of just 4-6 men. The very soft, often clayey, ore
was won using picks (Keilhauen) without the need for drilling and blasting. Simple hand picking enabled it to be enriched by up to 35-40% Fe
content. Its only customer was the Hanoverian state's Königshütte smelting works in Lauterberg (founded 1733).
Despite only moderate levels of iron content, this ore was in great demand because of its good smelting
properties and high proportion of manganese. Blended with red iron ore from the Sieber valley
enabled good wrought iron and cable iron (Seileisen) to be produced. During this period a network of relatively shallow pits with a total length of more than 1,000 metres were dug. Today these pits have largely been filled in or collapsed and are only accessible in a few places.
With the transfer of Hanover to Prussia (in 1866) and the introduction of charcoal blast furnace
s at the Königshütte smelter (in 1871) the ore from the Roter Bär no longer had a market. The mine was abandoned and fell into ruins.
10 years after the establishment of silver mining at St. Andreasberg (the Samson Pit
, in 1910), the old mine was worked again by the firm of Ilseder Hütte based at Groß-Bülten near Peine
as part of a national exploration programme. Although the unworkability of the collapsed and practically exhausted deposit
rapidly became clear, the search for as yet still undiscovered lodes of metal continued until 1923.
For about 10 years trial digs were driven northwards and northeast into the mountain, work that employed up to 42 miners. Prospecting was not only carried out at the level of the surface galleries, but also at a depth of 170 m at the face
of the Sieber gallery, (the drainage gallery of the St. Andreasberg mining field). From the Wennsglückter lode
from where the tunnel was long enough, the 700 m long Bär cross passage was built running northwards. Despite the driving of trial pits with a total length of about 4 km it did not prove economical to recoverable the ore reserves. The weak and relatively low metal-poor lodes (Hermannsglücker, Wilhelmsglücker and Ernst lodes) that were discovered turned out at least to be mineralogically very interesting. Highlights include the arsenide nickel
-cobalt
ores, and a complex composition of selenide mineralizations.
, saved the lives of many people who fled here during the fighting in April 1945.
From 1947-1949 there were again unsuccessful attempts to mine the remaining clay minerals in eastern field of the mine. In the early 1950s when the historical society devoted itself to the creation of a mining museum on the Samson Pit, the then owner of the mining field, Berging. Dr. Ernst Bock took over the gallery and used it occasionally as an educational mine for the Clausthal Mining Academy
. Later the site fell into decay. In 1988 the surface gallery was opened by the mining working group again, and made partially accessible to visitors.
The pit is not just used as a visitor mine, however; it is also to supply drinking water and, during the winter, acts as sheltered haven for bats
. In addition, work is underway to carry out further research and to preserve and protect the old mine workings. Great importance is attached to ensuring they are preserved as far as possible in their original state.
Sankt Andreasberg
Sankt Andreasberg is a town and a former municipality in the district of Goslar, in Lower Saxony, Germany. Since 1 November 2011, it is part of the town Braunlage. It is situated in the Harz, approximately 7 km west of Braunlage proper, and 20 km east of Osterode am Harz.- History :Sankt...
in the Upper Harz
Upper Harz
The Upper Harz refers to the western and higher part of the Harz mountain range in central Germany. Much of the Upper Harz is over , but at its eastern edge in the High Harz it climbs to over on the Brocken massif.- Geography :...
is an iron ore mine that was worked from about 1800 until the 1860s. Today it is operated as a show mine under the name of Roter Bär Pit Educational Mine by the Sankt Andreasberg Society for History and Archaeology (Sankt Andreasberger Verein für Geschichte und Altertumskunde). The name Roter Bär means "Red Bear".
In line with historical practice the funds required to restore the historic mine were raised through the formation of a mining trades union and issue of share certificates.
History
The former iron ore mine situated in the Bären valley at the foot of the Knöchel, east of Sankt Andreasberg forms the heart of the educational Roter Bär Pit today.The mining of brown iron ore
Limonite
Limonite is an ore consisting in a mixture of hydrated iron oxide-hydroxide of varying composition. The generic formula is frequently written as FeO·nH2O, although this is not entirely accurate as limonite often contains a varying amount of oxide compared to hydroxide.Together with hematite, it has...
, which occurs here as lens-shaped inclusions in a Middle Devonian shale-limestone series, began around 1800 and ended in the mid-1860s. The pit, which was operated by private individuals (Eigenlehnern), produced about 50-60 tons of ironstone annually with a workforce of just 4-6 men. The very soft, often clayey, ore
Ore
An ore is a type of rock that contains minerals with important elements including metals. The ores are extracted through mining; these are then refined to extract the valuable element....
was won using picks (Keilhauen) without the need for drilling and blasting. Simple hand picking enabled it to be enriched by up to 35-40% Fe
Iron
Iron is a chemical element with the symbol Fe and atomic number 26. It is a metal in the first transition series. It is the most common element forming the planet Earth as a whole, forming much of Earth's outer and inner core. It is the fourth most common element in the Earth's crust...
content. Its only customer was the Hanoverian state's Königshütte smelting works in Lauterberg (founded 1733).
Despite only moderate levels of iron content, this ore was in great demand because of its good smelting
Smelting
Smelting is a form of extractive metallurgy; its main use is to produce a metal from its ore. This includes iron extraction from iron ore, and copper extraction and other base metals from their ores...
properties and high proportion of manganese. Blended with red iron ore from the Sieber valley
Sieber (river)
The Sieber is a 35 km long, right hand tributary of the Oder in the Harz mountains of Germany.It rises at 760 m on the Bruchberg massif and flows through Herzberg before discharging at Hattorf into the Oder which, in turn, flows into the Rhume...
enabled good wrought iron and cable iron (Seileisen) to be produced. During this period a network of relatively shallow pits with a total length of more than 1,000 metres were dug. Today these pits have largely been filled in or collapsed and are only accessible in a few places.
With the transfer of Hanover to Prussia (in 1866) and the introduction of charcoal blast furnace
Blast furnace
A blast furnace is a type of metallurgical furnace used for smelting to produce industrial metals, generally iron.In a blast furnace, fuel and ore and flux are continuously supplied through the top of the furnace, while air is blown into the bottom of the chamber, so that the chemical reactions...
s at the Königshütte smelter (in 1871) the ore from the Roter Bär no longer had a market. The mine was abandoned and fell into ruins.
10 years after the establishment of silver mining at St. Andreasberg (the Samson Pit
Samson Pit
The Samson Pit or Samson Mine is an historic silver mine in Sankt Andreasberg in the Upper Harz region of central Germany.The pit has one of the oldest man engines in the world still working and it can be seen in operation during guided tours. The man engine, installed in the Samson Pit in 1837,...
, in 1910), the old mine was worked again by the firm of Ilseder Hütte based at Groß-Bülten near Peine
Peine
Peine is a town in Lower Saxony, Germany, capital of the district Peine. It is situated on the river Fuhse and the Mittellandkanal, approx. 25 km west of Braunschweig, and 40 km east of Hanover.- History :...
as part of a national exploration programme. Although the unworkability of the collapsed and practically exhausted deposit
Deposit
Deposit may refer to:*Deposit , New York*Deposit , New York*Deposit account, a bank account that allows money to be deposited and withdrawn by the account holder**Demand deposit, the funds held in demand deposit accounts in commercial banks...
rapidly became clear, the search for as yet still undiscovered lodes of metal continued until 1923.
For about 10 years trial digs were driven northwards and northeast into the mountain, work that employed up to 42 miners. Prospecting was not only carried out at the level of the surface galleries, but also at a depth of 170 m at the face
Face (mining)
In mining, the face is the surface where the mining work is advancing. In surface mining it is commonly called pit face, in underground mining a common term is mine face....
of the Sieber gallery, (the drainage gallery of the St. Andreasberg mining field). From the Wennsglückter lode
Vein (geology)
In geology, a vein is a distinct sheetlike body of crystallized minerals within a rock. Veins form when mineral constituents carried by an aqueous solution within the rock mass are deposited through precipitation...
from where the tunnel was long enough, the 700 m long Bär cross passage was built running northwards. Despite the driving of trial pits with a total length of about 4 km it did not prove economical to recoverable the ore reserves. The weak and relatively low metal-poor lodes (Hermannsglücker, Wilhelmsglücker and Ernst lodes) that were discovered turned out at least to be mineralogically very interesting. Highlights include the arsenide nickel
Nickel
Nickel is a chemical element with the chemical symbol Ni and atomic number 28. It is a silvery-white lustrous metal with a slight golden tinge. Nickel belongs to the transition metals and is hard and ductile...
-cobalt
Cobalt
Cobalt is a chemical element with symbol Co and atomic number 27. It is found naturally only in chemically combined form. The free element, produced by reductive smelting, is a hard, lustrous, silver-gray metal....
ores, and a complex composition of selenide mineralizations.
Visitor mine
In 1931 the newly-founded Sankt Andreasberg Society for History and Archaeology took the pit over and established the first visitor mine in the Harz. After 10 years guided tours came to a standstill due to the Second World War. The site, which now acted as an air-raid shelterAir-raid shelter
Air-raid shelters, also known as bomb shelters, are structures for the protection of the civil population as well as military personnel against enemy attacks from the air...
, saved the lives of many people who fled here during the fighting in April 1945.
From 1947-1949 there were again unsuccessful attempts to mine the remaining clay minerals in eastern field of the mine. In the early 1950s when the historical society devoted itself to the creation of a mining museum on the Samson Pit, the then owner of the mining field, Berging. Dr. Ernst Bock took over the gallery and used it occasionally as an educational mine for the Clausthal Mining Academy
Clausthal University of Technology
The Clausthal University of Technology is an institute of technology in Clausthal-Zellerfeld, Lower Saxony, Germany...
. Later the site fell into decay. In 1988 the surface gallery was opened by the mining working group again, and made partially accessible to visitors.
The pit is not just used as a visitor mine, however; it is also to supply drinking water and, during the winter, acts as sheltered haven for bats
Bats
A bat is a flying mammal in the Chiroptera order.Bats may also refer to:-Films:*Bats , starring Lou Diamond Phillips and Bob Gunton*Bats: Human Harvest -Groups:...
. In addition, work is underway to carry out further research and to preserve and protect the old mine workings. Great importance is attached to ensuring they are preserved as far as possible in their original state.
Sponsor
- Mining Working Group (Arbeitsgruppe Bergbau),
Sankt Andreasberg Society for History and Archaeology (St. Andreasberger Verein für Geschichte und Altertumskunde e. V.), founded in 1931