Unit 3: Mineral resources and mining in Germany

Teaching aim: Focus on the economic importance of mineral resources in Germany, particularly on coal deposits. Special emphasis is given to the structural changes and problems of the mining sector. By using the example of the Niederlausitz mining area special problems due to German reunification are being discussed. Keywords: Mineral resources, mineral deposits, raw materials, mining, structural changes, recultivation, resettlement, energie sector, steel and coal crisis, industrialization

Mineral resources are natural accumulations of useable raw materials, which are located in the earth crust in deposits [1] above or under ground. As a source material they are mined if they are of economic interest. The prospecting and mining of raw materials from deposits are the duty of the mining businesses. Part of that is the processing of certain raw materials like coal, ore, oil, gas, salt, rock and sand. The mining above ground deposits takes place in opencast mining [2], whereas under ground deposits are exploited in underground mining [3].

The economic importance of the German mining [4] industry has declined due to the fact that Germany is now a tertiary society. Since Germany is provided with just a few mineral resources such as lignite [5] and coal [6], rock salt and potash, it depends heavily on imports of raw materials.

The biggest coal deposits in Germany are in the Rheinisches Revier [7], Lausitzer Revier and the Mitteldeutsches Revier. Despite the declining quantity of mining, Germany is by far the biggest producer of lignite (1994: 21,7 % of world production). Since lignite is the youngest variety of all coals (built in the tertiary period) and thus closer to the surface [8], it is mined in opencast mining. The thickness of the lignite seams makes it possible to use large scale equipment and to work in large areas above the ground. Lignite is used basically for power production. High value products like briquettes and minor products like tar are loosing importance.

Contrary to lignite, hard coal is in older layers (built in the jurassic, triassic, permic and carbonic period) and therefore found in underground deposits.The biggest deposits can be found in the Ruhrrevier [9] and the Saarrevier [10]. Due to the higher level of elementary coal, hard coal is more efficient than lignite. For that reason, it is not only used for power production, but also in the steel industry [11]. Another contrast is that hard coal mining is subsidized by the German government (1995: 10 bill. DM), whereas lignite mining is not [12].

The mining of other primary energy resources like Oil [13], Natural Gas [14] and Uranium is mostly unimportant. Oil and Natural Gas are mined in the Lowlands of North Germany, the Upper Rhine Valley and the foothills of the Alpes. Although Uranium is found in trace quantities, deposits in the Black Forest, the Ore Mountains and Northern Bavaria are not being mined.

Economically important salt deposits [15] of potash [16] are used for the production of fertilizers. In deposits in Hesse, Thuringia, Saxony-Anhalt and Lower Saxony mining takes place as deep as 1000m . These salt deposits were formed in the Zechsteinphase. Rock-salt [17] is mined in lime stone areas (Muschelkalk) and is a base for the food salt production and the chemical industry. Closed saltmines are sometimes used for the deposit of radioactive waste, e.g. Morsleben [18].

The mining industry has been viewed as creating spatial, social, cultural, economic and ecological conflicts. One of the most serious charges is changing "the face of the environment". Due to this, recultivation [19] of these areas after mines have been closed is an obvious necessity. Another problem is the resettlement [20] of villages when their ground is needed for new mines.

The special problems in mining will be shown on the example of the Niederlausitz [21]. Here, the second largest lignite deposit in Central Europe is located (following the Niederrheinische Bucht), in which only the two highest lignite layers of all five different seams are mined.

The period of intensive mining and industrial processing began after 1870. Since the beginning of the 20^th century a great part was used for power production (1^st lignite power plant 1911 in Hirschberg). The use of lignite gained importance when the Niederlausitz became the former GDR's primary centre of the energy sector.

For example, Jänschwalde [22] and Boxberg emerged as Europe’s biggest lignite power plants. Two of the biggest coke plants where built in the Niederlausitz (Lauchhammer and Schwarze Pumpe), which produced coal gas by using the "Lignite – Hightemperature – Procedure". The Gaskombinat Schwarze Pumpe generated two thirds of the whole coal gas production of the GDR. Other products were coke, briquette ("Rekord") as well as phenol and tar for the chemical industry.

As a follow-up industry to opencast mining the mechanical industry emerged in Lauchhammer. Lauchhammer company provided the opencast mining equipment for the whole mining industry of the Niederlausitz. Additionally, the foundry of the company produced all of the bath tubs for the GDR. The town of Weisswasser and its surrounding area became an important location for the glass industry [23] due to the fact that the Niederlausitz has high valuable quartz sand.

After the reunification of Germany in 1990, the production of the mining industries in the Niederlausitz declined seriously (1996: -67% compared to 1989), because either opencast mines were closed or dropped their production level. As a consequence of the transformation process from an old monostructured industrial region to a diversified economy, companies such as the Senftenberger Braunkohlekombinat as well as the founding of the Lausitzer Braunkohle AG (LAUBAG [24]) were privatised. This resulted in a decrease of the number of employees in the Niederlausitz (1989: 79.016; 1996: 13.883).

Recultivation [25] and reclamation schemes [26] have tried to offer some alternatives, especially in tourism and recreation. Problems in recultivation occurred due to minor ground grade that makes reforesting difficult.

By using the example of mining, problems that occur in that region, can be shown. Moving the opencast mining areas or tapping new areas causes substantial changes of the environment. Even whole villages have to be resettled (e.g. Horno [27], a village of 370 inhabitants).

With 27% of the German power production [28], lignite is a stable and cheap part of the energy mix. Until recently, investments in high-tech mining techniques were primarily important. For the future, the reduction of CO2 – Emissions (Climate Convention of Berlin 1995) will be the focal point. This opens up the question of lignite and its future [29] in the energy economy.

(Acknowledgement: Special thanks are extended towards Angelle Gonzàles-Heldmaier for her help in translating this text)

Questions that may be asked: Describe the conflicts caused by mining industries. What happened to employment and the level of production after the reunification of Germany? Which difficulties are there between natural resources deposits and the amount of resources being mined? Write an article about mining and the environment. What would you focus on? Discuss the possibilities of development in former mining areas. Consider the conflicts between environmental protection and tourism. Interactive Quiz