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The Druidensteig trail runs between Friedewald and the Elkenrother Weiher pond across wide fields. This is one of the most important bird sanctuaries in the Westerwald.Large quantities of lignite, which was also mined on a large scale in the Westerwald, are still stored beneath the earth's surface here.
Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)
The origin of lignite in the Westerwald
The lignite deposits in the Westerwald have their origins in the Tertiary period. During high groundwater levels, extensive swamp areas developed in the area of the High Westerwald, which at that time was only just above sea level.Up to three seams or seam groups, separated by clay, sand and volcanic ash, formed one after the other on sinking ground. A little later, basaltic lavas intruded between the seams or overlaid them.
Soft and hard lignite can be found in the Westerwald. The former is only slightly carbonised due to its young geological age and has a soft, fibrous and peat-like consistency (‘bog coal’). Due to its very high water content (up to around 50 %), its calorific value is very low.
Hard lignite occurred wherever the seams were overlaid or penetrated by basalt or lay deeper. The geothermal influence of the basalt considerably accelerated the coalification, so that it has an unusually low water content of around 30 to 35 % for its young geological age. It is oak-like (lignitic) and sometimes so hard that it had to be blasted during extraction. In contrast to soft lignite, it could be transported and processed in lump form.
The Westerwald lignite mining areaThe deposits of the Westerwald lignite district have been known since the 16th century. Pieces of lignite were found coming to light on mountain slopes, in rivers and streams or in quarries and were called ‘underground wood’ or ‘charcoal’ because of their woody structure.The coal initially remained unutilised. It was not until the 17th century that Prince Johann Ludwig von Nassau-Hadamar attempted mining near Höhn, but this was quickly abandoned due to the poor quality of the coal, among other things.Even in the 18th century - despite the increasing demand for fuel for the ironworks - there were few opportunities to utilise the lignite from the Westerwald. The low-quality coal was mainly used by the rural population for heating.
At the beginning of the 19th century, wood and hard coal became increasingly scarce and expensive as fuel, so that lignite gained in importance as an alternative. Its calorific value could be increased through refining processes (charring in kilns, similar to charcoal). This meant that it could also be used by companies that required a higher calorific value, such as forges, locksmiths and even ironworks in some cases.As demand increased, so did the price and by the middle of the 19th century there were already 22 mines producing 50,000 tonnes of coal a year.Gradually, the uneconomical mines were closed and the remaining mines merged. The number of employees and production continued to rise. The shortage of hard coal as a result of mass strikes in the Ruhr in the late 19th century and the construction of the Westerwald transverse railway in 1906 improved sales opportunities and transport routes.
Competitiveness was lackingIn 1914, Elektrizitätswerk Westerwald AG (EWAG) opened a power station next to the Alexandria mine (Höhn), which soon became the main consumer of Westerwald lignite, as well as a steam brickworks. But despite all the improvements and the short-term upswing during the First World War, the Westerwald lignite district was unable to hold its own against the hard coal districts of the Ruhr or the nearby Rhenish lignite district.
Underground mining was too costly. Almost all mines were closed until only four active lignite mines remained in 1940. The Second World War ultimately led to the complete cessation of mining for a time.
With the economic miracle after the end of the war, the demand for lignite increased again and mining was temporarily stepped up again. In some cases, there was even wild coal mining. Attempts were also made to extract the lignite in open-cast mines using large-scale equipment.However, the Neuhaus II mine on the Bacher Lay near Bad Marienberg, which was started at the beginning of 1951, ceased operations after just a few months due to its inefficiency.
From 1954, the last mine in the Westerwald lignite mining area to remain in operation was the Alexandria mine with its connected power station.In 1959, it was decided to shut down the power station in Höhn. This meant that the main customer for the coal was lost and the end of mining was in sight.Operations ceased in the spring of 1961. A total of 10 to 12 million tonnes of lignite were mined in the Westerwald lignite mining area.
Today, only a few remnants of lignite mining remain, including spoil tips and pits in the area, some buildings and parts of winding frames, which have been preserved as monuments.
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