By Belgian standards, this Charbonnage du Forte Taille was a rather modest coal mine, which was also operated for a relatively short period. Coal had been mined in this region since 1755. The Franco-Belgian company that operated the mine was founded in 1865. Mining in this mine took place in countless galleries, which were dug at relatively shallow depths. Coal was brought to the surface from 1875 to 1935.
In 1920, twelve miners died as a result of a gas explosion at the bottom of the mine. From this moment on, the mine's activity also began to decline, until in 1929 only a single shaft was still extracting coal. Finally, the mine closed permanently in 1935. At the beginning of the 21st century, the headframes were demolished, and only the old buildings remained.
Today, after nearly 85 years of vacancy, they are in particularly poor condition. Over the past few years, the regional government has taken the necessary steps to remediate the site, which is suffering from severe contamination. The works will begin shortly…
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