3 Surface mining Garzweiler, Germany
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microlinux
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Sky Wombat
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Rohn
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The scale of these mines, there are several of them, is absolutely mind-blowing. And they keep expanding. They excavate down to the level of the lignite. As the excavation progresses, it keeps moving forward swallowing entire towns. The earth gets back-filled, partiallly re-filling the hole as the mining progresses.
Here's a time-lapse satellite view showing the progression from 1984-2016. Garzweiler, the mine shown in @hansenn's awesome video, is at the north, top of the screen. Note the way, as it cosumes villages in its path, it does eventually get back-filled and restored to farmland.
The MUCH larger Etzweiler pit mine to the south, bottom centre of the screen, is rapidly approaching the city of Kerpen, where Michael Schumacher grew up and his family's go-kart track still exists.
Here's a sobering video from six years ago documenting the destruction of several towns as they're devoured by the steady progression of only the Garzweiler mine.
My video from ten years ago when we visited the Garzweiler mine.
Here's a time-lapse satellite view showing the progression from 1984-2016. Garzweiler, the mine shown in @hansenn's awesome video, is at the north, top of the screen. Note the way, as it cosumes villages in its path, it does eventually get back-filled and restored to farmland.
The MUCH larger Etzweiler pit mine to the south, bottom centre of the screen, is rapidly approaching the city of Kerpen, where Michael Schumacher grew up and his family's go-kart track still exists.
Here's a sobering video from six years ago documenting the destruction of several towns as they're devoured by the steady progression of only the Garzweiler mine.
My video from ten years ago when we visited the Garzweiler mine.
Nice, that extra information. A few years ago, I was there once, also at that Skywalk. But I couldn't find this place anymore. The viewpoints are also disappearing as the mine progresses.
It seems that in a few years they will start filling the mines with Rhine water. A huge project that will take at least 40 years.
Rhine water pipeline: Dorsch Global
Lignite mining in the Rhenish lignite mining area will come to an end in the next few years. Once recultivation is complete, water from the Rhine will be used
www.dorsch.com
It is located here: N51.046170 E6.464260
maps.app.goo.gl/t38tAauAuFiDURxK6
That's interesting. On the same trip ten years ago, we visited relatives just south-east of Kerpen who had been battling the government for many years over damage done to their castle, caused by foundation settling issues due to the lowering of the region's groundwater table. The pumping required to keep those open pit mines drained of water affected the level of the water table over a huge region. The plan to make lakes out of the enormous remaining holes will surely have further far-reaching consequences.
Ah, of course. That's the northern mine. I visited the two southern mines last weekend, between Cologne and Aachen. Hambach and Inden. Then actually the title of my video is not correct either.
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