France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

Haute-Saône Haute-Saône (; Frainc-Comtou: ''Hâte-Saône''; English: Upper Saône) is a department in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region of northeastern France. Named after the river Saône, it had a population of 235,313 in 2019.

Doubs Doubs (, ; ; ) is a department in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region in Eastern France. Named after the river Doubs, it had a population of 543,974 in 2019.Bureau of Geological and Geophysical Research (BRGG). These periods were interspersed with several attempts at revival. In the 1830s, the mine was subject to significant stock market speculation. The

Gémonval Gémonval () is a commune in the Doubs department in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region in eastern France. Coal mines were operated in the village between 1826 and 1944. 2015-02 Puits Elisabeth 01.jpg, Mine shaft of Elisabeth. 2015-04 - Puit ...

keuper coal was used primarily for fueling boilers for concentrating

brine Brine (or briny water) is a high-concentration solution of salt (typically sodium chloride or calcium chloride) in water. In diverse contexts, ''brine'' may refer to the salt solutions ranging from about 3.5% (a typical concentration of seawat ...

from , particularly at , and for nearby forges. Additionally, the mines marketed

pyrite The mineral pyrite ( ), or iron pyrite, also known as fool's gold, is an iron sulfide with the chemical formula Fe S2 (iron (II) disulfide). Pyrite is the most abundant sulfide mineral. Pyrite's metallic luster and pale brass-yellow hue ...

from coal washing for the

chemical industry The chemical industry comprises the companies and other organizations that develop and produce industrial, specialty and other chemicals. Central to the modern world economy, the chemical industry converts raw materials ( oil, natural gas, air, ...

. At the beginning of the 21st century, vestiges of this activity, including mine entrances, spoil heaps, and ruins, still exist.

Location

The Gémonval concession, encompassing 2,056 hectares, extends across the communes of

Gémonval Gémonval () is a commune in the Doubs department in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region in eastern France. Coal mines were operated in the village between 1826 and 1944. 2015-02 Puits Elisabeth 01.jpg, Mine shaft of Elisabeth. 2015-04 - Puit ...

, Georfans, Courchaton, Vellechevreux, Marvelise,

Saulnot Saulnot is a Communes of France, commune in the Haute-Saône Departments of France, department in the Regions of France, region of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté in eastern France. In 1973 it absorbed two former communes: Corcelles and Gonvillars.

, Crevans-et-la-Chapelle-lès-Granges, and Granges-le-Bourg. It is situated at the border of

Haute-Saône Haute-Saône (; Frainc-Comtou: ''Hâte-Saône''; English: Upper Saône) is a department in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region of northeastern France. Named after the river Saône, it had a population of 235,313 in 2019.

and

Doubs Doubs (, ; ; ) is a department in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region in Eastern France. Named after the river Doubs, it had a population of 543,974 in 2019.Bourgogne-Franche-Comté Bourgogne-Franche-Comté (; , sometimes abbreviated BFC; Arpitan: ''Borgogne-Franche-Comtât'') is a region in eastern France created by the 2014 territorial reform of French regions, from a merger of Burgundy and Franche-Comté. The new region ...

region. The

catchment area A catchment area in human geography, is the area from which a location, such as a city, service or institution, attracts a population that uses its services and economic opportunities. Catchment areas may be defined based on from where people are ...

for the Gémonval coal mines encompasses the southern portion of the Lure arrondissement and the northern section of the

Doubs Doubs (, ; ; ) is a department in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region in Eastern France. Named after the river Doubs, it had a population of 543,974 in 2019.saltworks A saltern is an area or installation for making salt. Salterns include modern salt-making works (saltworks), as well as hypersaline waters that usually contain high concentrations of halophilic microorganisms, primarily haloarchaea but also oth ...

, particularly that of , local manufacturing facilities, and

artisans An artisan (from , ) is a skilled worker, skilled craft worker who makes or creates material objects partly or entirely by handicraft, hand. These objects may be wikt:functional, functional or strictly beauty, decorative, for example furnit ...

in the region, most notably in Héricourt. The mines face direct competition from the Ronchamp mines and indirect competition from the

Blanzy Blanzy () is a commune in the Saône-et-Loire department in the region of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté in eastern France. Geography The Bourbince forms part of the commune's northeastern border, then flows southwest through the middle of the commun ...

and Loire mines.

Geology

The

coal Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock, formed as rock strata called coal seams. Coal is mostly carbon with variable amounts of other Chemical element, elements, chiefly hydrogen, sulfur, oxygen, and nitrogen. Coal i ...

and

halite Halite ( ), commonly known as rock salt, is a type of salt, the mineral (natural) form of sodium chloride ( Na Cl). Halite forms isometric crystals. The mineral is typically colorless or white, but may also be light blue, dark blue, purple, pi ...

deposits A deposit account is a bank account maintained by a financial institution in which a customer can deposit and withdraw money. Deposit accounts can be savings accounts, current accounts or any of several other types of accounts explained below. ...

that have been exploited are found within the Haute-Saône keuper coal basin, which is composed of alternating layers of sandstone, variegated marl, and

gypsum Gypsum is a soft sulfate mineral composed of calcium sulfate Hydrate, dihydrate, with the chemical formula . It is widely mined and is used as a fertilizer and as the main constituent in many forms of plaster, drywall and blackboard or sidewalk ...

dolomite. The Gémonval deposit is divided by a fault. The quality of the coal at Gémonval is notably poor, with a

sulfur Sulfur ( American spelling and the preferred IUPAC name) or sulphur ( Commonwealth spelling) is a chemical element; it has symbol S and atomic number 16. It is abundant, multivalent and nonmetallic. Under normal conditions, sulfur atoms ...

content that is so high that it can ignite if left in piles for several weeks. The layer averages 0.80 meters in thickness. However, local mines are rich in

gypsum Gypsum is a soft sulfate mineral composed of calcium sulfate Hydrate, dihydrate, with the chemical formula . It is widely mined and is used as a fertilizer and as the main constituent in many forms of plaster, drywall and blackboard or sidewalk ...

,

pyrite The mineral pyrite ( ), or iron pyrite, also known as fool's gold, is an iron sulfide with the chemical formula Fe S2 (iron (II) disulfide). Pyrite is the most abundant sulfide mineral. Pyrite's metallic luster and pale brass-yellow hue ...

,

rock salt Halite ( ), commonly known as rock salt, is a type of salt, the mineral (natural) form of sodium chloride ( Na Cl). Halite forms isometric crystals. The mineral is typically colorless or white, but may also be light blue, dark blue, purple, pi ...

, and

iron ore Iron ores are rocks and minerals from which metallic iron can be economically extracted. The ores are usually rich in iron oxides and vary in color from dark grey, bright yellow, or deep purple to rusty red. The iron is usually found in the f ...

. File:Gemonval - coupe géologique.png, alt=, File:Bute gypseuse - Gemonval.png, alt=,

History

First period of operation

The

Gémonval Gémonval () is a commune in the Doubs department in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region in eastern France. Coal mines were operated in the village between 1826 and 1944. 2015-02 Puits Elisabeth 01.jpg, Mine shaft of Elisabeth. 2015-04 - Puit ...

concession was bestowed upon Samuel Blum, proprietor of the forges of Pont-sur-l'Ognon, by a royal ordinance on October 8, 1826. Blum utilized the coal directly for the operation of his factory. In the 1830s, the operating company engaged in considerable stock market speculation regarding this mine. They asserted that they were exploiting two seams of coal, each one meter thick, of impeccable quality and continually announced discoveries. However, despite these claims, no profit was generated. To achieve a profit margin of 17 to 18%, production would have needed to reach 500 to 600 tons per day, which would have been equivalent to

Alsace Alsace (, ; ) is a cultural region and a territorial collectivity in the Grand Est administrative region of northeastern France, on the west bank of the upper Rhine, next to Germany and Switzerland. In January 2021, it had a population of 1,9 ...

's consumption at that time. However, production never exceeded 20 tons per day. At that time, eight shafts were in operation, and two

steam engines A steam engine is a heat engine that performs Work (physics), mechanical work using steam as its working fluid. The steam engine uses the force produced by steam pressure to push a piston back and forth inside a Cylinder (locomotive), cyl ...

were in service. In 1832, several exploratory shafts were dug in the municipality of Vellechevreux. The majority of these shafts identified multiple coal seams, including a first seam of 10 cm of carbonaceous shale, a second of 46 cm of high-quality coal, a third of 61 cm of coal intermingled with shale, and a fourth of an unidentified composition. On August 18 of the same year, a shaft measuring 19.5 meters in depth was excavated in Courchaton. This was part of a group of three exploratory shafts dug by the Gémonval mines in the area. On November 10, 1833, the thickness of the seam encountered exhibited variability, ranging from 5 to 10 cm, as the galleries were excavated. Two additional boreholes and two shafts were constructed in the same area. By 1842, the company, owned by Boisson Faucompré & Co., employed a workforce of 72 individuals, utilized two

steam engines A steam engine is a heat engine that performs Work (physics), mechanical work using steam as its working fluid. The steam engine uses the force produced by steam pressure to push a piston back and forth inside a Cylinder (locomotive), cyl ...

, and employed two winding machines. The mines were initially subjected to closure in 1847.

Abandonment and research period

From 1850 to 1905, many unsuccessful attempts were made to revive the project. In 1850, a drilling operation discovered coal at a depth of 90 meters. By 1866, the concession had been acquired by Mr. Lorain of

Dijon Dijon (, ; ; in Burgundian language (Oïl), Burgundian: ''Digion'') is a city in and the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Côte-d'Or Departments of France, department and of the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté Regions of France, region in eas ...

. The concession was formally relinquished on December 10, 1878. In approximately 1880, two drilling operations were conducted, followed by another by Gouhenans saltworks in July 1905, which identified the presence of coal at depths ranging from 81.25 to 81.80 meters.

Second period of operation

In response to wartime shortages, the BRGG conducted new searches between 1942 and 1944, circumventing occupant quotas. The was reopened, but the was not. In the

1940s File:1940s decade montage.png, Above title bar: events during World War II (1939–1945): From left to right: Troops in an LCVP landing craft approaching Omaha Beach on Normandy landings, D-Day; Adolf Hitler visits Paris, soon after the Battle of ...

, the staff included a

mining engineer Mining engineering is the extraction of minerals from the ground. It is associated with many other disciplines, such as mineral processing, exploration, excavation, geology, metallurgy, geotechnical engineering and surveying. A mining engineer m ...

, a

clerk A clerk is a white-collar worker who conducts record keeping as well as general office tasks, or a worker who performs similar sales-related tasks in a retail environment. The responsibilities of clerical workers commonly include Records managem ...

, a

domestic worker A domestic worker is a person who works within a residence and performs a variety of household services for an individual, from providing cleaning and household maintenance, or cooking, laundry and ironing, or care for children and elderly ...

, a master miner, three

miners A miner is a person who extracts ore, coal, chalk, clay, or other minerals from the earth through mining. There are two senses in which the term is used. In its narrowest sense, a miner is someone who works at the rock face (mining), face; cutt ...

, five rollers, four laborers, two

machinists A machinist is a tradesperson or trained professional who operates machine tools, and has the ability to set up tools such as milling machines, grinders, lathes, and drilling machines. A competent machinist will generally have a strong mechani ...

, two

firemen A firefighter (or fire fighter or fireman) is a first responder trained in specific emergency response such as firefighting, primarily to control and extinguish fires and respond to emergencies such as Dangerous goods, hazardous material incide ...

, a

carpenter Carpentry is a skilled trade and a craft in which the primary work performed is the cutting, shaping and installation of building materials during the construction of buildings, ships, timber bridges, concrete formwork, etc. Carpenter ...

, and a

blacksmith A blacksmith is a metalsmith who creates objects primarily from wrought iron or steel, but sometimes from #Other metals, other metals, by forging the metal, using tools to hammer, bend, and cut (cf. tinsmith). Blacksmiths produce objects such ...

with an assistant, and seven washers (two for coal, five for pyrite). The coal was sorted and underwent a series of washes to separate

pyrite The mineral pyrite ( ), or iron pyrite, also known as fool's gold, is an iron sulfide with the chemical formula Fe S2 (iron (II) disulfide). Pyrite is the most abundant sulfide mineral. Pyrite's metallic luster and pale brass-yellow hue ...

, which was subsequently utilized by a chemical company, "La Chemiquerie." For each hectoliter of raw product, the washing process yielded 70 liters of washed coal for local sale, 7 kg of

pyrite The mineral pyrite ( ), or iron pyrite, also known as fool's gold, is an iron sulfide with the chemical formula Fe S2 (iron (II) disulfide). Pyrite is the most abundant sulfide mineral. Pyrite's metallic luster and pale brass-yellow hue ...

, and 13 liters of small coal for

steam engines A steam engine is a heat engine that performs Work (physics), mechanical work using steam as its working fluid. The steam engine uses the force produced by steam pressure to push a piston back and forth inside a Cylinder (locomotive), cyl ...

. The issue of water infiltration has been a persistent challenge at Gémonval. At the Fourneau shaft, the volume of water infiltration ranges from 150 cubic meters per day during the summer months to 200 m³ per day during the winter. The water is managed through an 8 m³ reservoir carved into the

gypsum Gypsum is a soft sulfate mineral composed of calcium sulfate Hydrate, dihydrate, with the chemical formula . It is widely mined and is used as a fertilizer and as the main constituent in many forms of plaster, drywall and blackboard or sidewalk ...

. The water is then brought to the surface by a plunger pump powered by a single-action, direct-drive steam engine, capable of lifting up to 85 liters per piston stroke and 500 m³ per day.

Operations

Houillère shaft

The Houillère shaft represents a primary component of the concessionary infrastructure, with a network of associated numbered shafts and drills in its immediate vicinity. It is connected to the Essarts and Fourneau shafts. In the early 21st century, a substantial

spoil heap A spoil tip (also called a boney pile, culm bank, gob pile, waste tip or bing) is a pile built of accumulated ''spoil'' – waste material removed during mining. Spoil tips are not formed of slag, but in some areas, such as England and Wales, ...

remains visible at the site. File:2015-04 - Puits de la Houillère - 04.JPG File:2015-04 - Puits de la Houillère - 10.JPG File:2015-04 - Puits de la Houillère - 09.JPG

Shaft No. 1

In 1834, the initial excavation, designated Shaft No. 1, encountered a layer of considerable thickness, measuring one meter in width, at a depth of 60.60 meters.

Shaft No. 2

In 1833, Shaft No. 2 encountered a 0.55-meter layer at a depth of 15 meters.

Shaft No. 3

In 1835, Shaft No. 3 encountered a 0.40-meter-thick layer of soft, non-sticky coal at a depth of 21.60 meters. This was followed by the deepening of the shaft to reach a gypsum layer at 30 meters. Subsequently, a rising crosscut was dug, which intersected a

water source Water is an inorganic compound with the chemical formula . It is a transparent, tasteless, odorless, and Color of water, nearly colorless chemical substance. It is the main constituent of Earth's hydrosphere and the fluids of all known liv ...

upon exiting the gypsum.

Shaft No. 4

In 1834, Shaft No. 4 reached a one-meter layer at 60.60 meters. The coal was found to be lean, non-sticky, shaly, and pyritic.

Époisses Shaft

The shaft, measuring 28 meters in length, is believed to have been constructed in 1855.

Moulin Gallery

The 130-meter Moulin Gallery extends in a westerly direction until it reaches the Houillère shaft.

Essarts Shaft

Situated on the Gémonval- Crevans road, it was the sole operational shaft in 1854. Coal was extracted at a depth of 37 meters and transported via a nearby stream. By 1943, debris had accumulated along the stream, and a partially destroyed shaft building remained. The remains of the

spoil heap A spoil tip (also called a boney pile, culm bank, gob pile, waste tip or bing) is a pile built of accumulated ''spoil'' – waste material removed during mining. Spoil tips are not formed of slag, but in some areas, such as England and Wales, ...

and steam engine are still visible in the early 21st century. File:2015-04 - Puits des Essarts - 01.JPG, General view of the slag heap. File:2015-04 - Puits des Essarts - 08.JPG, Terril du puits des Essarts. File:2015-04 - Puits des Essarts - 05.JPG, Steam engine supports.

Fourneau shaft

A 0.80-meter layer was encountered at a depth of 40 meters in the fourneau shaft. The presence of a mining building, spoil heap, and gallery entrance within a radius of 100 meters indicates that the shaft was still operational in 1944, with three work sites in operation at that time.

Isaac shaft

Isaac shaft was backfilled before 1943 without leaving debris.

Elizabeth shaft

The Elizabeth Shaft is 70 meters deep, with the presence of a

spoil heap A spoil tip (also called a boney pile, culm bank, gob pile, waste tip or bing) is a pile built of accumulated ''spoil'' – waste material removed during mining. Spoil tips are not formed of slag, but in some areas, such as England and Wales, ...

and a sinkhole serving to demarcate its location in the early 21st century. File:2015-02 Puits Elisabeth 01.jpg, Old Elisabeth well in the hamlet of La Chapelle. File:2015-02 Puits Elisabeth 05.jpg, Another view. File:2015-02 Puits Elisabeth 08.jpg, Its slag heap.

Production

The Gémonval operation is subdivided into two distinct work compartments, separated by a fault. * The West compartment extracted 135,000 cubic meters of coal across 11 hectares at an average depth of 30 meters, encompassing Shafts No. 1-5, Essarts Shaft, and Moulin Gallery. * The eastern compartment extracted 10,000 cubic meters of material across 1.5 hectares at an average depth of 50 meters, including the Isaac, Fourneau, and Elizabeth Shafts. The Houillère shaft is the sole mine that traverses both compartments. In 1838, 600 tons of low-ash coal from the and Gémonval concessions were consumed in the Doubs region. The mean annual production volume for the mid-19th century was 8,000 m³.

References

Bibliography

* * * * * * * * * * {{Portal, History Coal mines in France Coal mines Coal mining

Location

Geology

History

First period of operation

Abandonment and research period

Second period of operation

Operations

Houillère shaft

Shaft No. 1

Shaft No. 2

Shaft No. 3

Shaft No. 4

Époisses Shaft

Moulin Gallery

Essarts Shaft

Fourneau shaft

Isaac shaft

Elizabeth shaft

Production

See also

References

Bibliography