Kalimuseum Buggingen

Useful Information

Location:	Alemannenring 4, Buggingen (47.845656, 7.633186)
Open:	All year 1st Sun 15-17. Mine: after appointment. [2022]
Fee:	Free, donations welcome. [2022]
Classification:	Salt Mine Replica Underground Mine
Light:	Incandescent Electric Light System
Dimension:
Guided tours:	no
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:	no
Bibliography:
Address:	Kalimuseum Buggingen, Alemannenring 4, 79426 Buggingen, Tel: +49-7631-9367909, Cell: +49-170-8515057. E-mail:
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

1904	Discovery of potassium salt during deep dills for oil.
1910	Bankier Dr. Fritz Eltzbacher from Berliner gets concession to search for salt deposits.
02-MAR-1911	first deep drill near Hartheim.
11-JAN-1912	deep drill Buggingen, 1 km west of the trail station.
1916	concession to mine potassium salt for Dr. Eltzbacher.
22-APR-1922	three mining companies founded.
07-AUG-1922	beginning of Schacht 1.
1928	beginning of salt production.
07-MAY-1934	mining accident, 86 miners die.
1972	decision to close mine.
13-APR-1973	mine closed.
06-JUL-1996	opening of Kalimuseum in the Hauptstraße 14.
2005	opening of show mine.
2009	show mine enlarged and new building for Kalimuseum.

Geology

Description

The Kalimuseum Buggingen (Potassium Museum Buggingen) was founded by the Bergmannsverein Buggingen (Mining Heritage Club Buggingen) to hold up the memory of the important salt mining heritage of the area. The history of the potassium salt mining is displayed on plates, there are historic documents, photographs, and exhibits. The pictures include the early days, the active mining, and the closure of the mine. It also has a small theatre with movies about the German salt mining.

The museum has an underground mine tunnel displaying the salt mining. It is located inside a former ice cellar, which was used as an air raid shelter during World War II. The former miners of the mining heritage club worked for three years to turn it into a realistic salt mine tunnel. It was enlarged, equipped with wooden and iron shoring and lighted with mine lamps. It is quipped with 110 m of working railroad tracks complete with traffic signals. The tunnel displays all kinds of mining machinery which are all in a working state and can be demonstrated. There are a chain conveyor named Panzer (tank), and various drilling machines.

Below Buggingen a high grade deposit of potassium salt was mined, which was discovered in the early 20th century by deep drills. Potassium was an important mineral fertilizer which was processed on site in the so-called "Fabrik" (Factory) and then dispatched to the customers. The potassium mine and factory were the most important employer in the whole area. In its heydays the mine had 1,200 employees and was the biggest mine in southern Germany.

The mining took place in a depth between 700 m and 1,100 m, the deposit was 4 m thick. During its operation the mine produced 17 Million tons of salt.

The mine was closed in 1973 because it had become unprofitable. Today only the slag heap "Monte Kalino", the former mine canteen, the administration building, and some miner cottages remain.