Besucherstollen Grube Edelstein

Useful Information

Location:	Luckenbach. (50.702619, 7.831312)
Open:	Only after appointment. [2022]
Fee:	Only after appointment. [2022]
Classification:	Iron Mine
Light:	Incandescent Electric Light System
Dimension:
Guided tours:	Only after appointment. [2022]
Photography:
Accessibility:
Bibliography:
Address:	Besucherstollen Grube Edelstein, 57629 Luckenbach, Tel: +49-2662-6760. Gemeinde Luckenbach, c/o Bürgermeister Dieter Bethke, Hauptstraße 8, 57629 Luckenbach, Tel: +49-2662-7493, Fax: +49-2662-940583. 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

1685/1686	first written mention of mining in the Luckenbach district.
~1844	Edelstein mine is opened.
1860	first written mention of the Edelstein mine.
30-APR-1921	Pit closed.
1944-1945	adit serves as air-raid shelter.
1991	opened as a show mine.

Geology

The Westerwald is part of the Rhenish Slate Mountains on the right bank of the Rhine. The rocks were formed in the Palaeozoic era by the deposition of sands and clays in the sea. The resulting rocks were greywacke, greywacke shale and clay slate in varying thickness and extension. During the Variscan orogeny, these layers were folded, creating fissures in the rocks. These were filled again by hydrothermal convection currents with various minerals, but mainly with iron carbonate. The result was veins filled with iron ore.

Description

Besucherstollen Grube Edelstein (show mine Edelstein) is located near Luckenbach. There is evidence that ore was mined and processed before 1500. Mining in the Luckenbach district is first mentioned in 1685/1686, the document lists the yield and the Einsensteinzehntgeld (tithe) for the Count's estate at Hachenburg. The mined ore was processed in the Atzelgifter ironworks and the hammer mill. There were a total of 15 mines in the district. The Edelstein mine was first mentioned in 1860, when it was newly granted, but it is older. It was last operated by the Gelsenkirchener Bergwerks AG in 1921/22. However, the quality of the ores was insufficient and the mine was finally closed due to lack of profitability.

The gallery was used as an air-raid shelter at the end of the Second World War. A massive door was installed in the entrance area, and carpentered benches were placed in the wider part of the gallery. The mine has now been an exhibition mine for over 30 years, but it seems to have had hardly any visitors in recent years. This is certainly due to the fact that it has no regular opening hours; it is only open to groups by appointment. There is not even a description of how to get there on the official website. This makes it effectively inaccessible to individual tourists. However, the mayor plans to change this with the end of the corona pandemic, we recommend asking the mayor's office by phone for the current status.