Following the end of hard coal mining and shortly before the phasing out of lignite mining, North Rhine-Westphalia is increasingly transforming from an important mining region into a post-mining region. The region is using its extensive experience and innovative knowledge to record and manage the traces of intensive raw material extraction. The symposium “Nachbergbauzeit in NRW”, which took place on 20th March 2025 for the ninth time and was jointly organised by the Arnsberg District Government, Department of Mining and Energy in North Rhine-Westphalia, Dortmund, and the Research Center of Post-Mining (FZN) of the TH Georg Agricola University (THGA), Bochum …
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With my best regards // Mit freundlichem Glückauf
Dipl.-Ing. Andreas-Peter Sitte
Chief Editor Mining Report Glückauf, Essen
ISSUE 04/2025 // FOCUS OF THIS ISSUE:
Post-Mining
Nachbergbauzeit NRW 2025. Digitalization Meets Tradition
The direct exchange with professionals through discussion panels and informal conversations not only provided the students with new perspectives but also established initial contacts for internships or theses, as well as potential future employers. Photo: Jason Rittmeyer/Bezirksregierung Arnsberg
ong gone are the times of mining officials being trained at the Bochum Mining School. As a result of the continuous post-mining transformation, the traditional buildings are now home of the TH Georg Agricola University (THGA), Bochum/Germany, which prepares young engineers for today’s challenges and tackles the numerous tasks of post-mining. Fitting this year’s theme “Digitalization meets tradition”, multiple generations of experts came together at this historic venue of Nachbergbauzeit NRW 2025. On invitation of THGA’s Research Center of Post-Mining (FZN) and the Arnsberg District Government, around 250 participants with backgrounds from business, science and administration came together on campus …
Authors: Max Kersten B. Sc., Jule Gleba B. Sc., Jennifer Albrecht B. Eng., Research Center of Post-Mining (FZN), TH Georg Agricola University (THGA), Bochum/Germany
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Drones as a Tool for Post-Mining Environmental and Geomonitoring Applications
Comparison of the spatial resolution of open orthophotos (left) and self-produced drone orthophotos (right). In fact, the GSD and thus the image sharpness is considerably better than in the quality shown. When zoomed in, individual leaves of the willow tree group would be visible. Sources: Geobasis.NRW WMS (l.), own layout (r.)
his article is a partial transcript of the opening lecture at the conference “Nachbergbauzeit in NRW 2025”, which took place on 20th March 2025 in Bochum/Germany (1). It presents a portfolio from the research environment of the Research Center of Post-Mining (FZN) at the TH Georg Agricola University (THGA) in Bochum. The results are a team effort. They are applications and findings from the field of geomonitoring in old and post-mining areas. Therefore, reference is mainly made to publications by the team.
Author: Dr. rer. nat. Bodo Bernsdorf, Forschungszentrum Nachbergbau (FZN), Technische Hochschule Georg Agricola (THGA), Bochum/Germany
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Development and Evaluation of an Interactive Tool for Multi-Hazard Analysis in European Post-Mining Regions
The multi-risk calculation process. The pre-processed data is stored in the model- and geodatabase, rasterized and then used to calculate the three factors and subsequently the multi-risk value for each cell, leading to different causes of action. Source: FZN
he closure of hard coal and lignite mines has the potential to result in long-term environmental risks and socio-economic issues. The European project “Post-Mining Multi-Hazards evaluation for land-planning” (POMHAZ), funded by the Research Fund for Coal and Steel, aims to enhance methodological knowledge for multi-hazard analyses at the mining region scale and improve hazard assessment and risk management of former mining regions. The present research proposes a novel approach, which implements a multidisciplinary methodology that integrates historic, geological, topographical, environmental and socio-economic data. The purpose of this integration is to support stakeholders at different decision-making levels. To this end, a Spatial Decision Support System (sDSS) was developed …
Authors: Dr.-Ing. Benjamin Haske, Vinicius Inojosa M. Sc., Forschungszentrum Nachbergbau (FZN), Technische Hochschule Georg Agricola (THGA), Bochum/Germany
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REMINDNET – Recovery Mining District Network
Environmental impact of mining legacies. Source: REMINDNET
here are numerous mining legacies both worldwide and in Europe. They can pose risks to people and the environment. Improperly closed, orphan or abandoned mines therefore represent a difficult legacy for governments, communities and mining companies. Both the closure of current mines and former mines require knowledge and methods to ensure successful remediation. However, there is often a lack of appropriate knowledge and practices in dealing with these contaminated sites. Therefore, natural scientists, geologists, engineers, social scientists, humanities scholars and economists from universities and research institutions as well as experts from public authorities, companies and NGOs have joined forces to form the pan-European network REcovery MINing District NETwork (REMINDNET) to promote the international exchange of knowledge and develop …
Author: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Dipl.-Wirt.Ing. Stefan Möllerherm, Forschungszentrum Nachbergbau (FZN), Technische Hochschule Georg Agricola (THGA), Bochum/Germany
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Recording Historical Sites from the Point of View of Soil Protection Using the Example of the Callerstolln Mining Field
Identified legacy sites and old deposits as well as suspected and identified operational boundaries and the former route of the cable railway. Another lead smelter, the “Bleihammer Schließenmaar”, north of the Gottessegen mine, was included as a purely informative old deposit. Source: Bezirksregierung Arnsberg
epartment 63 of the Mining and Energy Department in NRW of the Arnsberg District Government, Dortmund/Germany, records former, historical mining sites throughout the state in accordance with the State Soil Protection Act of North Rhine-Westphalia (LBodSchG). The industrial history data collected is archived in a cadastre, the so-called Catalogue of Old and Suspected Mining Areas (BAV-Kat). The aim is to determine information on possible soil changes/pollution caused by decommissioned mining sites such as old deposits, e. g. spoil tips (backfills) and dumping or legacy sites, e. g. former coking plant opencast facilities or extraction sites. The procedure for recording a historical site is illustrated below using the example of the Callerstolln mining field …
Authors: Dr. Laura Jonas, Umweltamt der Stadt Dortmund, Dortmund, BD Dipl.-Ing. Bernhard Hoschützky, Bezirksregierung Arnsberg, Abteilung Bergbau und Energie in NRW, Dortmund/Germany
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Development Potential of Post-Mining Sites from a Socio-Economic Perspective
Five factors influencing the development potential of post-mining sites. Source: van de Loo
rom a socio-economic perspective, the development potential of post-mining sites is one of the key issues in post-mining research. To date, there have been a number of case studies and empirical investigations, as well as some generalisations derived from these, particularly in the context of the transformation debate. What is lacking, however, is a comprehensive systematisation that clarifies basic concepts and provides theoretically sound explanations in line with general economic findings. This paper attempts to provide such a socio-economic systematisation. At the centre of this is a 5-factor model …
Author: Prof. Dr. rer. oec. Kai van de Loo, Forschungszentrum Nachbergbau (FZN), Technische Hochschule Georg Agricola (THGA), Bochum/Germany
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