We’re sitting on the edge of this man made canyon, the sun warming our backs, looking over this wide desert. The machines stand oddly still this Sunday afternoon.
How deep do you think this mine is?
It is the deepest artificially made point in Germany with up to 500 meters from base to surface. That point lies 299 meters below sea level.
largest
This is the largest opencast mine in Germany. The soil that is dug up in order to mine the coal is reused. A part of it formed the Sophienhöhe, the largest artificially made hill in Germany. It was recultivated with trees and plants and can be visited. After finishing the mining activity, the pit will be filled up with water, then becoming the second largest lake in Germany. The coal is expected to run out by 2040.
what used to be
This area used to be the Hambacher Forst before it was purchased by RWE, a large energy corporation, in 1978. All that remains are 10% of the former forest surface, but half of that is planned to be cleared in the near future.
protest
Many people know the name Hambacher Forst due to the protests that were all over the news in autumn 2018. Environmentalists build tree houses and road barricades to prevent any further deforestation. However, that was only one of many protests. A lot of activists have tried and failed so far to stop the mining for good.
