MUSEUM UND BESUCHERBERGWERK DER GRAPHIT KROPFMÜHL AG

Description

In Kropfmühl, a district of the town of Hauzenberg in the Lower Bavarian Landkreis Passau, the Graphit-Besucherbergwerk Kropfmühl conveys the history of regional graphite mining and of the only graphite mine in Germany, which was operated in Kropfmühl. The museum is located directly beside the production site of Graphit Kropfmühl GmbH, which belongs to the Dutch mining conglomerate Advanced Metallurgical Group.

Graphite deposits in the Bayerischen Wald were mined as early as the 18th century; initially landowners operated open-cast mining on fields, and later deep mining was introduced. Archaeological evidence shows that Celtic settlers already used the local graphite for ceramics. Industrial extraction of the so-called Hauzenberger Graphit began in Kropfmühl in 1870. As early as 1877 a purification process for graphite (flotation) was patented. In 1916 the Graphitwerk Kropfmühl Aktiengesellschaft was founded; it later became active internationally, including sites in China and Sri Lanka. After a suspension of mining in 2006 necessitated by a sharp fall in raw material prices, operations in part of the mine were resumed from 2012.

The visitor mine was established in 1983 to make parts of the historic mine and individual adits accessible to the public. A support association for the preservation of this cultural heritage was founded in 2010. With support from Landkreis Passau, the town of Hauzenberg, the municipality of Untergriesbach and AMG Mining AG, the tunnel buildings and the headframe were redeveloped in 2015. In spring 2016 the Graphiteum opened as an interactive experience on 350 square metres; however, severe storms caused flood damage in June 2016 and led to a temporary closure.

The museum's offerings include film screenings on mining history, guided tours by experienced miners down to the fourth level at a depth of 45 metres, as well as exhibits of historic mining machinery and miners' keepsakes. A 4.5-kilometre geology trail with display panels explains the local geology and the mining.