Ruhrrevier’s hidden gem. That’s what they call the ehemalige Zeche Borbachtal. Do you see these partially preserved buildings? This is where a small coal mine once thrived.
The ehemalige Zeche Borbachtal wasn’t just one mine. It was a collection of smaller mines. Some were separate. They lacked connections because of their distance from each other. One main mine existed along Große Borbach street. Others were in Stockum Siepen. More were near Wartenberg and Langestraße. Later a small mine called Ringeltaube II joined the group. These mines were in different areas. The Borbachtal mine itself mined in the field of the old Zeche Bergmann. The others used fields leased from Bochumer Bergbau AG and Harpener Bergbau-AG.
The mine started in October 1945. Initially all surface structures were opened. Underground work was excluded. Knappschaftliche Versicherung started on March 1 1946. The Borbachtal mine and a Witten mine began operation. By 1952 Stockum and the main Borbachtal mine closed. Wartenberg and Langestraße mines opened then. Ringeltaube II started in late 1954. The mine remained independent even after adding other sites. The Borbachtal mine shut down on May 14 1962. Its rights went to Zeche Gute Hoffnung V. Ringeltaube II continued until the early 1970s.
In 1948 the Borbachtal employed 24 miners. They produced 1524 tons of coal. Around 6000 tons of coal were produced in 1950. This included Esskohle and Magerkohle. There were 35 workers that year. In 1955 all three mines had 126 workers. Their total production was 35636 tons. The peak year was 1956. 134 miners produced 38676 tons of Magerkohle. The last numbers are from 1960. 134 miners produced 11178 tons.
Today remnants of the Borbachtal mine remain. You can still see them along Große Borbach street. They appear in the Falk city atlas. They are marked as the ehemalige Zeche Borbachtal. The story of this small coal mine is a testament to the larger history of coal mining in the Ruhr region. It’s a story of hard work and innovation. It’s a story of a community shaped by industry. The ehemalige Zeche Borbachtal’s legacy deserves remembrance.