Beringen Coal Mine (be-MINE)

In 1902 and 1903, six test drillings in the villages of Beverlo, Beringen, Koersel and Paal confirmed the presence of coal. On 26 November 1906, a concession was granted for an area that originally measured 4950 hectares (Beeringen-Coursel) and was expanded to 5271 hectares in 1954. From 1959, coal was also mined from a leased part of the neighbouring concession Oostham-Kwaadmechelen. The operating company Société anonyme Charbonnages de Beeringen was founded in 1907. The deepening of the mine shafts started in 1907 but was interrupted during the First World War. From 1922, coal was brought up from the underground levels at depths of 727, 789 and 850 m. In 1948, employment reached its maximum with 6796 miners. The highest annual production was achieved in 1956 with 1,900,000 tonnes. In total, production amounted to 79,332,200 tonnes of coal. The mine was closed on 28 October 1989. Only a small part of the coal seams had been mined. A mining museum was opened on the site in 1986 and was expanded into the Flemish Mining Museum. Most of the mine buildings have been preserved and are protected. The site in Beringen gives a good impression of what a Limburg coal mine looked like. From the mining museum, visitors can experience the large-scale industrial character of the former mining company. With 100,000 m² of protected building heritage, Beringen-Mijn is the largest industrial heritage site in Flanders. Under the name be-MINE, the site was repurposed as a tourist-recreational project. The monumental, industrial heritage is central to this. And besides the mine museum there are spaces for parties, a swimming pool, an indoor diving centre, a climbing centre, an adventure mountain with play landscape and a mountain bike track to the top of the slag heap. With a shopping centre, school complex and a new residential area, the site is interwoven with the urban environment. nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steenkoolmijn_van_Beringen

Be-MINE, the mining site in Beringen, is the best preserved and largest industrial heritage site in Flanders. At the foot of two slag heaps, the past is brought together with a completely new interpretation of the area.

The 2 Terrils give you a really good overview of the area and the entire "mining complex". The scale is fantastic to see