Schwerspatgrube Franziska Mining Relic

The rest of the mighty barite bunker built in the 1950s with its rusted conveyor chutes along the way can be seen from afar. Next door is the bricked-up tunnel mouth of the Franziska pit, here heavy spar, also known as barite, was mined (1921-1923 and 1937-1967). The mineral was processed in Sontra by the German Barite Industry Rudolf Alberti. Barite was a basic component of paints. In 1951, when the Münden pit near Nentershausen was exhausted, the Franziska pit became the largest supplier of raw materials to the spat mill in Sontra. But a year after its closure, in 1967, the Braunhausen mine and its 23 miners also came to an end. Source: Chronicle 750 Years Braunhausen, pp. 77-86.

The former Franziska barite mine is located in Braunhausen. Bats can be observed in the tunnel (right). In summer, you can see rare orchids on the limestone grassland near the former mine.