In a mining complex, the headframe is the structure that allows miners, equipment, and ore to be lowered and raised into a vertical shaft. It is a fundamental element for the proper operation of a mine; it is the link between the underground and the surface.
The St. Germain headframe is a 14m high stone and brick tower pierced by four large semicircular arches on each of its sides.
The St. Germain shaft dates back to 1867; it reached a depth of -140m with a diameter of 3.7m. Mining ceased around 1920. The shaft was backfilled in 1973.