Ludwigshoffnung II mine
As early as 1697, a "vitriol mine" was mentioned: blue copper sulfate - CuSO4 · 5 H2O, (the mineral chalcanthite). Experts assume that this mine is identical to the later copper mine.[4]
Mineralogy
Millerit_09_BB 3mm from the dump body of the former mining area of the Ludwigshoffnung II mine by Tom Weisel (Giessen)
On April 7th and 8th, 1843, as can be seen from the extracts from the mine records, the first mining work was carried out on behalf of the "Thalittersche Bergwerksverwaltung" in order to carry out a "prospect" in the "Auf dem Leimküppel" area, which was necessary for the award of a mining area to Professor von Klipstein in Giessen. The Gießen mineralogist August von Klipstein had investigated nickel ore-bearing diabases on the Bundenberg near Buchenau, at the Blankenstein ruins near Gladenbach, near Sinkershausen and above all on the Beinköppel near Bellnhausen. On 9 June 1845, King Ludwig II, by the Grace of God, Grand Duke of Kurhessen and by Rhine, granted him the first certificate for the Ludwigshoffnung mine, granting him the mining rights for sulphur, pyrites, copper and nickel. Together with the tradesmen F. Moldenhauer (Kassel), P. Breidenstein and the smelter Kilian (Wilhelmshütte), he began prospecting and made an unexpected discovery: "on the outskirts of Bellnhausen he found a richly mineralised diabase that could be mined". Nickel ore was mined together with the Helzenbach and Germershecke mines from 1840 onwards. The Ludwigshoffnung mine was described as the "most dynamic in the entire hinterland". This was processed intermittently from 1849 until around 1887 in the Aurorahütte in Erdhausen. Around 1875, 2 tons of ore were needed daily in the Aurorahütte nickel works. The ore brought to the Aurorahütte in Erdhausen contained an average of 3.5% nickel. From 1850 to 1853, initially 200 and then around 50 miners worked under the "Aurora" union at the Ludwigshoffnung mine in Bellnhausen. A further 50 workers were involved in the ore removal and as smelters at the newly founded Aurorahütte in Erdhausen. This smelter was a former mill whose owner had left the heavily indebted "Urbansmühle" and emigrated to the USA. In view of the rich ore finds, this mill was converted into a nickel smelter in 1849 by a consortium chaired by the Kassel Chief Mining Councillor Schwarzenberg.
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