Mining – Extracting and refining resources

The discovery of the production of metal from ore in around 4000 BC acted as the catalyst for systematic ore mining in prehistoric times, for example in the Near East, but also in Europe and other regions. It was not only ore that was mined, but also rock salt. In the ancient world, mining became very important economically and politically.

The first written sources about mining in Germany come from around 970 AD. Central European metal ore mining experienced a heyday in the Middle Ages, followed by a period of stagnation in the 13th and 14th centuries, which can partly be attributed to technical difficulties such as the drainage of the mines. It was only in the 15th and 16th centuries that the miners created the technology for mining at greater depths. In the following centuries, metal ore mining became less significant, whilst bituminous coal mining (coal as a source of energy) and later also salt mining (raw materials for the chemical industry) became increasingly important.

In the 19th century, the mechanisation of the mining industry began to develop rapidly and this continued in the 20th century through the increasing automation of excavation and transportation.

The Mining exhibition at the Deutsches Museum is a circular route with a length of approximately 500m. Around three quarters of this is set up as a show mine that conveys a realistic mine atmosphere. The mining technology on the spot, from the 16th century to the present day, provides an impressive illustration of the conditions underground. The show mine extends over three levels (floors), which are connected to one another by stairs and steep slopes.