Regarding the closure of La Houve coal mine, Mining Journal for Friday
April 23, 2004, reports:
"La Houve Closure
"France's last coal mine, La Houve near Creutzwald, closes this week.
The mine required around US$3 million of subsidies to produce US$!
million worth of coal. The closure marks the end of 250 years of coal
mining in France and will result in the loss of 9,239 jobs. The mine's
owner, state-owned Charbonages de France, will rehabilitate the site
and others, and will cease to exist by the first half of 2008."
I guess mining historians will be wondering just what is meant by
"rehabilitate the site and others".
Tony Brewis
|