The mine operator, Imerys, extracts 65,000 tonnes of andalusite each year, representing 20 to 25% of global production.

The Guerphalès deposit has the highest andalusite content in the world and its exploitation employs 110 people.

[2][3] The first pit opened in 1970 at the same time as the Damrec factory (Donain Anzin minerals refractory and ceramics).

A public inquiry was held from 10/30 to 15 December 2023, at the end of which the commissioner issued a favorable opinion "based on the study of the file, the observations of the public, the opinions given by the authorities concerned and by the State services, as well as the visits to the sites concerned" but requested "that all of the commitments made by Imerys be transcribed as requirements in the new operating authorization".

While the mayor and many residents supported the project for its economic benefits and the preservation of jobs, environmental defenders, concerned about the risks of pollution, filed a legal appeal.