Mining in France
These include fuels (coal, hydrocarbons, gas), metals (iron, copper) and a few other minerals (salt, sulfur).
[4] This was followed by the construction of Europe (the Coal and Steel Community), but ended in a major industrial crisis in the 1970s and 1980s, with the rapid closure of pits and mines following the exhaustion of resources that could be exploited at reasonable cost and in the face of competition from other countries.
[5] These products are fuels (coal and lignite), ores (iron, lead, zinc, some antimony, manganese, copper, etc.)
Contrary to popular belief, France has never been self-sufficient in either fuel or minerals, except for a few years in the case of iron ore.
For example, it has often been the case that a mine on which hopes were pinned quickly proved to be inoperable due to numerous faults (major water infiltrations, firedamp, etc.).
Last but not least, technological progress has also played a role: phosphorus-bearing mines in Lorraine, which were unusable before the invention of Bessemer steels, have now proved unsuitable for hematite casting.
[8] But more than 200 small operations escaped nationalization, the main ones being Faymoreau (Vendée), mines de Lavaveix, (Creuse), Manosque-Bois d'Asson (Basses-Alpes), le bassin du Briançonnais (Hautes-Alpes), and so on.
France has exploited numerous iron ore mines from prehistoric times to the end of the 20th century.
Through guided tours, you can discover the human adventure of the gueules jaunes and the mining of minette in Lorraine.
Main mining sites in the region: Silver mines as such were rare in Europe, most deposits often combining lead, zinc and silver,[13] the exploitation of which gave rise to a chain of activities that were particularly polluting due to the toxicity and ecotoxicity of lead (often associated with equally toxic arsenic or antimony).
In France, the main source of silver production was the processing of argentiferous lead (argentiferous galena) (Pontgibaud mines, Puy de Dôme, Pont-Péan mine, Ille-et-Vilaine); La Baume mine at Villefranche-de-Rouergue, Aveyron) and, to a lesser extent, silver-bearing coppers at Chalanches (Allemond, Isère), Giromagny (Territoire de Belfort), Plancher-les-Mines (Haute-Saône), La Croix-aux-Mines (Vosges) and Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines (Haut-Rhin).
Silver was also mined at Melle (Deux-Sèvres), and at Largentière as a by-product of lead in galènes argentifères (Ardèche).
[15][16] France has been a major producer of non-ferrous metals (ZnS-blende and PbS-galena) as well as non-metallic raw materials (BaSO4-barytine, CaF2-fluorite), which are particularly abundant in deposits at the interface between ancient basement and transgressive sedimentary series.
Oil production, currently on the order of 18,000 barrels per day, or barely 1% of national consumption, is divided between two regions, the Paris Basin and Aquitaine.
The Saint-Salvy-de-la-Balme (Tarn), Les Malines (Gard) and Largentière (Ardèche) mines were the main deposits exploited in mainland France in the 20th century.
[20] In the 19th century, the Croix-sur-Roudoule site (Alpes-Maritimes) was also mined, and a copper museum was established in the hamlet of Léouvé.
In a strategic move, France is revitalizing its dormant copper mining industry, essential for connecting solar and wind farms and building power interconnections with neighboring countries.
The last mining campaign was brought to an abrupt halt in 1959, following the accidental detour of thermal water in one of the galleries.
To overcome historical bureaucratic delays, measures have been introduced to halve the time required for securing research and operational permits for mining and geothermal projects.
This initiative aims to enhance operational efficiency, shift focus towards sustainable and strategically vital resources, and align the mining sector with broader environmental and economic goals.
[23] France is home to significant rock and mineral resources for the communications and electrical storage industries, as well as numerous metals (tungsten, antimony, gold, lead, zinc, germanium, copper, lithium and molybdenum).
For example, France could be self-sufficient in lithium, a strategic metal used in rechargeable batteries, from hard rock in the Massif Central (e.g. Montebras mine in Creuse) and geothermal brine in Alsace.
