Weiße Grube Imsbach

About the museum

The Weiße Grube in the Wolfstal near Imsbach is among the oldest mines in the mining district on the Donnersberg. Mainly copper ores were extracted, and in the 18th century also cobalt; mining as early as Roman times is considered possible. Under the Counts of Wartenberg the mine was called "Graf Friedrich", in Habsburg times "Josephi-Grube" – the present name only became established in the 19th and 20th centuries.

After silver finds, a mine field was granted for silver in 1921, but it proved not worth mining. In the last operating phases, ores for leaching were obtained mainly by open-pit mining; transport was laborious for lack of a mine railway.

Because significant underground installations had been preserved despite the open-pit mining, the mine was developed into a show mine in 1979. Over several hundred meters of galleries and excavated chambers, traces of around 600 years of mining can be followed – from medieval sections worked with hammer and iron to blasted sections of the early 20th century. Replicas of medieval ore processing facilities complement the tour. In the mine, the Landesamt für Geologie und Bergbau (State Office for Geology and Mining) also operates an earthquake monitoring station.

Together with the Pfälzisches Bergbaumuseum in the village center and the Besucherbergwerk Grube Maria show mine, the Weiße Grube forms the BergbauErlebnisWelt Imsbach. It is currently closed for renovation work and is to be restored as a show mine.

Highlights

• Galleries and excavated chambers with traces of around 600 years of mining
• Medieval mine workings, hand-worked with hammer and iron
• Replicas of medieval ore processing
• Earthquake monitoring station of the Landesamt für Geologie und Bergbau

Founded

1979

Admission & discounts

The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible: not available
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The show mines and the mining museum are not wheelchair-accessible.

Kids & families

The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.

Getting there & parking

The show mines are located about two kilometers outside Imsbach in the Langental; the mining museum is in the village center. Three signposted circular mining-history hiking trails connect the mining sites.

Amenities & dining

The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.

Plan your visit