Strip Mining Ronneburg

On April 1 at 14:00 the Neue Hütte Schmalkhalden Technical Museum (Thuringia) is opening ‘Rekultivierung Tagebau Ronneburg’ (Restoration Strip Mining Ronneburg), a special exhibition by Leica photographer Karl-Heinz Rothenberger. The pictures will be on display until June 5, 2017.

Uranium ore was mined in Ronneburg from 1949 to 1990. At times this represented over ten percent of the uranium extracted worldwide. This mining activity left behind considerable traces in the landscape, including waste tips and poisonous sludge. When the mining came to an end, tunnels were flooded and restoration efforts began. This, one of Europe’s largest environmental projects, took until 2007 to complete.

The photographer Karl-Heinz Rothenberger followed the undertaking over many years. The black and white images he took documenting the restoration are now being presented in an exhibition.

In 2005 Karl-Heinz Rothenberger received the Bavarian Journalist Award for the best press photograph dedicated to the theme of environment and energy.

Further information can be found at: Hochofenmuseum