Gabe Gottes Mine, Saint Jacques vein, Neuenberg, Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines, Colmar-Ribeauvillé, Haut-Rhin, Grand Est, Francei

Regional Level Types
Gabe Gottes Mine	Mine (Inactive)
Saint Jacques vein	Vein
Neuenberg	Group of Veins
Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines	Commune
Colmar-Ribeauvillé	Arrondissement
Haut-Rhin	Department
Grand Est	Region
France	Country

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As this locality lies in the Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines district, the place is protected by an archaeological mining district status and all collecting is prohibited.

The discovery of Neuenberg's first vein dates back to the middle 16th century (1549). Thereafter, intensive mining exploitation on both sides of the Neuenberg mountain started.

7 veins were found, listed here in order from Neuenberg mountain upstream to downstream position:

— Sankt-Johann Cu-Ag vein (Saint-Jean),

— Sankt-Jacob Cu-As-Ag vein (Saint Jacques),

— Sankt-Wilhelm Cu-Ag vein (Saint Guillaume),

— Sankt-Ludwig-Eisenthür Cu-Pb-Zn-Ag vein (Saint Louis-Eisenthür),

— Haus Rappoltstein Zn-Ag vein (old name of Ribeaupierre Lords),

— Chrétien Co-Cu-Ag vein, sometimes misspelled as Saint Chrétien, named after Chrétien de Birkenfeld.

— Furtenstollen Zn-Pb vein.

The Gabe Gottes is one of the mines which worked the St-Jakob vein from both the Giftgrube (to which it is connected underground) and the Buchhalterschacht. During the ages, some names have changed: from the 16th to the 17th century, the Gabe Gottes mine was called "Heilige Kreuz" ("Holy Cross"). "Sankt-Ulrich" and "Sankt-Jakob Hoch" were the names of the actual Giftgrube which owes its name from the abundance of secondary arsenic minerals formed on large blocks of massive arsenic used as a support material underground by the old miners.

From its initial discovery to end of operations, different periods are sometimes related and reported. Despite some periods of wealth, these were followed by bankruptcy with the depletion of deep veins and the Thirty Years' War (1633-1663). Two reports, written in 1586 and 1633, describe several projects that were underway in a hard rock that disrupts the profitability of operations in Saint-Jacques (P & T n "6).

Mining in the Rauenthal valley restarts in 1711 for cobalt, but it was not until 1720 that a licence application on the Sankt Jakob vein would be granted. Various reports dating back to the 18th century will recount the prestigious discoveries, job status, and staffing. Its peak was reached in 1735 to 1736 with an annual production of 4,400 silver marks (period value).
The Gabe Gottes was the latest Neuenberg mine, worked only for arsenic metal until 1940 (1932-1940).

Commodity List

This is a list of exploitable or exploited mineral commodities recorded at this locality.

Mineral List

72 valid minerals. 8 (TL) - type locality of valid minerals. 1 erroneous literature entry.