In the bowels of Switzerland credits

La Suisse, un pays pauvre en matières premières minérales. C'est ainsi qu'est souvent perçu le pays lorsqu'on fait le bilan de ses richesses. En termes de valeur économique, il est vrai que la Suisse n'exploite pas de minerais métalliques ou combustibles en raison notamment du coût de la main d'oeuvre, qui rend les exploitations peu rentables. Aussi, l'impact environnemental dans une région très habitée comme la Suisse rend de surcroît l'implantation de mines difficile.

From a scientific point of view, however, Switzerland is extremely rich in minerals.About all the periodic table of the elements is concentrated in our country.

""Before the training of the Alps chain, around thirty million years ago, we had about 1000 kilometers of continent or seabed which gradually crushed against each other.So we have a considerable surface which is found in Switzerland, mainly in the chain of the Alps.And the greater the earthly surface, the more mineral wealth will be concentrated in one place, ""explains Nicolas Meisser, mineralogy curator at the Cantonal Geology Museum in Lausanne.

Switzerland notably houses one of the most remarkable mines in the world in the Binn valley, in Valais.It attracts scientists from around the world, who came to study mineral species that only exist here.In this geotope, around thirty mineral species exist anywhere else.(Read below).

>> L'interview de Nicolas Meisser, conservateur de minéralogie au Musée cantonal de géologie à Lausanne:

Mining peasants

The extraction of mineral raw materials in Switzerland dates back approximately 3500 years.But the golden ages of activity are towards the 7th and 8th century (with iron extraction), then during the industrial revolution in the 19th century, where many minerals were extracted.The two world wars, which will isolate Switzerland, will push the authorities of the country to dig galleries and study all the raw materials which are in the basements.Coal will be used massively during the Second World War, to meet a fundamental fuel need.

Apart from these major golden age periods, which have seen hundreds, even thousands of workers working in mines, mining in Switzerland remains relatively marginal.""These are often farmers who own land who will start to dig and who will exploit, either for their own need, or to resell ore to traveling companies"", notes Nicolas Meisser.

Several minerals have made the reputation of Switzerland. A commencer par l'asphalte du Val-de-Travers (NE), l'un des plus gros gisements européens, dont la matière première s'est exportée dans le monde entier(Read below).

There are also ornamental rocks, like the cipolin marble of the underground career of Saillon (VS), renowned as being the most beautiful and expensive marble in the world.It is found in monuments from around the world, since its remarkable appearance at the Paris Opera.

The most famous ore certainly remains the rock crystal, already mentioned by Pliny 2000 years ago and became a symbol of the country.""Previously, we made pendants for ages, or costume jewelry.Now these are pure collectibles, widespread worldwide, ""said Nicolas Meisser.Nowadays, between 100 and 300 crystallers will still seek these crystals in the Alps.

Far from Germinal

The working conditions in the Swiss mines were rather good, according to Nicolas Meisser: ""Germinal [Name of a novel by Émile Zola, editor's note] was a Franco-French affair, even British.But in other countries, such as Germany or Switzerland, there are almost no such conditions.""

In Switzerland, there would have been better respect for minors, which were considered due to the risks of the profession.Also, the conditions described by Emile Zola were not echoing in Switzerland, because the mines are small: a few hundred meters or just a few kilometers. ""Ce ne sont pas des puits verticaux kilométriques qui s'enfoncent sous terre, comme dans le nord de la France"", précise le professeur de l'Université de Lausanne.

However, in a documentary filmed in 1973 in the Val-de-Travers asphalt mine, the historian Jean-Pierre Jelmini testifies to working conditions worthy of the beginning of the 20th century. ""Il n'y avait pas de modernisation, rien du tout"", dit l'historien neuchâtelois.

In the 1960s, the stories of former coal miners in Oron (VD) also evoke particularly dangerous and difficult working conditions during the years of war.

From the cessation of mines to the recovery of waste

The industrial revolution was a golden age of mines in Switzerland, but it also caused the arrival of the railway, which will sign the end of their exploitation.The drop in rail tariffs from 1871 allowed cheap raw materials and better quality to transit from one end to the other of Europe and compete with Swiss minerals.

After the Second World War and the Thirty Glorious Years, the trade agreements between countries, which will facilitate exchanges, will accelerate the closure of mines in Switzerland.Coal, gold or iron will gradually cease to be exploited during the 1950s and 60s.

Today, Swiss mining activity, only the exploitation of salt remains in the Bex mines and saltworks (VD).With the saltworks of the Rhine, they are the only salt suppliers in the country.

There remains a potential future in the valuation of sand and gravel, used massively in Switzerland for construction. ""Si on se donne la peine, on peut récupérer du fer, du titane, du zirconium, de l'or et potentiellement du platine. Il y a tout un panel de matériaux qui sont exploités, mais qui ne sont pas séparés"", souligne Nicolas Meisser.

Likewise, the slag, these solid residues from the cremation of waste, contain a lot of metals: copper, zinc and other rare metals, which it would be interesting to value, in order to imagine a short cycle.

>> Les explications de Pascal Jeannerat: