 Entrance to the Gouhenans saltworks. | |
| Founded | 1828 |
|---|---|
| Defunct | 1912 (glass); 1921 (coal); 1945 (salt); 1955 (chemicals) |
| Headquarters | , France |
| Products | Black coal, halite, glass and chemical products |
| Parent | 1828–1850: Parmentier, Grillet et Cie; 1850–1894: Salines domaniales de l'Est; 1894–1912: Compagnie Anonyme des Salines, Houillères et Fabrique de produits chimiques de Gouhenans; 1912–1945: Société Minière et Industrielle de Gouhenans 1927–1955: Établissements Kuhlmann |
The coal mines and saltworks of Gouhenans constitute a complex of mines and factories situated in eastern France. They have been engaged in the exploitation and processing of rock salt and pyrite since 1831 and coal since 1828. These resources are situated in the same geological layer of the Keuper Basin. The coal deposit was first identified in the 1770s and is situated beneath the communes of Gouhenans, Athesans, and Villafans in the Haute-Saône department, in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté. The discovery of salt occurred concurrently with the onset of coal mining operations. The use of locally mined coal for the evaporation of brine enabled the company to reduce the cost of production of salt. The industrial complex was further expanded with the addition of a chemical factory and glassworks, which contributed to a period of economic growth and prosperity in Gouhenans. In 1927, the Kuhlmann group acquired the chemical activity, which remained under their ownership until the facility's closure in 1955.
In 1847, the salt industry was embroiled in a scandal involving prominent political figures of the July Monarchy, General Despans-Cubières, and Jean-Baptiste Teste, a peer of France and Minister of State.
The vestiges of these industrial activities (mine entrances, spoil heaps, railways, ruins, company town, repurposed buildings, flue-gas stack, and lindane deposits) persist in the early 21st century. The region continues to be shaped economically, socially, scenically, ecologically, and culturally. In 2009, the hiking trail "The Way of Salt and Coal" was established to draw attention to this industrial heritage.