Emperor William Shaft (Clausthal)
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The Kaiser- Wilhelm- shaft or shaft Kaiser Wilhelm II was the central conveyor and cable drive shaft of the lead and zinc mining in Clausthal- Zellerfeld in the Upper Harz ( Lower Saxony).
He lay on the Burgstätter lode. The surface facilities are located today in the city of Clausthal in the Erzstraße 24, near the Mining Institute of the Technical University.
History
The reduction of metal ores had advanced in the second half of the 19th century in the Lower Burgstätter area already in great depths. The then tonnlägige main conveyor shaft Duke Georg Wilhelm had come at a depth of 756 m at its limits and overtaking the Kehrradförderung technically.
1880 began with the sinking of the Kaiser -Wilhelm- shaft and this opened on 1 October 1892. The preliminary depth of the round shaft with 4.75 m internal diameter was 864 m. In contrast to the older tonnlägigen wells that were excavated in the vein and thus already able to provide when sinking revenue, this shaft vertically ( Saiger ) was drilled in deaf -rock and reached the lode only at a depth of about 600 m. This approach also required completely new ways of financing.
The shaft was fitted with a steel headframe of Nordhäuser Maschinenfabrik Schmidt, Kranz & Co.. The height was 15.6 m. There were originally two independent conveyors: A Day Promotion with above-ground, steam-powered drum carrier and a blind support from the deepest to the Ernst -August- tunnel ( water depth range ) at a depth of 360 m. This conveyor system was equipped with a water column machine as a drive. The upscale by the blind promotion ores were funded until 1898 at the depths of the water line with Erzkähnen to Ottiliae shaft and from there to day.
A second water column machine at the Ernst -August- lug sole operated a traveling art made of steel profiles ( length 854 m) for the retraction of the miners. This was unusual, but paid tribute to one so the old Oberharzer tradition tribute that no miner should be forced to ride on a rope. In the Ruhr area and in potash mining has been run by this time with the winding cage.
Between 1900 and 1905 the Kaiser Wilhelm Schacht served due to the renovation work of the Ottiliae shaft to the daily production of all ores of Burgstätter lode. The ore was transported by an electric field railway, called the daily production route on the day to the central processing. After 1905 all ore was lifted only to the deepest stretch of water at a depth of about 600 m and then came with the electric mine train intraday to Ottiliae bay.
1913, the first Pelton turbine was erected at the level of the Ernst -August- tunnel to generate electricity. As with the water column machines, the drive water was supplied through a case in a duct. For the blind promotion In 1914 a blind shaft near the Kaiser Wilhelm shaft to about 1050 m depth.
In 1923 Preussag took over as owner of the state-owned mines. 1924, the above-ground carrier was converted to electric drive and the driving skills decommissioned. The entrance was from then on in the pit cage. The world economic crisis and the constant fall in metal prices on the world market caused the Preussag, the ore- Clausthal shut down in 1930.
Decommissioning and temporary use as a power plant
After the decommissioning as mineshaft the existing hydropower plant was expanded to six turbines. From a 33 -square-mile basin water was brought under utilization of water management ponds and ditches of the Upper Harz Water Regale in Clausthal and introduced several downpipes into the shaft. The electricity was produced at the level of the Ernst -August- tunnel, at a depth of about 360 m and the water could then flow through the Ernst -August- studs. The performance of the power plant was recently a total of 4.7 MW at a flow rate of 1.7 m³ / s This allowed up to 15 million kWh of electrical power per year are produced.
This hydroelectric power plant was decommissioned in the early 1980s after the economic efficiency of power plants declined more and more of steeply rising wages and stagnating electricity prices. In addition, the state of Lower Saxony was no longer willing to extend the water rights because they wanted to give the national drinking water supply preference. It was discussed to establish a visitor mine and to allow guests a boat trip on the 3 km long section of the Ernst- August- tunnel to Ottiliae bay. The project failed because of the high cost. The pit was closed in 1984 with 60 m concrete. A short upper portion remained at the urging of monument protection. After the workings were abandoned to decay for several years, the Harzwasserwerke have taken over the site in 1990 and have set up a technical depot.
Technical monuments, traces
The workings have been due to the acquisition faithfully restored by the Harzwasserwerke and make today a perfectly preserved above-ground ore mine complex from the 1880s Represents the built 1880 steel headframe is the second oldest in Germany. Shaft house and home carriers to be officially from the Upper Harz Mining Museum with care. A little information path exists. The shaft house can be visited. Inside, a look into the shaft tube to the concrete backfill in 8 m depth is possible. In the engine house still stands the carrier built in 1882 as a steam engine. Despite the expansion of electric drive the guides for the cross heads of the connecting rods are still recognizable. In the former shower is an exhibition on the Upper Harz Water Regale is located. The workshop building to serve the current owners as a business building.
Outside are exact replicas of an art and a reciprocal wheel after submission of Henning Calvör.