Discovering Bex Salt Mines

Friday 11 April 2014

www.mines.ch

In Spring 2013, ZIWA’s Discovering Zürich and Switzerland group went deep inside the coal mines at Horgen (see this link Horgen mine visit). This year, we delved inside the salt mines of Bex near Montreux. Who even knew that Switzerland had these mines? Getting to the mines involved a two hour train journey from Zürich via Lausanne followed by a taxi ride to the entrance to the mine. As we passed over the Röstigraben it was chance for a few of the eleven ladies to show off their French before we visited the restaurant, Le Chat, conveniently located near the mine entrance.


Lunch was a leisurely matter with the chance for some to get stuck into a big fat juicy steak or an equally plentiful plate of fish and to share a glass of local wine. The manageress told us helpfully that the Ollon white was better than the one from Bex, although the local red seemed to be very acceptable.

Then we met our cheerful guide Nathalie outside the mine visitor centre. She informed us that she had always loved meeting international groups and was impressed that a group of women got out and about a lot. Of course that’s meat and drink to most ZIWA members. We heard that the mines are still in operation today and the miners work in the mornings, allowing time for guided tours in the afternoons. The salt in Bex (pronounced Bey) is of a high quality, naturally, and contains no radioactive substances. Nathalie reminded us of all the uses for salt – preservation, adding taste to our food, providing well-being – and said that the salt came initially from the sea bed and was deposited in the land by precipitation. Before we entered the mine tunnels, we watched a short film about its history.

What is salt?

The term ‘salary’ comes from salt, from Roman times when men were paid in salt or ‘white gold as some designate it. The expression ‘below the salt’ comes from medieval times when the poor had to sit at the end of the table where salt was not on hand. Salt was first extracted here in 1680 during the Bernese conquest and the tunnels were all excavated by hand. Mining then was slow and dangerous, and when the need was less, the salt mine was closed until 1724, when excavation began again. Scientists managed the extraction process. The Vaud revolution brought independence to the region and the mine was saved.  But Basel had mines that were easier to work, and the Bex mined closed again in 1836, until a local cooperative was formed in 1866. In the 19^th century the salt was brought out by hydraulics and drills, using thermo-compression. In the space of 100 years, the yield was increased tenfold.

In 1970 the method of wash boring was introduced, and the mines are once again profitable, with 35,000 tonnes per annum being obtained. Salt is still subject to tax. Also in the 19^th century, the spa town of Bex-les-bains was founded, and environmentally friendly salt was sold. No carbon dioxide is released in the process.

Into the salt mines

Now it was time to board the little train for a journey of 1.5 kilometres into the naturally ventilated mine tunnels, to a depth of 610 metres. The temperature underground was a steady 18 degrees but never very cold. After the bone-shaking journey, we alighted inside one of the huge galleries that exist underground, and we were able to explore further on foot.  We saw a statue of St. Barbara, the patron saint of miners and firemen, in a niche in the rock. There was a plan of the tunnels and galleries which are indeed extensive. We saw an exhibition of minerals found in the rocks such as iron pyrites and halite, and a collection of ammonites dating back millions of years. In the past boys as young as ten years old were sent down to mine, even though there was a danger from methane gas, so they carried a candle, until the safety lamp was invented. Rock is extracted in cylindrical cores of different colours and tones. Iodine is also present in the salt and benefits the thyroid gland. Left-handed miners are always valued so that the tunnels can be dug out evenly on both sides.

Underground party?

In the huge underground hall where a café is situated, it is also possible to hire the room for a conference or very special birthday party (see link above). Salt products are on sale there, but we took another train back to the surface and daylight, where we could browse more salt-related products, minerals and souvenirs in the gift shop. The return journey was rather more crowded than the outgoing one, but another great day had been experienced by the ZIWA Discoverers.

Thanks to Anne-Marie for arranging it all. I’ll never take salt for granted again!

See more photos from Esther at this link: Esther's Bex pictures