Coal-Mining Heaps as Anthropogenic Landforms and Industrial Heritage in Germany

Hard coal heaps represent a long-term anthropogenic landform and form post-mining landmarks in Germany. Using a comparative regional approach, the study analyses the relationship between mining intensity, industrialization pathways, coal heap morphology and post-mining transformation processes in selected German hard coal mining districts. This is part of the scientific project titled “Fire Risk Assessment and Management of European Coal Heaps” (FRAM), which is funded by the European Union’s Research Fund for Coal and Steel (RFCS) under Grant Agreement No. 101216667. Particular attention is given to the Ruhr area, Saarland, Aachen coalfield, Saxon mining districts and smaller coalfields across Germany. Historical analysis, geomorphological interpretation and post-industrial landscape research are combined to evaluate how regional differences in mining development influenced the formation, preservation and contemporary functions of coal heaps. The results demonstrate that coal heap morphology and visibility are closely connected to the scale and duration of industrial extraction, topographic conditions and reclamation strategies. Coal mining companies in large industrial coalfields such as the Ruhr area and Saarland generated extensive and morphologically dominant coal heaps that today function as components of green infrastructure, industrial heritage and regional identity. In contrast, in medium-sized and small mining districts heaps frequently experienced early reclamation and landscape reintegration, resulting in weaker preservation of mining-related landforms. The authors argue that coal heaps should not be viewed merely as relics of the extractive industry, but rather as long-term indicators of the distinct pathways of industrial development, decline, and subsequent land transformation. This study enriches the fields of anthropogenic geomorphology, post-industrial heritage studies, and comparative landscape research.