Permanent exhibition

The main hall of the permanent exhibition of the Museum of Mines is located in one of the buildings of the old foundry of the Eugènia mine. The common thread of the exhibition is the history of lead mining in the lower part of the Siurana river basin, specifically in the area between Bellmunt del Priorat, El Molar, El Masroig and Falset, from its origins to the closure of the mines in 1972.

The exhibition space is organized into modules that make up different thematic areas. The first module, of an introductory nature, presents galena, the lead mineral as an object of exploitation in the Bellmunt mines, and the most significant applications of lead throughout history. Then, there is a module dedicated to the geology and mineralogical wealth of the area.

After this introductory part, a journey through the history of the mines begins, thanks to which you can understand the importance that mining has had in Bellmunt del Priorat over the centuries, from the origin of the first known exploitation of mineral resources to the medieval mining dedicated to the exploitation of silver.

The last area of ​​the exhibition is dedicated to industrial mining, developed between the last third of the 19th century and the 1970s. This is where you can learn about the history of the Eugènia mine, a first-rate mining and industrial complex, as well as the Minas del Priorato company, a modern mining company. This space also explains how people worked inside the mine and the different jobs that were done on the surface, in the so-called mine square, such as washing and sorting the ore.