Inside the Secret of the Belgian Slate Mines

For four years, the Mine Exploration Team has been committed to exploring and documenting the underwater remnants of Belgium’s industrial heritage. Stefan Panis invites us to discover the abandoned slate quarries, with their icy and crystalline waters.

Passion for wrecks

From the beginning of my diving career, I was fascinated by the exploration of wrecks (see Plongez! No. 49 / The Wrecks of Dover). Traditionally, from November, the North Sea diving season would end, and I would settle for diving in a rather uninspiring local lake. Everything changed the day I had the opportunity to dive into a slate quarry. Despite the difficulty of access, the discovery quickly made me forget the effort. I had an amazing experience similar to that of wrecks: rusty pipes and tools abandoned by the workers. It made me want to explore these places more.

That day also revealed how cave diving differs from wreck diving. I then decided to undergo specialized training and invest in appropriate equipment. During my training, I dived in different mines under the coordination of the UBS (Belgian Union of Speleology). Upon investigation, I discovered that Belgium is actually a giant Swiss cheese, full of tunnels and former mining sites. My curiosity was piqued, and a passion was born.