Casinovijver Kelmis

The Casino Pond was created in 1861 by the construction of an approximately 300-meter-long earthen embankment and is perhaps the most beautiful remnant of 19th-century mining activities in the then Altenberg and surrounding areas.
This nearly 5-hectare reservoir was created by the mining company "Vieille Montagne" as a water reservoir for washing zinc ore. The sediment resulting from this was dumped beside the pond. If you stand on the right bank of the pond (with the casino on the left bank), you will see a small hill on the right side; this is the sludge that remained after washing the zinc ore.
Because this soil still contains zinc, specific plants have settled on the hill over time that normally only occur in soil containing heavy metals.

The Casino Pond was created at that time for economic reasons where the Tüljebeek and Geul meet. Today, it presents itself with its beautiful reed fringes and picturesque trees along the banks as a charming little gem, both for humans and the diverse plant and animal life.

This protected area is a very interesting mirror image of the cultural-historical development process of a landscape that was marked by mining activities for a long time until the mid-20th century.

Michel