Its new owner, the city of Genk, is building an industrial park and needs the space. The park covers 16,000 square metres, the Mijndepot 100 square metres.

The tour will not close, but professional city guides will take over. Xavier Huygen, chairman of the Mijndepot, is trying to understand this logic. “We’re not trained guides,” the former miner admits, “but we can tell plenty of stories about the harsh life underground – how we lived like pigs down there.” (He launches into a description, which I will not repeat here, that very much proves his point.)

Huygen claims there can’t be a future for Genk, now the second-largest city in Limburg, without honouring its coal-mining past. Both Belgian and immigrant youngsters, he says, need to learn why their families came to live in Genk, a former village of 100 people. “The miners made Genk big, made this country big. So why doesn’t the city show us some respect?” he asks. “If we can’t stay on, I’ll personally throw all our exhibits in the bin. I paid for most of it myself anyway.”

He’s telling his volunteers, though, not to give up yet. “But the city will wait it out until us ex-miners have all closed our eyes for good,” he says. “I’m 57 but still have a good 10 years in me, even if my knees are shot from working the mine. So it’s worth continuing as long as we can.”

The museum volunteers are guaranteed a place until the end of 2012, as there is a World Exhibition on Mining planned. “Visitors will ride the small bikes we had in the pit and trigger off electric displays en route,” says Huygen.

Beyond 2012, their future looks bleak. Huygen: “Until the city cottons on, we’re in a pickle, and we’ll just tackle problems as they come along.” Their latest problem is an electricity bill, passed on by the city, for €13,000. A guided tour costs €2.

Mijndepot
André Dumontlaan, Genk
www.mijndepot.be