Mine des Télots, Former oil shale mine in Saint-Forgeot, France.
Mine des Télots is a former oil shale extraction site near Autun marked by two large spoil heaps that shape the local landscape. These earthen mounds are visible from a distance and serve as distinctive landmarks when approaching the city from the north.
The site began extracting oil shale in 1824 and operated as an industrial complex for more than a century. Operations ceased in 1957, leaving behind the earthen mounds and structures that mark this period of extraction.
The Natural History Museum of Autun displays fossil collections of reptiles and amphibians preserved in large shale plates from the mine.
The site is now accessible to visitors who want to explore industrial structures within a natural setting. Walking through the area reveals how extraction activities transformed the land and left visible marks on the surrounding environment.
The abandoned site has become a refuge for rare insects, particularly over 250 butterfly species that flourish among the crevices and abandoned structures. This unexpected biodiversity has transformed what was once an industrial extraction zone into a valuable habitat.
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