La Sambre quarry, Landelies, Montigny-le-Tilleul, Hainaut, Wallonia, Belgiumi
| Regional Level Types | |
|---|---|
| La Sambre quarry | Quarry (Active) |
| Landelies | Sub-municipality |
| Montigny-le-Tilleul | Municipality |
| Hainaut | Province |
| Wallonia | Region |
| Belgium | Country |
This page is currently not sponsored. Click here to sponsor this page.
Latitude & Longitude (WGS84):
50° 23' 35'' North , 4° 21' 36'' East
Latitude & Longitude (decimal):
Type:
Quarry (Active) - last checked 2019
Age:
382.7 ± 1.6 to 323.2 ± 0.4 Ma
Geologic Time:
Köppen climate type:
Nearest Settlements:
| Place | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Charleroi | 200,132 (2011) | 6.3km |
| Anderlues | 11,597 (2011) | 6.5km |
| Courcelles | 29,473 (2011) | 7.9km |
| Thuin | 14,682 (2011) | 8.0km |
| Lobbes | 5,467 (2011) | 8.0km |
Nearest Clubs:
Local clubs are the best way to get access to collecting localities
Local clubs are the best way to get access to collecting localities
| Club | Location | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| 4M | 6110 Montigny-le-Tilleul, Hainaut | 1km |
Name(s) in local language(s):
Carrière Calcaire de La Sambre, Landelies, Montigny-le-Tilleul, Hainaut (Henegouwen; Hennegau), Belgique
Active limestone quarry. High-quality calcite crystals have been found in cavities in the limestone.
Translated from Sanders (2021):
Note: Entry to the quarry is subject to prior approval.
According to the information at https://www.calcairesdelasambre.be/autorisation-pour-prospection-geologique (accessed on 12 July 2026):
Visits to the quarry for mineral prospecting will once again be permitted exclusively on weekends and public holidays from 9.00 am to 5.00 pm, starting Saturday, 2 July 2022.
However, to minimise risks to visitors and limit the number of people on site at any one time, it was decided to entrust the organisation of these visits to L’Escargotite, the Namur minerals and fossils club.
To be allowed to visit the site, you must be a member of L'Escargotite. You can choose between a one-day membership (€9) or an annual membership (€25). To become a member of L'Escargotite, please contact Francis Van Troyen: francisledahu@gmail.com.
Membership provides the necessary insurance cover for the duration of the activity (personal accident insurance, third-party liability and legal protection).
You can find more information about L'Escargotite here: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063187571853#
Once your membership is in order (whether for a single day or for a year), you can request a visit to the site using the form (DOC or PDF) found at the bottom of the following page: https://www.calcairesdelasambre.be/autorisation-pour-prospection-geologique
This form should be sent to Francis Van Troyen: francisledahu@gmail.com.
No requests made via the old channels will be considered or passed on.
By visiting the site, you agree to:
In general:
- To be present solely for the purpose of carrying out mineralogical research. Barbecues and swimming are strictly prohibited. Failure to comply with this clause may result in legal action, and you will be banned from the site for life.
- To exercise extreme caution and not to approach areas that appear unstable.
- Wear a helmet, high-visibility vest, safety goggles, boots and gloves.
- There must be at least two people on site so that the emergency services can be called in the event of an accident.
- Do not enter areas unsuitable for crystal hunting, particularly industrial sites and areas with moving machinery.
- Do not enter the site with motorised vehicles. You must walk everywhere.
In particular, for a visit:
- You must apply for a new authorisation for each visit by completing the application form, even if you have taken out an annual membership to L'Escargotite. This application must be received at least 15 days before the desired visit date. If the maximum number of visitors has been reached, alternative visit dates will be suggested.
- Please bring with you during your visit a form of identification, a copy of the application form and a copy of the positive response from L'Escargotite, to be shown in the event of a check.
- Please adhere to the visiting hours for which you have received authorisation.
- Please do not leave any rubbish behind and please respect the premises.
Visiting hours are specified on the application form. Visits are permitted only on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays, from 9.00 am to 5.00 pm. These visiting hours are very important for safety reasons, and anyone found on the site outside these hours will be removed from the quarry and will not be permitted to return.
Furthermore, for safety reasons, a maximum of 20 visitors per day is allowed entry to the quarry. The application form alone does not, therefore, constitute authorisation.
Translated from Sanders (2021):
The quarry is a site of limestone/dolomite that was deposited there from the Frasnian (Upper Devonian, from 383 million years ago) to the Serpukhovian (Lower Carboniferous, Upper Mississippian, up to 323 million years ago). (The old name for Serpukhovian is Namurian). During that period, the so-called Rheno-Hercynian Basin moved northward over the Brabant Massif. This overthrust can still be seen in the Faille du Midi [...]. It happened during the Hercynian mountain-building phase. The Rheno-Hercynian Basin contained, among other things, a reef that had formed in lagoons on the east side. The formation of this basin is described in both German and Walloon-Belgian literature.
At Landelies, actually located on the southern side of the Namur Synclinorium (a larger complex of synclines and anticlines), the entire Upper Tournaisian is exposed: more than 60 metres of thick limestone layers are present. These layers have been commercially exploited at this location for over two centuries by the company Calcaires de la Sambre. It is a limestone of very high purity, but because of its great hardness, it can be tricky for mineral collectors. In the area around the quarry, interesting geological phenomena can be seen, such as the previously mentioned Midi thrust on the northern side of the Ardennes (from Charleroi to Liège). In the quarry itself, near the little tunnel, the limestones form an anticline [...].
At Landelies, actually located on the southern side of the Namur Synclinorium (a larger complex of synclines and anticlines), the entire Upper Tournaisian is exposed: more than 60 metres of thick limestone layers are present. These layers have been commercially exploited at this location for over two centuries by the company Calcaires de la Sambre. It is a limestone of very high purity, but because of its great hardness, it can be tricky for mineral collectors. In the area around the quarry, interesting geological phenomena can be seen, such as the previously mentioned Midi thrust on the northern side of the Ardennes (from Charleroi to Liège). In the quarry itself, near the little tunnel, the limestones form an anticline [...].
Note: Entry to the quarry is subject to prior approval.
According to the information at https://www.calcairesdelasambre.be/autorisation-pour-prospection-geologique (accessed on 12 July 2026):
Visits to the quarry for mineral prospecting will once again be permitted exclusively on weekends and public holidays from 9.00 am to 5.00 pm, starting Saturday, 2 July 2022.
However, to minimise risks to visitors and limit the number of people on site at any one time, it was decided to entrust the organisation of these visits to L’Escargotite, the Namur minerals and fossils club.
To be allowed to visit the site, you must be a member of L'Escargotite. You can choose between a one-day membership (€9) or an annual membership (€25). To become a member of L'Escargotite, please contact Francis Van Troyen: francisledahu@gmail.com.
Membership provides the necessary insurance cover for the duration of the activity (personal accident insurance, third-party liability and legal protection).
You can find more information about L'Escargotite here: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063187571853#
Once your membership is in order (whether for a single day or for a year), you can request a visit to the site using the form (DOC or PDF) found at the bottom of the following page: https://www.calcairesdelasambre.be/autorisation-pour-prospection-geologique
This form should be sent to Francis Van Troyen: francisledahu@gmail.com.
No requests made via the old channels will be considered or passed on.
By visiting the site, you agree to:
In general:
- To be present solely for the purpose of carrying out mineralogical research. Barbecues and swimming are strictly prohibited. Failure to comply with this clause may result in legal action, and you will be banned from the site for life.
- To exercise extreme caution and not to approach areas that appear unstable.
- Wear a helmet, high-visibility vest, safety goggles, boots and gloves.
- There must be at least two people on site so that the emergency services can be called in the event of an accident.
- Do not enter areas unsuitable for crystal hunting, particularly industrial sites and areas with moving machinery.
- Do not enter the site with motorised vehicles. You must walk everywhere.
In particular, for a visit:
- You must apply for a new authorisation for each visit by completing the application form, even if you have taken out an annual membership to L'Escargotite. This application must be received at least 15 days before the desired visit date. If the maximum number of visitors has been reached, alternative visit dates will be suggested.
- Please bring with you during your visit a form of identification, a copy of the application form and a copy of the positive response from L'Escargotite, to be shown in the event of a check.
- Please adhere to the visiting hours for which you have received authorisation.
- Please do not leave any rubbish behind and please respect the premises.
Visiting hours are specified on the application form. Visits are permitted only on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays, from 9.00 am to 5.00 pm. These visiting hours are very important for safety reasons, and anyone found on the site outside these hours will be removed from the quarry and will not be permitted to return.
Furthermore, for safety reasons, a maximum of 20 visitors per day is allowed entry to the quarry. The application form alone does not, therefore, constitute authorisation.
Select Mineral List Type
Standard Detailed Gallery Strunz Chemical ElementsCommodity List
This is a list of exploitable or exploited mineral commodities recorded at this locality.Mineral List
8 valid minerals.
Rock Types Recorded
Select Rock List Type
Alphabetical List Tree DiagramDetailed Mineral List:
| ✪ Calcite Formula: CaCO3 Habit: Croisez, M. (2012): La cristallographie de la Calcite a la carriere des Calcaires de la Sambre a Landelies, Hainaut, Belgique. Association des Micro-Monteurs de Mineraux de Montigny-le-Tilluil (4M ASBL), 97 pp Colour: Yellow, brown, colourless, white, amber, green |
| ⓘ Fluorite Formula: CaF2 |
| ⓘ Goethite Formula: Fe3+O(OH) |
| ⓘ Malachite Formula: Cu2(CO3)(OH)2 |
| ⓘ 'Manganese Oxides' References: |
| ⓘ Marcasite Formula: FeS2 |
| ⓘ Pyrite Formula: FeS2 |
| ⓘ Quartz Formula: SiO2 |
| ⓘ Sphalerite Formula: ZnS References: Raph. Mydlak CollectionIdentification: Visual (Fluorescence), XRD |
List of minerals arranged by Strunz 10th Edition classification
| Group 2 - Sulphides and Sulfosalts | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| ⓘ | Sphalerite | 2.CB.05a | ZnS |
| ⓘ | Pyrite | 2.EB.05a | FeS2 |
| ⓘ | Marcasite | 2.EB.10a | FeS2 |
| Group 3 - Halides | |||
| ⓘ | Fluorite | 3.AB.25 | CaF2 |
| Group 4 - Oxides and Hydroxides | |||
| ⓘ | Goethite | 4.00. | Fe3+O(OH) |
| ⓘ | Quartz | 4.DA.05 | SiO2 |
| Group 5 - Nitrates and Carbonates | |||
| ⓘ | Calcite | 5.AB.05 | CaCO3 |
| ⓘ | Malachite | 5.BA.10 | Cu2(CO3)(OH)2 |
| Unclassified | |||
| ⓘ | 'Manganese Oxides' | - | |
List of minerals for each chemical element
| H | Hydrogen | |
|---|---|---|
| H | ⓘ Goethite | Fe3+O(OH) |
| H | ⓘ Malachite | Cu2(CO3)(OH)2 |
| C | Carbon | |
| C | ⓘ Calcite | CaCO3 |
| C | ⓘ Malachite | Cu2(CO3)(OH)2 |
| O | Oxygen | |
| O | ⓘ Calcite | CaCO3 |
| O | ⓘ Goethite | Fe3+O(OH) |
| O | ⓘ Malachite | Cu2(CO3)(OH)2 |
| O | ⓘ Quartz | SiO2 |
| F | Fluorine | |
| F | ⓘ Fluorite | CaF2 |
| Si | Silicon | |
| Si | ⓘ Quartz | SiO2 |
| S | Sulfur | |
| S | ⓘ Marcasite | FeS2 |
| S | ⓘ Pyrite | FeS2 |
| S | ⓘ Sphalerite | ZnS |
| Ca | Calcium | |
| Ca | ⓘ Calcite | CaCO3 |
| Ca | ⓘ Fluorite | CaF2 |
| Fe | Iron | |
| Fe | ⓘ Goethite | Fe3+O(OH) |
| Fe | ⓘ Marcasite | FeS2 |
| Fe | ⓘ Pyrite | FeS2 |
| Cu | Copper | |
| Cu | ⓘ Malachite | Cu2(CO3)(OH)2 |
| Zn | Zinc | |
| Zn | ⓘ Sphalerite | ZnS |
Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality
This page contains all mineral locality references listed on mindat.org. This does not claim to be a complete list. If you know of more minerals from this site, please register so you can add to our database. This locality information is for reference purposes only. You should never attempt to
visit any sites listed in mindat.org without first ensuring that you have the permission of the land and/or mineral rights holders
for access and that you are aware of all safety precautions necessary.
La Sambre quarry, Landelies, Montigny-le-Tilleul, Hainaut, Wallonia, Belgium