The Provence Coalfield: trajectory, assessment and prospective

Abstract

The trajectory taken by the Provence Coalfield (or Bassin Minier de Provence), located between Aix-en-Provence and Marseille, is explained by its long mining history, disrupted by the closure of the mine in 2003. We approach this space from a global perspective, considering the social, economic and environmental dimensions of the socio-ecosystem. The conclusion puts forward scenarios for the evolution of the territory and the perspectives for research, underlining the growing role of the energy transition, especially in the context of the closure of the coal-fired power plant.

Keywords

• Alumina
• Coal
• Energy transition
• Human–environment interactions
• Interdisciplinarity
• Bassin Minier de Provence
• Reconversion