In the 19th century, the mining of alum shale came to a standstill across Europe. The “Jeremias Glück” mine was also decommissioned and gradually fell into oblivion. All that remained visible was the ochre-colored sludge that continued to emerge from a former gallery.

Ochre is a natural pigment that appears pale yellow to yellow-brown depending on its composition. It has been used as a dye for millennia. Ochre occurs in many different forms in nature. Chemically, it is formed by the weathering of iron-bearing rocks and contains large amounts of water-soluble iron oxides.

Following the closure of the mine in 1855, the Saalfeld entrepreneur August Wohlfarth acquired the site in 1867. He dammed the mine water in the drainage gallery and extracted iron ochre from it—without knowing its actual origin. In his factory in Saalfeld, the ochre sludge was dried and processed into color pigments, which were used, among other things, for facade paints.

The company enjoyed moderate success until 1909. However, as the ochre yield continued to decrease, production eventually became unprofitable and was discontinued. This marked the end of the utilization of mineral raw materials from the “Jeremias Glück” mine.

Nevertheless, the emerging ochre sludge remained popular with the local population. Healing properties were attributed to it, and since the 20th century, it has been used with great success to treat various ailments—including rheumatic diseases.