Jean-Jacques Dony

Biography

Dony was born on 24 February 1759 in Liège. He studied to become a priest, but in 1797 took over his father's business as a cattle transporter.

Dony invented a procedure for the industrial production of totally pure zinc. In 1806, Napoleon granted him a monopoly for the exploitation of the zinc mines of Moresnet, now in Liège Province, Belgium. The mines were successful, and his company became Europe's largest producer of zinc. These mines continued operating until 1880.

From the exploitation of the Moresnet mines rose the 'Vieille Montagne Association' (French for Old Mountain), which later expanded its operations abroad (to France, Germany and Sweden (Zinkgruvan) among others). The activities of the association of the Old Mountain were taken over in 1989 by the Union Minière (Mining Union) group, which is known since 2001 as Umicore.

In 1809, Dony opened a factory in Liège, but ran into financial difficulties, and was forced to sell 75% of his stocks. In 1819, he was declared bankrupt, and died in Bois-l'Évêque on 6 November 1819, at the age of 60.

References

References

1. "Jean-Jacques-Daniël Dony".
2. Guy Depas. (5 July 1997). "LA BAIGNOIRE DE NAPOLEON EN VEDETTE A LIEGE... UN ZINC A LA MAISON DE METAL".
3. (1836). "Collection complète des lois, décrets, ordonnances, règlemens avis du Conseil d'état, publiée sur les éditions officielles du Louvre: de l'Imprimerie nationale, par Baudouin; et du Bulletin des lois; (de 1788 à 1830 inclusivement ..". A. Guyot et Scribe.
4. (9 December 2021). "The Vieille Montagne Zinc Mining Company - World Sites".
5. (12 September 1989). "Beleggers verzetten zich tegen bod op Maastrichtse Zinkwit".
6. "Case: Umicore 2001".