Aerial - Potassium mine in Menteroda, Thueringen, Germany
More than a hundred years, the potassium salt fertilizer production in the “Nordthüringer” basin existed. As a result, huge saline tailings, on the one shaped the landscape and on the other polluted the surrounding rivers damaging to the environment emerged. In 1991 came the end for the 1,600 employees of the potassium salt mine and it was time to deal with the contamination and waste.
Aerial – Remembering potassium mine in Menteroda, Thueringen, Germany (Menteroda recycling GmbH) from miamibang on Vimeo.
One of these huge waste salt dumps is located in Menteroda. It is the highest elevation in the county Unstrut Hainich store here on an area of 65 acres about 47 million tonnes of waste salt. The resulting daily amount of salty brine about 500 cubic meter is used for stabilization of the salt mine field Volkenroda.
In order to prevent the dissolution of the waste salt, former employees of the Kaliwerk Volkenroda founded in 1990 the “Menteroda Recycling GmbH”.
The film shows the heap after over 15 years of recycling activity. Of the former potassium salt mine is nothing more left than the stockpile and the former powerhouse of the potassium well, which today houses the Museum of the “Bergmann” Association. The closure of the factory and other wells in the area brought profound changes for the existence of many former employees and an entire region.
This short “Remembering Aerial” was made with a small Quadrocopter without gimbal stabilization and Gopro 1 + 3.