On the occasion of its double anniversary “70 Years of Potash Engineering Made in Erfurt – 30 Years of Experience Worldwide”, the ERCOSPLAN Group of Companies held an International Symposium on the topic: “Exploration, Extraction and Processing of Mineral Salts – Creation and Use of Underground Cavities in the Saline Host Rock”.

The event was held under the patronage of Thuringia’s Premier, Bodo Ramelow. More than 250 participants from 21 countries and 6 continents, including high-ranking representatives from the mining and fertiliser industry, representatives from mining and environmental authorities as well as private and institutional investors accepted the invitation – and thus also demonstrated their appreciation of the work done by ERCOSPLAN, which fills its employees, management and shareholders with pride.

Every five years, with such anniversary events, ERCOSPLAN offers a podium for the discussion of economically feasible and ecologically sustainable concepts in the production of potash fertilisers as well as the creation and use of underground cavities for backfilling, hazardous waste storage and radioactive waste repositories in the saline host rock. The always very wide national and international response underlines the importance of this dialogue, which helps to establish sustainable solutions in practice and to find the right balance between economics and ecology, as well as meet social responsibility.

With this in mind, ERCOSPLAN and its guest speakers at the symposium presented a programme of 35 specialist lectures and an exhibition with over 30 posters, and explained deposit geology as well as mining aspects within two full-day excursions to the Werra and the South Harz Potash Districts.