Salt-concrete (or salzbeton) is a construction material that is used to reduce the water inflow in mining shafts in salt mines. It is composed of 16 % cement, 39 % halite ,16 % limestone powder, 14 % water and 15 % sand.

History

Saltconcrete was used for the first time in 1984 in the Kali mine in Rocanville in Canada. A salt-concrete seal was also installed in the Asse II mine in Lower Saxony in 1995.

Filling tunnels

Since the end of the repository for radioactive waste Morsleben in 1998, the salt dome stability deteriorated to a state where it could collapse. Since 2003, a volume of 480.000 m of saltconcrete has been pumped into the pit to temporarily stabilize the upper levels. In addition another 4.000.000 m of saltconcrete will be used to temporarily stabilize the lower levels.