It's a pile of mining waste. Want to go skiing on it?

Summary

In Hirschau, Germany, a kaolin mining site has transformed its byproduct—35 million tons of harmless quartz sand—into an unusual tourist attraction. Instead of disposing of the sand, the mining company created Mount Kaolino, a ski resort and amusement park built on the sand pile. The resort attracts tourists, creating jobs and boosting the local economy. While concerns about the sand's movement exist, vegetation helps anchor the hill. Despite the novelty, the narrator humorously admits their fear of trying to sandboard down the slope.

Takeaways

• 🏗️ Mining companies often leave behind byproducts after extraction and processing.
• 🌍 In the past, companies typically ignored dealing with these byproducts, leaving them to be handled in the future.
• ⚠️ Toxic byproducts from mining can create significant environmental issues.
• 🏞️ In Hirschau, Germany, an open-pit kaolin mine has left behind a pile of quartz sand, which is non-toxic.
• ⛰️ The sand pile from the mine stands 120 meters high and consists of 35 million tons of quartz sand.
• 🔨 Quartz sand is useful in many industries, but the excess sand here was just piled up for decades.
• 🎢 The large sand pile has been turned into a tourist attraction, known as Mount Kaolino, featuring a ski resort and amusement park.
• 🎿 Mount Kaolino offers unique sand skiing, and during summer holidays, it becomes a popular destination.
• 🌲 Parts of the sand hill are covered with trees and vegetation to help stabilize the sand.
• 💼 Hirschau has transitioned from being solely a mining town to a tourist destination, providing new jobs and economic benefits.

Q & A

What byproducts are typically left behind after mining and processing?

Byproducts left behind after mining and processing usually include waste materials that are not extracted for use, which could be toxic or hazardous. In this specific case, the byproduct is sand.

Why is the byproduct from the kaolin mine in Hirschau considered harmless?

The byproduct from the kaolin mine is quartz sand, a common and harmless material similar to what you would find in deserts.

How did the mining companies historically handle the large amount of sand byproduct?

In the past, mining companies simply piled the sand byproduct into massive heaps, assuming it would be dealt with in the future, since it wasn't harmful.

What is the current use for the sand byproduct from the kaolin mine?

These days, the quartz sand produced by the mine is sold for industrial purposes, but for decades there was an excess, leading to the creation of the large pile.

How much sand is in the pile at Mount Kaolino?

The pile of sand at Mount Kaolino consists of 35 million tons of quartz sand and reaches a height of 120 meters.

How has the pile of sand been repurposed for tourism?

The pile of sand has been transformed into a tourist attraction called Mount Kaolino, which is a ski resort and amusement park.

Why is the sand ski resort not busy in the video?

The video was filmed at 9am on a weekday, which explains why the ski resort is not busy. During summer school holidays, it gets as busy as a regular ski slope in high season.

What measures are taken to stabilize the large sand pile?

Much of the hill is covered in trees and other vegetation, which help anchor the sand and keep the structure in place.

Could the government have insisted that the sand be cleaned up?

Yes, the local government could have insisted that the sand be cleaned up, but they chose not to since the tourist attraction benefits the local economy by bringing in visitors and creating jobs.

What impact has the transformation of Mount Kaolino had on the local town of Hirschau?

The transformation of Mount Kaolino has turned Hirschau from just a mining town into a tourist destination, creating more jobs and bringing in revenue from visitors.