Ground control and the principle of minimizing radiological exposure as key drivers for the recovery of radioactive waste out of the Asse II mine

The Asse salt structure is located in the Southwest of the Hercynian Mountains in Northern Germany. In geological times, compressive tectonic movements ruptured the overlying rock strata covering the salt layers of the Zechstein series deposited 250 million years ago. Consequently, the rheological salt ascended between the layers of the lower and upper Buntsandstein forming the steep Asse salt structure with 40 to 70 degree dip in the Northern and Southern flanks. The structure strikes over a length of about 4 kilometers West / East and is only a few hundred meters wide across strike at the top of the structure.