"Our goal is to return the legacy of mining in water bodies to the utilization process in a sensible way," explains project manager Prof. Traugott Scheytt. "Sediments are always deposited in the former mining lake. In practice, these are dredged and taken to landfills," explains Traugott Scheytt.

In the process, components of the sediments could be further recycled. "To do this, we need to know which components are contained, how they can be separated from each other and how valuable substances can be extracted from the components and toxins removed," explains the hydrogeologist. Extensive analyses of the sample material will now show this. Some of the sediments could be used in the brick industry, for example. Sand or clay could serve as ceramic raw material; other components as compost.

The sediment samples will now be examined in the laboratories of the project partners so that the team can propose concrete recycling strategies by the end of 2025. The team expects the first results of the analyses toward the end of 2023.

Goal of the BMBF project ResuS - Recycling of Subhydric Sediments is to process the sediments according to different technologies and a holistic concept in such a way that a diverse utilization is ensured for the largest possible sediment quantities. The project pursues the approach of utilizing the entire sediment and thus not exclusively potential value elements such as lead and zinc as raw materials. On the basis of the analytical findings at the development site of the Freiberg Watercourse Institute, possible recycling options will be identified, the recycling-specific and legal framework conditions will be clarified, and the parameters for a recycling concept will be defined.

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