Soil and Groundwater Pollution by Large Scale Landfilling with Pyrite Slag

Pyrite slag is a residue originating from earlier sulfuric acid production, based on the mineral pyrite (FeS2). The residue of several plants in Germany and other West-European countries was transported to the “Duisburger Kupferhutte” for extraction of valuable metals and finally used as an iron ore in the Ruhr area. As a result of new blast furnace techniques pyrite slag became unsuitable for this purpose and a solid waste was born, that found its way in several directions.