Nicknamed “Monte Kali,” this immense spoil heap rises nearly 200 meters above the town of Neuhof in central Germany. It is a striking byproduct of potash mining – one of the country’s most important sources of fertilizer. The mountain began to take shape in 1954, when potash mining resumed in the region after the Second World War. Since then, it has grown continuously, layer by layer, into a vast, man-made landscape. At nearby mines operated by K+S AG, thousands of tonnes of residual material are deposited on the heap every day. This waste consists largely of sodium chloride and other salts left over from extracting potassium compounds. Mixed with water, it forms a dense, briny slurry that is pumped onto the growing heap. As the moisture gradually evaporates, the material compacts and crystallizes, hardening into a stark, snow-white crust that feels both alien and fragile underfoot. While potash is essential for modern agriculture, its extraction comes at an environmental cost. Saline wastewater and runoff have significantly increased salt levels in regional rivers – most notably the Werra – altering ecosystems and sparking decades of environmental debate.