Stone, salt and team spirit – professional development in Salzkammergut
The focus on salt was no coincidence: Swiss Salt Works AG is one of the Basel office’s largest customers. Accordingly, salt extraction and the geology of salt deposits are central to GEOTEST’s work. This trip provided an opportunity to deepen this knowledge by visiting an active mine.
As geology experts, GEOTEST employees work closely with producers and companies in the salt mining industry.
Part of the professional development trip took place underground.
On Thursday, the trip began with a geology-focused hike through the so-called Gletschergarten in Hallstatt – an impressive journey through geological formations tracing back to the Ice Age. At the end of the hike, participants had the opportunity to see up close the giant karst spring Waldbach Ursprung.
The Gletschergarten bears witness to an impressive geological past.
The landscape was formed following the retreat of the glaciers around 12,000 years ago.
Friday offered a special highlight: an exclusive tour of the active salt mining operations of Salinen Austria AG in Altaussee. Unlike the show mine, this tour took the group directly to the sites where the salt is actually extracted. This rare behind-the-scenes view made a lasting impression on everyone. Afterwards, the group visited the Koppenbrüller cave, which fascinated them with the bizarre forms of its underground karst passages.
he GEOTEST employees were able to gain insights into active salt mining.
The insight into the underground salt mining operations was especially fascinating – seeing how a modern salt mine works impressed us all.
- Lino Eggerth, GEOTEST employee
Visiting the salt mine was a memorable experience.
Water carves its way through the karst passages of the Koppenbrüller cave.
On Saturday, the programme continued with an excursion about regional geology and salt tectonics in Lammertal, which extends from Gosau to Golling. The group was accompanied by Oscar Fernandez Bellon, who vividly explained on-site the geological outcrops, providing deep insights into the geological development of the region.
Throughout the day, the group was repeatedly offered impressive views of geological outcrops.
Im Verlauf des Tages boten sich der Gruppe mehrfach eindrucksvolle Einblicke in geologische Aufschlüsse.
This trip was a unique opportunity to combine professional development with shared experiences. It brought the team much closer together, not only regarding geological knowledge but also on a personal level.
The Basel office gained many valuable experiences from these professional development days.
