Halite is the mineral name for naturally occurring rock salt (sodium chloride, NaCl). It forms in massive underground deposits left behind by the evaporation of ancient seas and lakes, and is found on every continent. Salt is arguably the most important seasoning in human history — essential for preserving food, enhancing flavour, and maintaining basic biological functions.
As a food product, halite encompasses a wide range of salts including mined rock salt, Himalayan pink salt (from the Khewra Salt Mine in Pakistan), and various regional rock salts. These differ from sea salt primarily in their method of extraction and trace mineral content, which can give them distinctive colours and subtle flavour differences.
In Australia, both locally produced and imported rock salts are widely available. Murray River salt flakes, while technically an evaporated brine product rather than mined halite, are a well-known Australian salt product. Pink Himalayan salt has become particularly popular in recent years.
How it's produced
Halite is extracted through two main methods: conventional mining and solution mining. In conventional mining, shafts are sunk into underground salt deposits — some hundreds of metres deep — and salt is broken up using drilling and blasting, then brought to the surface. Major salt mines operate in Pakistan, Poland, the United States, Germany, and many other countries.
In solution mining, water is pumped into a salt deposit to dissolve it, and the resulting brine is pumped to the surface and evaporated. Some salt is also harvested from surface salt flats and dried lake beds through solar evaporation. For food-grade salt, the mined product is crushed, screened to various grain sizes, and may be washed to remove impurities. Some products, like Himalayan pink salt, are marketed with minimal processing to retain trace minerals and colour.
What it costs the planet (per kilo)
≈ Estimated from its category — typical for salt & minerals, not measured for this item yet. Sources & methods →
What comes from this
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