How 800 Million Pounds of Himalayan Salt Are Mined Each Year | Big Business | Business Insider
TLDRHimalayan pink salt, despite its name, is actually mined in Pakistan's Khewra Salt Mine, the world's second-largest salt mine. This salt, originating from ancient seabeds and crystallized 600 million years ago, has gained popularity for its pink color and purported health benefits. The mining process is labor-intensive, with miners using traditional tools and working in harsh conditions. Despite the salt's high market value, especially in Western countries, the miners earn relatively low wages. The salt is used in various products, from table salt to decorative items and lamps, with some claiming it has healing properties, although these claims lack scientific evidence. The salt trade has been a point of contention, especially with India, leading to a ban on salt exports to India in 2019 to redirect profits to Pakistan. However, this move has also affected local exporters who struggle to meet international standards.
Takeaways
- 📍 Himalayan salt is actually mined in Pakistan, not the Himalayas, and is 186 miles away from the mountain range.
- 🎨 The salt's popularity surged due to its pink color and purported health benefits, leading to its use in various products like lamps and statues.
- 🌍 The Khewra Salt Mine in Pakistan's Punjab region is the second largest salt mine in the world, producing a significant portion of the world's pink salt.
- ⏳ The pink salt is derived from ancient seabeds that crystallized approximately 600 million years ago.
- 🐎 A legendary story attributes the discovery of salt rocks to Alexander the Great's horse, which is said to have stopped to lick the rocks.
- 🇬🇧 British rule in the 1870s saw an increase in salt mining activities at the site.
- 🚂 Miners use a train to travel deep into the mountain, where tunnels extend for 25 miles and maintain a consistent temperature of 64 degrees Fahrenheit.
- 🔍 Only half of the mountain's salt is extracted; the rest is left for structural integrity to prevent chamber collapses.
- 💰 Historically, Pakistan exported raw pink salt to India at low prices, where it was processed and sold back at a premium in Europe.
- 🚫 In 2019, Pakistan banned salt exports to India to retain profits domestically, which led to some Pakistani exporters facing challenges due to language barriers and strict European import standards.
- 🌐 Despite the ban and increased domestic production, the miners' wages have remained relatively low, with many earning less than $20 per day.
- 📈 The demand for pink Himalayan salt has grown internationally, particularly in Western countries, driven by its alleged health benefits, even though nutritionally it's similar to regular salt.
Q & A
Where is the Himalayan salt actually mined?
-Himalayan salt is not mined in the Himalayas but rather 186 miles away in Pakistan.
What is the reason behind the popularity of Himalayan pink salt since the late 2000s?
-The popularity of Himalayan pink salt is due to its distinctive pink hue and the supposed health benefits it offers.
What is the significance of the Khewra Salt Mine in Pakistan?
-The Khewra Salt Mine in the Punjab region of Pakistan is the second largest salt mine in the world and produces the majority of the world's pink salt.
How old are the remnants of ancient seabeds that give the pink salt its color?
-The pink salt comes from remnants of ancient seabeds that crystallized approximately 600 million years ago.
What is the origin of the legend about the discovery of the salt rocks?
-The legend has it that Alexander the Great's horse first discovered the salt rocks when it stopped to take a lick.
What was the impact of British rule on salt mining in the 1870s?
-Under British rule, salt mining in the Khewra Salt Mine ramped up significantly in the 1870s.
What is the temperature inside the Khewra Salt Mine and how long do miners typically work underground?
-The temperature inside the Khewra Salt Mine is always 64 degrees Fahrenheit, and miners typically spend eight hours underground at a time.
What is the daily output of salt from the Khewra Salt Mine?
-Miners excavate over 1,000 tons of salt each day, which is about the weight of 157 elephants.
Why is only half of the mountain's salt actually mined?
-Only half of the mountain's salt is mined, with the rest used for structural support to prevent the chambers from collapsing.
How does the export ban on salt to India affect the Pakistani salt industry?
-The Pakistani government banned all salt exports to India in 2019 with the goal of returning profits to Pakistan. However, this also led to challenges for some Pakistani salt exporters who couldn't meet Europe's import standards or communicate effectively due to language barriers.
What is the economic impact of the false health claims associated with Himalayan salt?
-False health claims have driven up the price of Himalayan salt, which can cost up to 20 times the price of normal table salt. However, the money does not always make it back to the miners, who earn a relatively low wage.
What is the estimated remaining amount of salt in the Khewra Salt Mine?
-It is estimated that only about 220 million tons of salt have been excavated from the Khewra Salt Mine, with nearly 6.7 billion tons still remaining.
Outlines
🏞️ Origin and Extraction of Himalayan Pink Salt
The paragraph reveals that Himalayan pink salt is actually mined in Pakistan, not the Himalayas, and has gained popularity for its color and purported health benefits. The Khewra Salt Mine, the second largest in the world, is where the salt is extracted from ancient seabed remnants. The mining process involves descending into caves, blasting, and carrying heavy rocks. The mine operates as both a tourist attraction and a producer of the world's pink salt. Miners use traditional tools and work in 25-mile long tunnels at a constant temperature of 64 degrees. The mined salt is used for various products, including lamps and statues, and is also processed into table salt. Despite the increase in demand, only a portion of the mountain's salt is mined to maintain structural integrity. The mined blocks are selected for quality and sent to manufacturers across Pakistan.
📈 The Business and Impact of Pink Salt Exports
This paragraph discusses the economic aspect of pink salt, highlighting the historical export to India and the subsequent low profits for Pakistan. It details how a social media campaign and government intervention led to a ban on salt exports to India, aiming to increase domestic profits. However, this move affected some Pakistani exporters who couldn't meet European import standards or lacked the language skills to market their products. Despite this, a few exporters capitalized on the opportunity to sell directly to Europe. The narrative also includes Muhammad's story, who purchases salt blocks to create various products, most of which are handmade. RM Salt Pakistan, another company, processes the salt into table salt and specialty products, including lamps. The paragraph also touches on the skepticism around the health benefits of pink salt, which are largely similar to regular salt nutritionally and in taste. It concludes with the reality of the miners' low wages and the vast reserves of salt in the Khewra mine, which is unlikely to deplete soon.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Himalayan Salt
💡Khewra Salt Mine
💡Ancient Seabeds
💡Salt Mining
💡Salt Exports
💡Salt Processing
💡Health Benefits
💡Homeopathic Remedies
💡Economic Impact
💡Salt Lamps
💡Miners' Wages
💡Salt Reserves
Highlights
Himalayan salt is actually mined in Pakistan, not the Himalayas.
The pink hue and supposed health benefits have led to its popularity since the late 2000s.
The Khewra Salt Mine is the second largest salt mine in the world.
The pink salt originates from ancient seabeds that crystallized 600 million years ago.
Alexander the Great's horse is said to have discovered the salt rocks.
Salt mining in the mine increased under British rule in the 1870s.
The mine is both a popular tourist destination and a producer of most of the world's pink salt.
Miners use traditional tools like pickaxes, hand drills, and gunpowder.
Each day, over 1,000 tons of salt are excavated, equivalent to the weight of 157 elephants.
Historically, Pakistan exported much of its raw pink salt to India, which then sold it at a higher price.
In 2019, Pakistan banned all salt exports to India to keep profits within the country.
Some Pakistani salt exporters faced challenges due to language barriers and European import standards.
Muhammad's company, Himalayan Decor International, creates over 200 different products from the salt blocks.
RM Salt Pakistan grinds up blocks into table salt and manufactures specialty products like lamps.
Despite the alleged health benefits, Himalayan salt is nutritionally similar to regular salt.
False health claims have driven up the price of Himalayan salt, which can cost 20 times more than normal table salt.
Miners earn a daily wage of less than 1,500 rupees, which has not significantly increased despite growing demand.
The Khewra Salt Mine has an estimated 6.7 billion tons of salt remaining, indicating a long-term supply.
Transcripts
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