Salt is one of the most common and yet most controversial substances on Earth. You can’t really live without it, but too much of it might kill you. It used to be very expensive, now it’s really cheap, and most of it is used for industrial purposes. It’s in the foods we eat, in the planetary oceans, and in us… but where does it come from?
Salt is actually a mineral that comprises sodium and chloride (NaCl). In its natural form, it’s called rock salt or halite. In its most familiar form, salt is a white crystalline substance that is soluble in water. There are actually multiple types of salts — calcium chloride or copper sulfate are just to examples. We just call this one “salt” because it’s by far the most widely used one.
The history of salt intertwines with the development of civilizations due to its value in food preservation before refrigeration. Ancient trade routes were heavily influenced by salt. The Via Salaria, an essential Roman road, was originally a path for transporting salt. Similarly, across the globe, the Sahara Desert saw caravans traversing what would famously be known as “salt roads,” trading gold from sub-Saharan Africa for the precious “white gold.”
Industrially, salt plays an important role vast array of products, from the manufacturing of chlorine and caustic soda to the production of plastics and textiles. Biologically, salt is essential for the proper functioning of cells and the nervous system.
Salt is extremely important for the alimentation of all mammals, including humans. Not having enough sodium in your blood can lead to a number of negative symptoms, including headaches, dizziness, and even heart problems. This is unlikely to be a problem in the modern world, but was quite a challenge in the past.
This is why salt has been a prized possession since before the Antiquity.
Roman soldiers were actually sometimes paid in salt — this is where the word ‘salary’ comes from. For the Romans, which had a large empire, ensuring salt distribution throughout the land was essential. Salt deposits were cherished and defended fiercely.
For the coastal countries, the resource was accessible by boiling the oceanic water — open ocean has about 35 grams (1.2 oz) of solids per litre, a salinity of 3.5%. But for continental countries, salt is a scarce commodity. Civilizations fought wars over salt, as strange as that may sound now. It was a rare and highly valued resource.
But today, we don’t value salt almost at all! We just eat it, without giving it much thought… but where does out salt come from?
The methods of extracting salt in ancient times were as diverse as the cultures that valued it. One of the oldest methods, still in use today, is solar evaporation. This process involves allowing seawater to flow into shallow ponds, where the sun and wind evaporate the water, leaving behind salt crystals. This technique is still used in places like the picturesque salt pans scattered around the Mediterranean, which have been in operation since the Roman era.
The major source of salt today is seawater – seawater is basically an inexhaustible sourface of salt. There are two main techniques to extracting salt from seawater, and you can also mine salt from the depths of the Earth. The main ways of obtaining salt are:
Fast forward to today, and the extraction of salt has become more sophisticated. The most common modern method is vacuum evaporation, which involves pumping water into underground salt beds to create brine. This brine is then brought to the surface and heated in vacuum pans to rapidly evaporate the water, leaving behind pure salt. This method is efficient and allows for the production of salt with specific grain sizes and purity levels.
Sustainability in salt extraction has also become a focus. Efforts are being made to reduce the environmental impact of salt production, such as minimizing land use and water consumption and managing the biodiversity of surrounding areas.
There’s also more than just one type of salt. For instance, Himalayan pink salt, mined from ancient sea beds in Pakistan, is known for its pink color due to trace minerals. It’s often used in cooking and as a decorative element in kitchens.
Sea salt, harvested through the evaporation of seawater, is also a bit different than the salt mined from the earth. It retains trace minerals and elements, giving it a more complex flavor profile compared to table salt. It’s a favorite among chefs for finishing dishes.
Salt is more than just a flavor enhancer; it’s essential for human health. It helps regulate fluid balance and blood pressure in the body. However, its health impacts are a double-edged sword. While a certain amount of salt is necessary for bodily functions, excessive consumption can lead to health issues like hypertension and heart disease. This has led to dietary guidelines recommending moderation in salt intake.
In terms of which countries produce the most salt, China once again takes the crown, followed by India, Canada and Germany.
Interestingly enough though, we eat only 6% of the salt we produce, globally. Out of the rest, 12% is used in water conditioning processes, 8% goes for de-icing highways and 6% is used in agriculture. The rest (68%) is used for manufacturing and other industrial processes. PVC, plastics and paper pulp are all obtained with the use of salt.
From ancient grains to modern tables, the journey of salt is a testament to its enduring legacy and versatility. As we’ve explored, its extraction has evolved from simple pans and mines to sophisticated vacuum evaporation methods, mirroring humanity’s own technological progress. Salt’s story is not just about a condiment or a mineral; it’s about how a seemingly ordinary substance has been a constant, vital presence throughout human history, impacting our diets, economies, and industries. As we sprinkle salt on our next meal, let’s take a moment to appreciate this remarkable journey, from the depths of ancient oceans to our modern-day lives.
Aster: flower (not edible)
With its capacity to enhance flavour and mask bitterness, combined with its relative abundance and low cost, it should come as no surprise to learn that salt is the most commonly used seasoning across the globe.1
Surprisingly, however, despite being best known for its culinary uses, human consumption accounts for just 6% of the >250 million metric tonnes of salt that is used worldwide every year.2 Of the remaining 94%, a small proportion is used for softening water, de-icing roads and in agriculture, with the largest volume being used for industrial processes, including the manufacture of PVC, plastics and paper pulp.3,4
Our love of salt is far from being a modern phenomenon. It has been integral to societies for millennia, with the earliest record of salt usage dating back to before 2000 B.C.E. and production being recorded for the first time about 1000 years later. However, despite this age-old love for the mineral and its near-ubiquitous presence across the globe, few of us really know how salt is made and where it actually comes from.3
Common table salt is largely derived from salt brines. Speciality or gourmet salts will more often come from seawater evaporations, whereas the majority of salt produced through mining is industrially used.5,6
3.5% of the world''s oceans are salt. If shallow ponds or bays are left to evaporate and dry up naturally, salt crystals are left behind. The resulting crystals are harvested and, depending on the requirements, may simply be packaged, ready to be sold, or they may be subject to further rounds of processing such as washing, sifting and grading. This natural process is the oldest method of salt production, and whilst some salt is still produced according to ancient methods, new, faster and less expensive methods have been developed and are now more widely utilised.7,8
Modern Sea Salt Harvesting
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