Today’s Himalayan salt is primarily mined from the famous Khewra Salt Mine in the Himalayan Mountain Salt Range located just north of Pakistan. How did this unique rock come to form there? The history of Himalayan salt is as old as life itself. Here are a few unique features that are known about the history of Himalayan salt.
- 8 Million Years Old – Geologists estimate that the great salt range of the Himalayas dates back more than 8 million years, when the presence of multi-celled organisms had just begun.
Tectonic Plate Origination – Tectonic plates (slabs of solid rock that make up the different continents on earth) are credited with the creation of many mountain ranges. They are also believed to have formed the Himalayan salt range by trapping an underground sea between the two plates, eventually causing the water to dehydrate and the salt to remain.- 1849 Dig & Build – In 1849, the salt range was explored further by British explorers, providing better access to the public and allowing more extensive research on the development of what would become the current salt mines.
- Vast Potential– The Himalayan salt range is visited by more than 250,000 people each year and covers more than 43 square miles. It is estimated that there are still more than 80-600 million tons of Himalayan salt in the mines yet to be excavated.
- Protection – Miners and visitors alike have great respect for the salt range and prefer to protect and appreciate this unique commodity rather than exploit it for financial gain.
Today, Himalayan salt can be added as a seasoning to food and may be used individually for a variety of medicinal purposes.
At Himalayan Hideaway Salt Cave, our salt is shipped to us over the sea and will be carefully added to our salt cave, so you can enjoy the beauty of the Himalayas, without ever leaving the city.