ROCK SALT

Himalayan salt is rock salt or halite from a mine in the Punjab region of Pakistan, which rises from the Indo-Gangetic Plain. It is mined in the Khewra Salt Mine, located in Khewra, Jhelum District, Punjab region, Pakistan. The foothills of the Salt Range are located 190 miles (310 km) from the Himalayas, 185 miles (298 km) from Amritsar, India and 160 miles (260 km) from Lahore, Pakistan. The salt sometimes occurs in a reddish or pink color, with some crystals having an off-white to transparent color.



MINERAL COMPOSITION

Himalayan salt is predominantly sodium chloride (95-98%), contaminated with 2–3% polyhalite and small amounts of ten other minerals. The pink color is due to the presence of iron oxide.

USES

It is commonly used in cooking, in place of other table salt, in brine, and for bath products such as bath salts. Blocks of salt are also used as serving dishes and in the preparation of food. Fish and some meats can be preserved for use in certain dishes, and blocks of salt can be slowly heated to a temperature of around 200 °C (400 °F) and used as a cooking surface thereafter It is also widely used in Chemical and Textile Industries. It is also used as de-icing agent in number of countries, especially in European Countries.