Description:
Another way to obtain salt, other than through mining, is through extraction. Another term for this method of obtaining salt is solution mining. Wells are used to inject water onto salt beds or salt domes in order to dissolve the salt. The salt solution is then pumped out and sent to a plant for evaporation. The solution is filtered to remove any minerals. It is then boiled until only the salt remains. Once the salt is dried and refined, iodine and an anti-clumping agent is added. This is how most table salt is made.
Source: Photograph by Randy Schaetzl, Professor of Geography – Michigan State University
Environmental Impact:
This process is one of the most environmentally friendly processes when it comes to obtaining salt. It does an insufficient amount of damage to the environment. Using this process instead of mining would reduce the negative impact the salt industry has on the environment considerably.