Himalayan pink salt has been used for thousands of years in the Himalayan region of Nepal and Tibet. It is mined from mountain springs that are situated in remote mountain villages. This has created an area known as the Himalayan salt mines.
These salt mines are located in a narrow gorge known as the Peripheral Salt Flats. The ore comes from the cold and arid valleys where the mountains rise from the fertile valley floor. During the early stages of mining, the miners carved the salt into blocks to produce a high-quality product. Some miners would dig down to 200 feet, where they would begin processing the ore into blocks.
As the miners work on these steep and rocky slopes, they need to protect themselves from the extreme cold and elements. They would often wear thick boots made from buffalo hide and use sheepskin coats or kilts to keep warm. They would also use hemp ropes to tie their miner's harness around their waists.
Because miners are located far away from civilization, they rely on water-powered pumps and electrically powered drills to dig deeper and reach more deposits. It takes many hours for the miners to produce enough salt to sell in regular markets.
Before the advent of the Himalayan salt industry, his/herb industrialization was being carried out in Tibet. All the salt mine operations were originally centered in the Thimphu and Retsamunda regions of Tibet. At this time, it was not an easy task to extract the ore from the mountainside and ship it to towns.
In order to accomplish this feat, the salt would need to be hauled up the mountain using horses and yaks, or canoes, and then it would need to be dried before it could be shipped. The hot sun and temperatures made the labor difficult and the mining equipment necessary to use high-powered drills. Finally, it became possible to use technology to power machinery.
Mining companies began installing high-tech equipment that allowed miners to dig as deep as they wanted. A miner can now excavate up to 500 feet per day without damaging the fresh rock formations. There are also mining shafts and elevated platforms where the ore can be extracted safely.
The modern Himalayan pink salt industry also uses more advanced equipment that is more efficient and robust. Some of the best modern machinery can remove the rock without the use of bulldozers. Using this method, salt can be easily extracted.
In order to extract more salt, modern machines are equipped with hydraulic lifts and self-recovery systems. Another feature that makes the machines more efficient is the recycling of waste materials. Waste salt is regularly re-used by these machines and in some cases, even more, salt is collected by the machines to be sent back to the mines.
The mining of salt has helped improve the surrounding area by creating jobs and providing income to the surrounding villages. Local schools are now being utilized to create better health care facilities for the rural population. The government has established a Regional Authority for Himalayan Salt Development to promote the development of the economy and boost tourism in the region.
Mining of the salt can take place only at certain times, and the miners have to make sure that they complete their work and return the ore to the mine. There are also limitations on how deep the salt can be drilled and the amount of material that can be extracted in a single operation.
Mining of salt ore is a highly dangerous job because the miners must have endurance and mental strength to overcome the harsh weather conditions that the miners face while operating the mining equipment. If you plan to do the mining of salt, be sure to obtain a guide to avoid any accidents during the mining process.