Pink Himalayan salt can be found at virtually every salt provider. It is one of the most highly desired forms of natural salt available and is often sought after for its delectable flavor. This pinkish-brown rock salt is mined primarily in the foothills of the Himalayan Mountains in India. The pinkish color is produced through the accumulation of airborne pollutants dissolved in the water.
Pink Himalayan salt is highly concentrated, making it expensive to mine. However, salt does have many other uses beyond the food industry. It is often used for decorating purposes, as well as for spa treatment. The salt is mined by many Himalayan salt lamps, which are custom-designed lamps that draw their power from the natural healing properties found within the rocks.
As a result of the increased demand for Himalayan pink salt, the mineral richness of the product has been enhanced and modern mining methods have been developed. Today, Himalayan salt comes in two different forms are natural/artificial and mechanical. Natural/artificial Himalayan salt consists of pure mineral forms mined primarily in the Himalayan Mountains. Mechanical salt comes from natural deposits in Pakistan and India. These salts can often be purchased in stores where Himalayan salt lamps are sold.
Artificial Himalayan salt is manufactured by the addition of trace minerals extracted from gypsum and potassium hydrochloride to an aluminum oxide crystal structure, producing a white, translucent crystal known as Himalayan pink salt (or Himalayan salt). The artificial form of the mineral is denser than natural Himalayan salt and therefore harder and less flexible. This salt can be used for table salt and other cooking purposes as well as being an important component of many scientific experiments.
Since the advent of artificial salts, there have been attempts to mine natural Himalayan salts available in Pakistan and India. These salts are now easier to obtain due to advances in mining technology. However, the price of this type of Himalayan pink salt is still far too expensive for most ordinary consumers.
Despite all the progress mining has made, it is undeniable that the Himalayan salt industry remains largely untapped. One reason for the shortage of this mineral in the west is the difficulty of finding the right place to extract it from. Pakistan and India are both mountainous regions, making access to the mines in either country extremely difficult. Another reason for the lack of mining activity is the fact that the mineral is formed below the surface of the ground and has to be pumped out via very long underground pipes. These pipes are difficult to construct, making the extraction process extremely expensive.
The availability of Himalayan pink salt has increased dramatically over the past century. The area was sparsely populated when the first people began to use the mineral for food and medicine thousands of years ago. Today, due to the extremely high cost of shipping the salt in and out of the country, the limited quantities available for sale have caused a price increase.
The best way to get this mineral is to purchase it from online retailers who sell Himalayan salt in bulk. This allows you to save both time and money as most bulk purchase retailers allow you to make several identical purchases of varying weights at different prices. This allows you to buy in bulk and spread the cost of the salt evenly amongst your many purchases. Purchasing online also ensures that you will receive the product that you pay for. The most natural and artificial salts will not be shipped with your purchase, as they will not be used, and are simply included for display purposes only.