How rock salt is mined
The world's largest underground salt mine sits half a kilometer under Lake Huron.
- stations
- 3
- things downstream
- 447
The short version
Rock salt is the mineral halite, left behind in thick beds when ancient seas and lakes dried up. Miners drill and blast rooms in the bed, leaving pillars of salt to hold up the roof. Machines load and haul the broken salt to the surface, where it is crushed and screened.
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Drill into the bed
Salt beds can be hundreds of meters thick. Shafts are sunk into them, and drills bore holes along the face of the salt.
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Blast the rooms
Explosives break the salt face into chunks, and loaders haul it away. Pillars of untouched salt are left standing between the rooms to hold the roof up.
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Crush and screen
Hoisted to the surface, the salt is crushed and screened into sizes for de-icing roads, for chemical plants and for further refining.
Worth repeating
- The earliest found salt mine, at Hallstatt in Austria, was mining salt from 5000 BC.
- Ancient Chinese diggers found natural gas while excavating rock salt.
- The Sifto mine's rooms are cut by the room and pillar method, leaving salt pillars to hold the roof up.
Where it goes next
Rock salt feeds 9 lines directly and reaches 447 things in total.
Further down the line
Kitchen spongeLaundry detergentWindow glassGlass bottleSmartphone cover glassGlass marbleInstant noodlesStained glassNitrile gloveAspirinPretzelButterCheeseMargarineMayonnaiseKetchupMustardSoy saucePeanut butterBreadCroissantCorn flakesPotato chipsMicrowave popcornHot dogBaconCanned tunaChicken nuggetsCream cheeseMozzarellaParmesanCheddarOat milkHot sauceJarred salsaPicklesSauerkrautKimchiBagelBaguetteSourdough breadCrackersImitation crabSausageSalamiHamBeef jerkyCanned meatModeling compoundCaramelCake mixDish soapSparkling waterFrozen pizzaFire extinguisherMechanical wristwatchBaseballBasketballIce skatesTennis racketAmerican footballSaxophoneLeather glovesLeather beltLeather handbagLeather walletHiking bootsHigh heelsDigital cameraLeather shoePrinted circuit boardWind turbineSurfboardSkiSnowboardFishing rodKiteAsphalt shingleVinyl flooringCanoeSailboatUmbrellaLithium-ion cellHip implantHard driveSafety pinRazor bladeFaucetTurbine bladeToasterDumbbellHeart stentWrenchDigital thermometerLCD screenOLED screenCamera sensorSolar panelMicrowave ovenOptical fiberEyeglass lensSunglassesIncandescent light bulbGlass jarWater heaterBowling ballSnow globeCeramic floor tileNeon signSmartwatchE-readerMirrorSkyscraperWindshieldDouble-glazed windowNail polishPerfumePenicillinInsulinmRNA vaccineColaBeerWineChampagneWhiskeyVodkaGinRumTequilaSakeHard ciderSodaRoot beerKombuchaTonic waterBourbonScotch whiskyCognacMezcalMeadPort wineProseccoNon-alcoholic beerSmartphoneCredit cardPlastic wrapDishwasherGarden hoseVolleyballYoga matAction figureFashion dollDesk globeInflatable pool toyChain-link fencePVC pipePower cableSmoke detectorFlip-flopsUSB cableVinyl recordLED light bulbCamera droneBike helmetBlenderHard-shell suitcaseWireless earbudsPhone chargerCamera lensCompact discVideo game consoleElectric motorRebarAluminum canAirlinerProsthetic legLoudspeakerAdhesive bandagePacemakerRefrigeratorCarSkateboardGolf ballSoccer ballHardwood flooringSofaOffice chairRoller skatesWheelchairUnderwearLeggingsSwimsuitRaincoatBackpackSneakerMattressNonstick panBrake padToothpasteSunscreenLipstickPaintCrayonEraserCandy-coated chocolateFoundation makeupJet engineDrill bitMicrochipLEDSewing needleGold ringFountain penGold barOlympic-style medalDeodorantAir conditionerAsthma inhalerChewing gumCough syrupGelatin capsuleLaminate flooringSpark plugSanitary padDisposable diaperBanknoteToilet paperFacial tissueTamponToffeeFish sticksHearing aidElectric car batteryLaptopTelevisionSolid-state driveComputer keyboardComputer mouseWashing machineSatelliteElectric carAirbagOrbital rocketLocomotiveMotorcycleElevatorCeiling fanTreadmillPinball machineWi-Fi routerInkjet printerGraphics cardRemote controlElectric toothbrushSyringeElectric kettleKitchen knifeStainless steel forkVacuum flaskStainless steel water bottlePressure cookerGolf clubSubway trainEyeglass frameJamHazelnut spreadAluminum window frameAir freshenerHairsprayAA batteryCandy caneDuct tapePencilNailFiberglass insulationAcoustic guitarPianoViolinDrum kitTennis ballPaper strawPaper bagPizza boxWooden chairWooden doorClear adhesive tapeStapleCricket batDartboardChess setBoard gameJigsaw puzzleUkuleleCelloDrumstickCotton swabDress shirtTailored suitMicrophoneCardboard boxBookEnvelopeSticky notesPlaying cardsMatchBaseball capCarpetVacuum cleanerEnergy drinkLight beerInsect repellentPlastic bagTin canRubik's CubeBallpoint penPaper cupWallpaperMarker penHighlighterFlying discTrading cardsFlagNewspaperT-shirtScissorsContainer shipShipping containerBicycleBilliard ballDiceDie-cast toy carCoil springHammerWheelbarrowGas cylinderSuspension bridge cableToothbrushMascaraLEGO brickBlackboard chalkSprinklesPlastic strawPrinter tonerEyeshadowBath towelCondomContact lensWine corkSolar cellAluminum foilCar engineYo-yoAluminum ladderZipperN95 maskShoelaceDrywallFireworksEgg cartonHair dyePaperclipDonutCotton candyCandleZip-top bagPillowMouthwashLight switchCondensed milkBaby formulaCoconut milkCanned soupPadlock3D printer filamentHeadphonesHarmonicaMemory chipTireElectric guitarTrumpetGuitar stringDoor hingeKeyPower outletDown jacketJeansSaw blade
Keep walking
Sources
Cite this page: "How rock salt is mined." Assembly Line, 2026-11-03. https://assemblyline.org/make/rock-salt