Food - Drink
The Pakistani Mine Most Of The World's Pink Himalayan Salt Comes From
By JESSIE MOLLOY
An Ancient Mine
Near the Himalayan mountains in Pakistan are the Khewra Salt Mines where much of the world’s pink salt is mined. The salt is a residue of ancient seas that left behind mineral-rich deposits, and today, four hundred thousand tons of pink salt is mined each year from tunnels that stretch 25 miles deep over 17 levels of operation.
Tourism
Aside from providing much of the world's pink salt, the Khewra Salt Mines have become a notable tourist attraction. Since only about 50% of the salt can be removed to prevent collapsing, the rest has been carved as a makeshift support system, leading to some interesting designs like a mosque, a crossable bridge, and a post office.
Pakistani Pride
Despite coming from Pakistan, pink salt is rarely labeled as Pakistani because Indian exporters claim it as a product of India after it is processed in their country. When this became known in 2019, it started a media frenzy in Pakistan, and local politicians moved to trademark the mineral as a product of Pakistan.