Sea salt is harvested through a natural process called solar evaporation.
The Solar Evaporation Method
The primary method of harvesting sea salt is through solar evaporation, which takes advantage of the sun's heat to evaporate seawater, leaving behind the salt crystals. Here’s how it works:
- Seawater Collection: Large, shallow ponds, called salt ponds or pans, are filled with seawater.
- Evaporation: The sun's heat naturally evaporates the water over time. As the water evaporates, the salt concentration increases.
- Crystallization: Once the water has evaporated enough, salt crystals begin to form and settle at the bottom of the ponds.
- Harvesting: According to the reference, these salt crystals are then harvested and moved to a washing area. After being washed for the first time, trucks transport the salt to a pile where it will air dry naturally until ready for processing, packaging, and distribution.
Step-by-Step Breakdown
- Pond Preparation: Salt ponds are specifically designed to maximize solar exposure and minimize water seepage into the ground.
- Initial Fill: Seawater is pumped into these prepared ponds.
- Water Reduction: Over several weeks or months, the sun's heat causes the water to gradually evaporate, increasing the salinity of the remaining liquid.
- Salt Crystal Formation: As water evaporates, the concentration of salt becomes so high that salt crystals begin to precipitate out of the solution and accumulate at the bottom of the pond.
- Initial Harvesting: Once a significant amount of salt has crystallized, it’s initially harvested.
- Washing & Drying: As mentioned in the provided reference, the salt crystals are washed and then moved to drying piles, where they will continue to dry naturally.
- Processing & Packaging: Finally, the dried salt undergoes processing and packaging for distribution to consumers.
Conclusion
The process is simple, relying on the natural power of the sun and the sea, and the time it takes allows for large amounts of salt to be harvested.
