The Khewra Salt Mine is located in Punjab, Pakistan. This salt mine may well claim the title of wonders of the world. A visit to this mine, also known as the city of Khevra, will delight people who love to explore nature.
The Khewra Salt Mine is one of six Himalayan salt mines located at the foot of the Himalayan salt mountains. . All these mines have a special place in the world of salt mining, but the Khewra salt mine surpasses them all.
Currently, the Khewra Salt Mine is the only salt mine where salt is mined .
A quick look at history
The history of Himalayan salt is very rich. Remember the great ruler Alexander, who is famous for conquering half the world? Well, he is allegedly behind the discovery of the Himalaya salt range in Pakistan .
It is said that around 326 B.C. Alexander was passing through this region and stopped to rest for a while. One of the soldiers noticed that the detachment’s horses were licking stones near the resting place. He tried it himself and found that the stones were salty. This is how Himalayan salt was discovered .
Over the years, the extraction of salt and its use has undergone many changes and has been passed down from ruler to ruler.
The last notable advance in the method of extracting salt was made during the British rule, when the scientist invented the technique of dooms and pillars. This ensures that the structure and stability of the salt mines will not be disturbed by unimpeded salt mining.
The salt mines have endured some very dark days of oppression. Poor workers during the British rule were locked in the tunnels until they met a set quota of salt per day. The rules applied to everyone, regardless of age, gender, or health status. 12 protesting miners were brutally shot at the entrance to the salt mine. Their graves can be seen in the middle of the mine gate.
One of the interesting facts is that Himalayan mountain salt was used as a currency in ancient times.
Know your way
There are two ways to get to this salt mountain. . The wise approach would be to use one route to get to the mines and the other to return home. You can use the Khevra Salt Mines Map to get help.
The route on the GT road (great highway) is slower but scenic.
Another route on the M2 motorway is safer and faster.
Since the Khewra Salt Mine is a major tourist attraction, hosting around 250,000 tourists annually, the road signs leading to the mines are clearly visible.
Facts about the salt mine in numbers
The geology of salt mines is a very broad topic. According to the figures, pink rock salt , mined from the Chevra salt mine, contains 98% halite and is thought to be as old as Precambrian times.
The salt mine contains about 82 million metric tons of Himalayan rock salt, of which 0.35 million tons are mined annually.
The salt mine has a total of 12 levels where mining takes place, of which 6 are below the surface.
The Khewra salt mine tunnel alone is 40 km deep. However, there is a small area specially designed for tourists, developed in 1914.
One of the most interesting things about the Khewra Salt Mine is the 6-bed hospital for people with asthma. People can spend 8-10 hours a day in the hospital for a 10-day stay. This hospital is located on level 5.
Near the salt mines there are 25-30 salt processing plants. Usually these objects are owned by people who have leased areas of salt mines. Pink Himalayan rock salt, mined by hand, is processed and sorted here.
About 70 percent of the mined rock salt goes to industrial use. The remaining 30 percent are considered edible.
Himalayan rock salt crystals come in a variety of colors , ranging from beetroot to subtle shades of orange and clear. Pink rock salt is on the list of premium natural rock salt and has the highest price.
The temperature in the Khewra salt mines remains constant at 18 degrees Celsius all year round.
A Brief Overview of the Khevra Salt Mine
The magnificent views waiting inside the Khewra salt mines are enough to attract visitors time and time again.
Inside the Khevra Mine, visitors are passed by a single-track electric train. The train is old but works well.
The salt mine has several salt water pools that emit beautiful colors when light is projected. The view is amazing.
Inside the salt mine there is a tunnel called the Crystal Valley. There are pink salt crystals on the roof and walls , which glow when light hits them.
Khevra Salt Mine Development
Over the years, the Khewra Salt Mine has done a lot to attract tourists visiting the site. There are replicas of the Badshahi Masjid, the Great Wall of China and a model of the Mall Road in Lahore and Minar-e-Pakistan. These reproduced monuments are illuminated giving a beautiful warm glow.
The salt mine is home to a 75 meter high assembly hall with a proper staircase leading up the wall. There is also a 25-meter bridge called Pul-e-Saraat.
In nature, beautiful salt crystals are found. These are the results of stalactites and stalagmites.
In case you are tired after walking through the Khewra salt mine, you can take a break in the restaurant and buy a rock salt lamp from the gift shop.
Last but not least, the Khevra Salt Mine has its own post office. This post office is used by workers working inside the mine.
There are currently more than 400 workers in the Khewra salt mine.
Some Health Facts
Pakistani rock salt has also found medical uses. Many studies have proven that Himalayan rock salt is extremely beneficial for various health problems.
A crystal mountain lamp purifies the air of impurities.
Natural rock salt contains 84 trace elements vital for the functioning of the human body.
The Khewra Salt Mines is a must-see place in Pakistan.
