According to local legend, it was none other than the exalted historical figure Alexander the Great (356-323 BCE) who discovered pink salt, otherwise known as Himalayan salt, when he noticed his horses licking the salt on the ground. However, the first records of mining are actually from the 13th century, and Himalayan salt is, in fact, mined from the Punjab region of Pakistan - more than 300 kilometres from the closest point in the Himalayan mountain range.
Formed around 550 million years ago, these lucrative salt deposits are much like any other salt in terms of basic composition. But why exactly is this salt pink? The answer lies mainly in its high iron oxide content, which results in a distinctive rose-coloured hue. Analysis of samples of Himalayan salt has also revealed trace amounts of calcium, iron, copper, zinc, chromium, magnesium, potassium and sulphate, though all at safe levels below one percent.
This story is from the AG 160 edition of ASIAN Geographic.
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This story is from the AG 160 edition of ASIAN Geographic.
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