Himalayan pink salt is sold in kitchens, spas and gift shops all over the world — but it comes from just one region on earth: the Salt Range in Punjab, Pakistan. Here is the story of where this famous salt comes from, why it is pink, how it gets from deep inside a mountain to your table, and how to make sure the pink salt you buy is the real thing.
The Salt Range: Pakistan's mountain of salt
The Salt Range is a chain of hills that runs for roughly 300 km across northern Punjab, between the Jhelum and Indus rivers. Beneath it lie some of the largest and oldest rock salt deposits in the world. The most famous mine here, at Khewra, is one of the oldest salt mines still in use anywhere and has been worked for centuries. Local legend says the salt was discovered when the horses of Alexander the Great's army were seen licking the rocks.
The salt is called "Himalayan" because the Salt Range sits in the foothills of the wider Himalayan mountain system — but every genuine crystal of Himalayan pink salt is mined in Pakistan.
How the salt formed
Hundreds of millions of years ago, this region was covered by an ancient shallow sea. As the water slowly evaporated, it left behind thick layers of salt. Over time those layers were buried under rock and sealed away, and later pushed upwards by the same movements of the earth's crust that raised the Himalayas. Because it has been protected deep underground for so long, the salt is naturally unrefined.
Why is Himalayan salt pink?
Pure salt (sodium chloride) is colourless. Himalayan salt gets its pink, orange and red tones from small amounts of iron oxide and other trace minerals trapped in the crystal as it formed. The amount varies from layer to layer, which is why the same mine can produce pale white, soft pink and deep rose-red salt. White salt from the Salt Range is the same natural rock salt with fewer of these mineral traces.
It is worth being honest about the minerals: Himalayan pink salt is still around 95–98% sodium chloride, and the trace minerals are present in very small amounts. People choose it mainly for its natural, unrefined character, its clean taste and its beautiful colour.
How Himalayan salt is mined
Most Salt Range mines use the traditional room-and-pillar method: miners cut chambers into the salt seam and leave large pillars of salt standing to support the roof, so the mine remains stable. Blocks and chunks are brought out of the mine and then sorted by hand — by colour, clarity and size — before any processing begins.
From rock to finished product
- Edible salt is cleaned and crushed into fine grains for everyday cooking or coarse grains for grinders, then packed in pouches and jars.
- Large, solid blocks are cut into cooking plates, serving plates, bowls and mortars.
- Translucent chunks are carved and drilled into salt lamps, night lights and décor pieces.
- Dense natural rock becomes mineral salt licks for horses, cattle and deer.
How to tell if pink salt is genuine
- The colour is uneven. Real pink salt has a mix of white, pink and deeper red crystals. A perfectly uniform bright pink can be a sign of added colouring.
- It dissolves clear. Stir a spoonful into a glass of water. Genuine salt dissolves into clear water and may leave a tiny trace of sediment; dye will tint the water pink.
- It tastes clean and salty — without bitterness or a chemical aftertaste.
- The supplier knows the source. A trustworthy seller can tell you the salt comes from the Salt Range in Pakistan.
Frequently asked questions
Is Himalayan salt really from the Himalayas?
It comes from the Salt Range in Punjab, Pakistan, which lies at the foothills of the greater Himalayan region. The name refers to that region, not to the high Himalayan peaks.
Is pink salt healthier than table salt?
Both are mostly sodium chloride and should be used in moderation. Pink salt is less processed and usually has no added anti-caking agents, but it typically contains little or no added iodine, which table salt often provides. If you rely on salt for iodine, keep that in mind.
What is the difference between pink and white Himalayan salt?
They come from the same deposits. Pink salt contains more iron-rich trace minerals, which give it colour; white salt has fewer.
Straight from the source
Punjmin works with salt from Pakistan's Salt Range and turns it into kitchen salt, cookware, lamps, wellness products and animal licks for customers across Pakistan and around the world. Explore our Himalayan salt products, or get in touch about wholesale, export and private-label orders.