Salt is by no means the basis of life, but it has long been an important component of it. Once it was even used as money. A person can do without salt if various meat products are included in his diet. But society still stubbornly makes a cult of it. Psychoanalyst E. Jones even wrote about this essay, calling the obsession with this substance sexual. Places where salt is mined in Russia, and today do not experience problems with overproduction. And this is despite the fact that since the end of the 20th century, NaCl has turned from a friend into an enemy, and the basis for a healthy diet has been refusal, or at least limiting its consumption.
The history of salt production in Russia
Development of deposits of sodium chloride began in the Iletsk Defense. The salt dome could go 1000 meters deep. In a Russian geographical composition dating back to 1672, a pool is mentioned on the Ilek River. More precise information about this deposit is contained in the records of Academician Pallas, who visited it in 1796. Initially, salt was mined directly from the surface or small pits were dug. At the end of the 19th century, special pits began to be made, however, sewage got there.
Therefore, in 1889, a mine for salt production was paved for the first time in Iletskaya Zashchita. Initially, convicted convicts worked here, with axes breaking out huge boulders in the light of kerosene lamps. Salt was transported to the lifting stand using horses reared underground. In 1906, the first case of flooding the mine occurred, because of the chains, most of the convicts were unable to escape.
Types of salt
In the Russian Federation, the old traditions of NaCl production, since the reserves of this substance are the largest in the world. If we consider the cities where salt is mined in Russia, then we can pay attention to the fact that there are four main types of salt: stone, boiling, cage and self-capping. A special GOST R 51574-2000 has even been developed for this product. Rock salt is mined by a quarry or mine method, it contains a high percentage of sodium chloride. It has a minimal amount of impurities and moisture. Harvesting is prepared by evaporating the earth from places where salt is mined in Russia. Landing is done in a similar way, only water from the sea or lake undergoes processing. The process usually takes place in specially equipped pools. Salt salt settles directly to the bottom of certain lakes in a natural way. The place where salt is mined in Russia by this method is about. Baskunchak.
Cost and grade
The quality of salt depends on how salt is mined. The higher its grade, the better it is processed and ground. Many people tend to buy the whitest salt, which often costs more. In fact, this is fundamentally wrong. Coarse salt contains more impurities. According to nutritionists, they have a positive effect on the digestive system, weakening the negative effects of sodium chloride itself. Five types of salt are distinguished depending on the size of most crystals: extra, No. 0 (0.8 mm), No. 1 (1.2 mm), No. 2 (2.5 mm), No. 3 (4 mm). To prevent various diseases, potassium, magnesium and iodine can be added to it. The presence of food additives and their concentration are necessarily regulated on the packaging.
NaCL + K
The main deposit, which produces potash salts in Russia, is located in the Perm Territory. Mining here is easy and cheap. The ores of the Verkhnekamsk deposit contain about 18% K 2 O. About 15% of all world reserves are located here. The East Siberian potassium-bearing basin is not fully developed. Experts believe that its deposits are huge (60% of all Russian). Salt production in Russia is also carried out in the Carpathian basin. It is believed that mined from the Elton and Gremyachinsk deposits is the highest quality.
How salt is mined today
Currently, NaCl is produced mainly by the mine method. Underground, everything is illuminated with electricity. In the light of spotlights, crystals look unusually beautiful. Most processes are performed not by people, but by machines. The extracted blocks are loaded onto the conveyor, grinded in special mechanical mills, and then delivered to freight cars to the surface. Salt production in Russia is still being carried out at the Iletsk deposit; annually about 1.25 tons of products are produced here.
The uniqueness of Lake Baskunchak
But salt production in modern Russia is carried out not only by the mine method. For many centuries, Baskunchak Lake has been harvesting minerals that have been planted. The local atmosphere fascinates many artists, and the directors are not tired of making films in these places. The lake is located at the top of the salt mountain, layers of minerals go thousands of meters deep. It began to be mined in the VIII century, sending the product along the Great Silk Road. Since then, virtually nothing has changed, only production has grown to several million tons per year. But Lake Baskunchak is not only an industrial area, but also since 1997 a reserve with an area of 53.7 hectares.
