This is the common name for the mineral “halite”. Its chemical formula is NaCl. You might know this substance as table salt. and… Actually, rock salt is not K2SO4; it is NaCl. It can have impurities of gypsum (CaSO4) and sylvite (KCl) but it is very rare to find potassium sulfate as a mineral, although occasionally polyhalite (K2Ca2Mg(SO4)4.2H2O) is found associated with rock salt deposits. It is formed by the evaporation of salty water (such as sea water) which contains dissolved Na+ and Cl- ions.
Rock salt found in Pakistan is without any doubt the best in the world .The purity of the best quality of rock salt found is above 99% and the levels of impurities are also very very low.
The quality of Rock salt as far as crystals is concerned can be found here of four different types including pink, and white solid crystal and the other two available are soft lump and soft crystalline lump. The soft crystalline lump is so soft that it can be very easily broken down to tiny crystals by ones own hands.
Pakistan is known for its famous salt range stretching from Kalabagh to Jhelum covering the districts of Mianwali, Chakwal and Jhelum in the Province of Punjab. In the Province of NWFP Geological surveys of the PMDC Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation have determined the existence of 2.65 billion tons alone in this area only. Reserves at Bahadurkhel in Kohat are estimated to be 10.54 billion tons.
The overall scenario here at the salt range mining site is that it is very very under utilized and the production here is too small keeping in view the deposits of this most important mineral.The total production estimates of all the mines of Pakistan is estimated at around 1800000 tons anually
