Ancient Ions

One of nature's most useful compounds, few substances are as important to mankind as salt. This simple mix of sodium and chlorine is vital to the welfare of all living things, is used extensively in industry, is one of man's five elemental tastes, and even plays a sacred role in many religious rites.

 As its name suggests the Great Salt Lake is flush with salt, 4.5 billion tons flush according to the Utah Geological Survey. This massive deposit of salt makes the Great Salt Lake the saltiest lake within a 6,600 mile radius, the saltiest lake in the Western Hemisphere and one of the top 10 saltiest lakes in the world.

 

Most of the salt present in the Great Salt Lake is remnants of the lake's ancient ancestor Lake Bonneville; a massive prehistoric fresh water lake that once covered much of Utah's landscape. 

Over 14,000 years ago a large portion Lake Bonneville escaped through Red Rock Pass in Idaho leaving Utah with a much smaller lake.  This reduced lake started to shrink even further from evaporation due to changing climate conditions. The minerals in the receding lake, unable to escape through evaporation, were left behind to grow in concentration.  The lake continued to shrink and the minerals within it continued to concentrate until at last the desert landscape was left with our present day Great Salt Lake.

 

Although it may not be the lake's most lucrative asset, the ancient salt within the Great Salt Lake is still one of its most valuable resources.  Several companies are active upon the shores of the Great Salt Lake  harvesting between 1.5 and 2.5 million tons of salt annually from the lake.