20 World’s Biggest Salt Country Producers
20 World’s Biggest Salt Country Producers- According to World Mining Data 2024, there are 20 of the World’s
Biggest Salt-Producing Countries in 2022. Commonly, these countries have huge
production of salt and some of the production can be exported to other
countries.
Salt is one of
the natural resources that has various functions in human life. Chemically,
primarily composed of sodium chloride (NaCl), it usually has a main function in
food and cooking. Food preservatives, texture enhancers, and flavor enhancers
in daily human food need salt as an ingredient and raw material. Most people
still rely on salt to enhance the flavor of their food.
The World’s Production of Salt From 2019 to 2022
Years |
World's Production of Salt |
(Tons) |
|
2015 |
294,396,489 |
2016 |
281,296,350 |
2017 |
284,722,426 |
2018 |
289,866,124 |
2019 |
291,324,072 |
2020 |
267,348,730 |
2021 |
269,444,228 |
2022 |
271,885,414 |
Source: World Mining Data, 2024 |
Statistically,
the production of salt has fluctuated over the years. In 2015, the world’s
production of salt reached 294,396,489 metric tons. Meanwhile, in 2022, the
world’s production of salt relatively decreased to 271,885,414 tons. With some
important function and benefits in every human life, salt is still mined and produced
inevitably from time to time.
In 2019, there
are 20 world’s biggest country producers of salt. These data were obtained from
World mining Data in 2024 published by the
International Organizing Committee for
The World Mining Congresses. Here is the rank of countries with huge
productions of salts.
Table Rank of 20 World’s Biggest Salt Country Producers in 2022
Rank |
Countries |
Salt Productions in 2022 |
(metric tons) |
||
1 |
China |
53,598,800 |
2 |
United States of
America |
41,000,000 |
3 |
India |
30,000,000 |
4 |
Germany |
15,073,463 |
5 |
Canada |
14,640,779 |
6 |
Australia |
12,126,166 |
7 |
Chile |
10,501,352 |
8 |
Türkiye |
9,085,711 |
9 |
Russia |
8,186,000 |
10 |
Mexico |
7,914,780 |
11 |
Brazil |
7,000,000 |
12 |
Netherlands |
5,893,118 |
13 |
France |
5,621,754 |
14 |
Spain |
3,987,690 |
15 |
Poland |
3,883,000 |
16 |
Iran |
3,877,712 |
17 |
Bulgaria |
3,300,000 |
18 |
Pakistan |
2,896,000 |
19 |
United Kingdom |
2,587,790 |
20 |
Saudi Arabia |
2,342,000 |
Source:
World Mining Data, 2024 |
Brief Description of 20 World’s Biggest Salt Country Producers
1.China
China become the world’s biggest country
producer of salts in 2022. Based on the World Mining Data in 2024, the
production of salt reached 53.5 million metric tons. Basically, China produces
many different salts. According to the source of salt, there is miscellaneous
salt in China. There is sea salt
produced in Jiangsu and Tianjin, well salt that is produced primarily in
Sichuan, Lake Salt is produced from lakes in Western China, Earth salt in
western areas, and Rock salt is found in the caves of Shaanxi and Gansu.
2.United States of America
The United States of America became the
second-biggest producer of salt in 2022. Based on the World Mining Data in
2024, the production of salt reached 41 million tons. In this country, there
are some sites of mining salt production.
Some of them are Hutchinson, Avery Island, Lake Erie, Detroit, American Rock
Salt, Syracuse, Houston, Grand Saline, and Saltville.
3.India
India became the 3rd world’s
biggest country producer of salt. The production of Mahatma Gandhi’s Country
reached 30 million metric tons. In this
country, the production of salt is concentrated in Gujarat, Rajasthan, Tamil
Nadu, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, and Odisha. Based on the comparison of all
regions in India, Gujarat produces around 70 percent of the total Indian salt.
4.Germany
Germany becomes the 4th world’s
biggest country producer of salt. In 2022, the production of German’s salt
reached 15 million metric tons. Geographically, some mining areas of salt
production in Germany concentrated in some areas, namely Rheinberg, Berchtesgaden, and Heilbronn.
5.Canada
Canada is the 5th world’s
biggest producer of salt in 2022. In that year, the production of Canadian’s
salt reached 14.6 million metric tons. Geographically, in this country, some
major salt deposits are found in Nova
Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta.
Based on the location, Sifto Salt Mine, located in Ontario, is
one of the world’s biggest areas of salt mining.
6.Australia
Australia is the 6th world’s
biggest country producer of salt in 2022. In that year, the production of
Australia’s salt reached 12.1 million metric tons. Most Australian salt is
produced in the Pilbara Region, Western Australia. Specifically, some sites of
salt mining are located in Dampier, Lake
Macleod, Onslow, and Shark Bay.
7.Chile
Chile is the seventh biggest country
producer of salt in 2022. Based on the World mining data in 2024, the
production of salt from Chile reached 10.5 million metric tons. Geographically,
there are some areas of salt production. Salar de Atacama is one of the salt
mines in Chile and one of the largest salt mining areas.
8. Türkiye
Türkiye is the 8th world’s
biggest country producer of salt in 2022. Statistically, the production of salt
from Türkiye reached 9 million metric tons. In this country, one of the
producers and exporters of salt is Koyuncu
Salt that has the biggest market share of sales in Türkiye.
9.Russia
Russia is the ninth biggest producer of
salt in 2022. The production of Karl Max’s country reached 8.1 million metric
tons. Geographically, Solikamsk in Perm
Krai and Seregovo in the Komi Republic are some of the mining areas of salt
in Russia.
10.Mexico
Mexico is the next eighth biggest producer
of salt in 2022. According to World mining data in 2021, the production of salt
from Mexico reached 7.9 million metric tons. Geographically, the coastal area of Michoacan, Mexico
is one of the areas of salt.
11. Brazil
Brazil is the 10th biggest
production of salt in 2022. The production of Brazilian’s salt reached 7
million metric tons. Geographically, Rio
Grande do Norte and Ceará are the most produced of sea salt in Brazil.
12.Netherlands
Netherlands becomes the 12th
biggest country producer of salt in 2022. Statistically, the production of salt
from this country reached 5.8 million metric tons. Geographically, rock salt
has been produced in Heiligerlee and
Zuidwending, the province of Groningen, meanwhile magnesium salt has been
produced in Zechstein salt deposits near Veendam.
13.France
France is the 13th biggest
country producer of salt in 2022. Accumulatively, the production of salt from
France reached 5.6 million metric tons. Based on the geographical region, the mining area of salts is in Varengeville,
and some production of salt also is on the shores of Aigues-Mortes.
14. Spain
Spain is the 14th biggest
country producer of salt in 2022. Statistically, the production of salt from
Spain reached 3.9 million tons. Geographically, the Salt mine of Imón is one of the areas of salt mining in Spain.
15. Poland
Poland
also has huge production of Salt in 2022. Statistically, total production of
salt from Poland reached 3,883,000 tons.
Geographically, the location of the salt mine in Poland is the Wieliczka Salt
Mine and this location is also recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site in
1978.
16. Iran
Iran
is the 16th world’s largest country producer of Salt in 2022.
Statistically, the production of salt from Iran reached 3,877,712 tons. In terms of salt production in Iran, the salt is
obtained from several mines in the cities of Garmsar and Sardareh, as well as
the Douzlākh salt mine (Māhneshān, Zanjān Province).
17. Bulgaria
Bulgaria
is the 17th world’s largest country producer of salt in 2022. Statistically,
the production of Salt from Bulgaria reached 3,300,000
tons. In Bulgaria, the primary location for salt mine production is The Mirovo
mine located in eastern Bulgaria in Veliko Tarnovo Province which has an
estimated potential reserve of 4,357 million tons of NaCl.
18. Pakistan
Pakistan is the 18th world’s largest
country producer of salt in 2022. Statistically, the production of Salt from
Pakistan reached 2,896,000 tons. Geographically,
Khewra Salt Mines is the main location of salt mining in Pakistan. Furthermore,
Khewra Salt Mines becomes the one of the world's largest salt mines in the
World with total reserves of salt predicted around 600 million tons.
19.United Kingdom
The United Kingdom is the 19th
biggest producer of salt in 2022. Statistically, the production of salt reached
2.5 million metric tons. Cheshire,
Worcestershire and Kilroot (near Carrickfergus) are some of the mining
areas in the United Kingdom.
20. Saudi Arabia
Saudi
Arabia is the 20th world’s biggest country producer of Salt in 2022.
According to FAO Statistical Corporate Database (FAOSTAT), the production of
Salt from Saudi Arabia reached 2,342,000 tons. Geographically,
the location of salt production in Saudi Arabia is located in Al-Qasab.
The Summary of 20 World’s Biggest Country Producers of Salt in 2022
Bibliography of 20 World’s Biggest Country Producers of Salt
International Organizing Committee for The
World Mining Congresses. 2024. World Mining Data 2022. Accessed via https://www.world-mining-data.info/?World_Mining_Data___PDF-Files
on January 21st, 2025.
Wikipedia. 2022.Salt in Chinese history.
Accessed via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salt_in_Chinese_history on January 28th, 2024.
Wikipedia. 2022.Salt Mining. Accessed via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salt_mining on January 24th, 2024.
Australian Food Timeline.2021. 1808
Australia’s first solar salt accessed via https://australianfoodtimeline.com.au/salt-making-australia/
on January 27th, 2024.
Nlog.Rock Salt. accessed via https://www.nlog.nl/en/rock-salt on January 24th, 2024.