Ruqayyah Snyder
Salt is one of the most widely used substances in the world, with around 14,000 direct and indirect uses. In Australia, salt is produced by solar evaporation of brine or seawater. The country's annual production of around 8 million tonnes is dominated by Western Australia, with salt being produced in the Pilbara region by Dampier Salt, owned by Rio Tinto. Cheetham Salt, Australia's largest producer of salt products, operates six solar fields and four refineries, producing 800,000 tonnes of salt per year.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Salt production method | Solar evaporation of seawater or saline lake water |
| Largest producer | Western Australia, specifically the Pilbara Region |
| Major producers | Dampier Salt, Cargill Australia, Onslow Salt, Shark Bay Salt Joint Venture, WA Salt Supply |
| Salt fields | Price, South Australia; Bajool, Queensland; Lochiel, South Australia; Kevin, South Australia |
| Salt refineries | Bajool, Queensland; Sea Lake, Victoria; Corio, Victoria |
| Salt sources | Sea salt and lake salt |
| Salt grades | More than 10 |
| Annual production capacity | 800,000 tonnes |
| Salt products | Consumer-size packs of cooking and table salt, industrial salt |
| Export markets | South East Asia, New Zealand, Geelong refinery |
| Salt as a raw material | Used in chloralkali plants to produce caustic soda and chlorine for polyvinyl chloride resins |
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What You'll Learn
Salt production in South Australia
In 1888, Richard Cheetham founded the first large-scale operation to produce salt by solar evaporation of seawater in Geelong, Victoria. Cheetham Salt, now Australia's largest producer of salt products, operates five solar fields and four refineries throughout Australia, including one salt lake and four refineries. They have been producing salt since 1888 and have a capacity of 800,000 tonnes of salt per year. Their salt fields in Price, South Australia, use natural evaporation from the Pacific Ocean, which greatly exceeds rainfall, to produce salt. The process is chemical-free and uses clean energy.
Salt is also produced in Lochiel, where it has been since 1912. Here, salt is dissolved from saline mud by winter rains filling a 1500-hectare inland lake. The brine is then pumped into crystallisers, from which Cheetham Salt produced 4000 tonnes in 1999.
BHP also produces salt in Whyalla, South Australia, where they have been using solar evaporation to produce salt since 1951. In 1979, Pacific Salt Pty Ltd built a processing plant on-site and took over production in 1988, producing 47,000 tonnes of salt in 1999.
Salt is one of the most widely used substances on Earth, with approximately 14,000 direct and indirect uses. Its most familiar use is as a food preservative and additive, but it is also used in water softening, leather tanning, commercial dye manufacturing, and the pulp and paper industry.
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Salt producers in Australia
Salt is one of the most important culinary ingredients in the world and is widely used in the chemical industry. Salt production in Australia began as early as 1790 and involved boiling down seawater. Salt-making efforts in the country have come a long way since then, with several companies now producing salt using advanced techniques.
Cheetham Salt, for example, has been in operation since 1888 and is currently Australia's largest producer of salt products. The company operates six solar fields and four refineries throughout Australia, with a capacity to produce 800,000 tonnes of salt per year. Cheetham Salt offers more than 10 grades of salt, sourced from the sea and lakes, to meet the diverse needs of various industries. Their salt is produced using natural solar evaporation, a process that involves harvesting, washing, drying, sizing, and packing the salt in accordance with Good Manufacturing Practice.
Another notable salt producer in Australia is BCI Minerals, an Australian-based mineral resources company that is making waves in the industry. BCI Minerals is focused on developing its 100% owned Mardie Salt and Potash project, a potential Tier 1 solar evaporation operation located on the Pilbara coast of Western Australia. This project is expected to be the third-largest of its kind globally and will be Australia's largest solar salt project.
In addition to these companies, Dampier Salt, owned by Rio Tinto, is also a significant salt producer in Australia. Most of the country's salt production is dominated by Western Australia, with South Australia also contributing a significant amount. Salt is produced in this region through solar evaporation of seawater or saline lake water.
Australia is one of the leading salt-producing countries in the world, alongside China, the United States, India, Germany, and Canada. The diverse and growing demand for salt in various industries drives the expansion of the salt production industry in Australia, with companies like Cheetham Salt, BCI Minerals, and Dampier Salt leading the way.
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Salt-making history in Australia
Salt, or sodium chloride (NaCl), is one of the most widely used substances globally, with around 14,000 direct and indirect applications. It is composed of 39.3% sodium and 60.7% chlorine by weight. Salt has been used by humans for thousands of years, from food preservation to seasoning.
Salt-making in Australia began as early as 1790, with the first operations likely using large iron pots heated over wood fires to boil down seawater. Around 49 tons of seawater were required to produce just one ton of salt. By the 1800s, large salt pans were imported from England and installed at Newcastle and Rose Bay, with the latter remaining operational until about 1890.
In 1808, the Blaxland brothers initiated solar evaporation on eight acres of swampland at Newington, on the Parramatta River. This marked the first enterprise to utilise solar evaporation, and their venture continued into the 1880s. However, by the 1840s, their product faced competition from salt scraped from the lakes on Kangaroo Island.
The Adelaide Salt Company was established in 1868, marking the expansion of the industry. For many years, South Australia was the largest producer, harvesting salt from the lakes on the Yorke Peninsula.
The first large-scale operation to produce salt by solar evaporation of seawater was founded by Richard Cheetham in 1888 in Geelong, Victoria. Cheetham Salt is now Australia's largest producer of salt products, operating six solar fields and four refineries across the country. They produce salt from two main sources: sea salt and lake salt. Their sea salt is solar evaporated from the Pacific Ocean, while their lake salt comes from Lake Tyrrell in Victoria.
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Salt production in Western Australia
The process of solar salt production involves leading seawater through open evaporation ponds, where, after several months of exposure to sunlight, salt precipitates and crystallises. This method harnesses clean energy and is chemical-free.
Western Australia's arid climate and abundant sunshine make it ideal for solar salt production. The state's salt fields are located in areas with high evaporation rates, ensuring efficient and productive salt harvesting.
One of the prominent salt producers in Western Australia is Dampier Salt, owned by Rio Tinto. The company operates in the Pilbara Region, which is known for its substantial salt production. Additionally, Cheetham Salt, Australia's largest salt producer, has a presence in Western Australia, utilising both sea salt and lake salt sources. Cheetham Salt operates solar fields and refineries, producing a range of salt grades for diverse industries.
In recent years, there have been plans for further expansion in Western Australia's salt production capacity. K+S Salt Australia has proposed the construction of a production facility for solar salt, located approximately 40 km southwest of Onslow. This project has the potential to create a significant number of jobs and contribute to the region's economic growth.
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Salt refineries and solar fields in Australia
Salt is produced in Australia through the natural solar evaporation of seawater or saline lake water. Salt refineries and solar fields are integral to this process.
Cheetham Salt is Australia's largest producer of salt products, with six solar fields and four refineries across the country. The company has been in operation since 1888 and produces 800,000 tonnes of salt annually. Cheetham Salt uses solar evaporation to produce salt from seawater and lake water, which is then harvested, washed, dried, sized, and packed.
The company's solar fields are located in Price, South Australia, and Bajool, Queensland, where seawater is used, and evaporation rates exceed rainfall. Their natural lake salt comes from Lake Tyrrell in Victoria, where summer evaporation leaves a salt crust on the lakebed. Cheetham Salt also has a plant at Sea Lake that uses solar evaporation to produce lake salts.
Cheetham Salt's refineries are located at the Bajool site, which includes two solar seawater-fed salt fields and a refinery. The Lochiel operation, located north of Adelaide, produces lake salt that is processed at the Price operation. The Kevin operation, west of Ceduna, involves salt harvesting from a seawater salt pan, with crude sea salt sold in bulk shipments. The Corio site, near Melbourne, and the Sea Lake site, at Lake Tyrrell, also contribute to Cheetham Salt's operations.
Solar power in Australia
Solar power is a significant contributor to Australia's electricity supply, with over 3.92 million solar PV installations and a combined capacity of 37.8 GW as of September 2024. Australia has seen rapid growth in solar PV installations since 2018, with an increase in both rooftop distributed solar and utility-scale solar. The country has the highest per capita solar capacity in the world, and various government incentives, such as rebates and loans, encourage the adoption of solar power.
Australia has numerous large-scale solar projects, including the Uterne Solar Power Station and the Greenough River Solar Farm. The Large Scale Solar Farm Map of Australia provides information on utility-scale solar projects of 10MW or above, showcasing the country's commitment to solar energy.
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Frequently asked questions
Salt is produced all across Australia, with Western Australia being the largest producer. Salt is made in the Pilbara Region of Western Australia, as well as in South Australia, Queensland, and Victoria.
Salt is produced through solar evaporation of seawater or saline lake water. This process involves exposing seawater or saline lake water to sunlight and wind, causing the water to evaporate and the salt to precipitate and form crystals.
Cheetham Salt is Australia's largest producer of salt products, operating six solar fields and four refineries across the country. Other major salt-producing companies in Australia include Dampier Salt, Cargill Australia, Onslow Salt, Shark Bay Salt Joint Venture, and WA Salt Supply.
Salt is used in various industries in Australia, including food manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, leather tanning, and pool treatment. It is also used as a preservative and additive in the food industry and is important for maintaining water quality.
