Between the different methods of extracting salt, solution mining is characterized by

water dissolving the salt present in an underground layer of salt rock, also called brine
that reaches the surface where the extraction takes place. The first distinction that could
be identified is on the possibility to control the water injection. The uncontrolled solution
mining, that is the oldest method and still in use in Europe (figure 1, left), consists in
extracting brine formed by an underground aquifer that naturally flows through salt rock.
The direct method consist in injecting water into the salt rock deposit, this can be
performed by injecting the water through the same drill hole or from distances one to the
other.

1.1 Single well methods

The single well method consists in injecting water and extracting the brine from the same
large drill hole. This method is the basis of all the other methods because it allows to build
the first underground cavern. It is composed of three concentric pipes, the external one
allows to inject oil isolant to control the roof of the cavern while the two internal ones are
used for the water flow.
A blanket of insoluble substance, usually oli, is injected to protect the roof of the cavern
from possible plugs or braks and to control the shape and size of the cavern.
1.1.1 Direct circulation method
The water is injected from the main tube and dissolves salt at the bottom of the cavity,
then the brine is pumped to the surface trough the tubing and the casing. This method is
also called bottom injection method.
1.1.2 Indirect circulation method
Also called top injection method, the indirect circulation method is specular to the
direct method: the water is injected from the external section dissolving the salt in
proximity to the top of the cavern and pumped through the main pipe. This method has
the disadvantage of concentrate the dissolution more on the top side, increasing the
risk of caving.