PINK ROCK SALT

BRIEF

MARCH 1, 2021
Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation

Ghulam Bashir - Deputy General Manager (S&M)

Ghulam Bashir (Deputy General Manager – Sales & Marketing) 1

 TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Preamble .................................................................................................................................................... 3

2. Khewra Salt Mine .................................................................................................................................... 3

3. History ......................................................................................................................................................... 4

4. Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation (PMDC)................................................................ 4

5. Is Himalayan Rock Salt trend really worth the Hype? ............................................................... 5

6. Himalayan Rock Salt Utility ................................................................................................................. 6

7. Misrepresentation/ Misuse of Pink Salt by India and other Countries ............................... 7

8. Measures .................................................................................................................................................... 7

Annex-I: Salt Sector Trade Analysis ………………………………………………………………………………

Ghulam Bashir (Deputy General Manager – Sales & Marketing) 2

Preamble:

Pink Rock Salt is natural treasure & becomes national pride of Pakistan due to
growing global demand for edible, décor, Spa, therapy Salt rooms, and beauty products etc.

Finest grade Himalayan Pink Rock Salt is exclusively found and mined in the Salt
Range Mountains of Pakistan, which are an off shoot of Himalayan Mountains Range. The
“Salt Range in the Punjab, Pakistan”, Pothohar Plateau is located between Jhelum River in the
East in district Jehlum and Indus river in West in district Mianwali and this range is 300 KM
long in East-West direction. Further, “Kohat Saline Series Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK)”
Pakistan lies in district Karak and Kohat in KPK, Pakistan. Both Salt Rages, Pothohar Plateau
and Kohat Saline Series constitute Pakistan’s Rock Salt popularly known as Himalayan Rock
Salt. The Pothohar Plateau Range holds variety of Pink, Dark/ Red, and White Rock Salt.
Whereas, Kohat Saline Series has greyish-white Rock Salt.

Pakistan’s Pink Rock Salt is unique due its natural Pink color and composition,
therefore, highly sought after in international market with popular name of Himalayan Pink
Rock Salt which is being exported worldwide from Pakistan.

Khewra Salt Mine:

The Khewra Salt Mine or Mayo Salt Mine (in honour

of Lord Mayo, who visited it as Viceroy of India) is located in
North of Pind Dadan Khan, an administrative subdivision
of Jhelum District, Punjab Region, Pakistan. The mine is in the Salt
Range, Potohar plateau, which rises from the Indo-Gangetic Plain,
and is the second largest in the world.

Khewra Salt Mines is also known as "The Kingdom of Salt"

because of Rock Salt. The mine is also famous for its production
of Pink Khewra Salt which is about 99% pure halite, often
marketed as Himalayan Rock Salt. Khewra Salt Mine is a major
tourist attraction because of the Khewra Salt Mine Tourist Resort
and drawing up to 500,000 visitors a year.

Ghulam Bashir (Deputy General Manager – Sales & Marketing) 3

History:

Its history dates back to its discovery of Khewra Rock Salt when Alexander the
Great crossed the Jhelum and Mianwali region during his Indian campaign in 320 BC, the
Pink Salt reserves discovered, however, not by Alexander, nor by his allies, but by his army's
horses, when they were found licking the stones. Ailing horses of his army also recovered
after licking the rock salt stones. Further, during the Mughal era the Salt was traded in
various markets, as far away as Central Asia.

During the British rule, main tunnel at ground level was developed by Dr. H. Warth, a
mining engineer, in 1872. Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation (PMDC) took over the
mine in 1974.

Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation (PMDC):

Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation Pvt. Ltd (PMDC) is an autonomous body

under the administrative control of Ministry of Energy (Petroleum Division), Government of
Pakistan. It was established in 1974 with an authorized capital of PKR 1,000 Million to
expand and help mineral development activities in the country.

It is involved in exploration and evaluation of economic mineral deposits, preparation

of techno-economic feasibility reports, mining and marketing. PMDC is operating 4 Coal
Mines, 5 Rock Salt Mines/ quarries, Gypsum and a Silica Sand quarry. PMDC shares 8% of the
coal local production and about 40% of the total Rock salt production in the country.

PMDC having the world’s largest Pink Rock Salt mines with estimated reserves of
more than 22.22 billion tons. PMDC is operating following Rock Salt Mines:

 Khewra Rock Salt Mines, Province Punjab

 Makrach Rock Salt Mines, Province Punjab
 Warcha Salt Rock Mines, Province Punjab
 KalaBagh Rock Salt Mines, Province Punjab
 Jatta/B-Kheel/ Karak Rock Salt Mines, Province KPK

Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation (PMDC) is known symbol for extraction

of Pink Salt and have core business of mining Pink Salt since ages.

Ghulam Bashir (Deputy General Manager – Sales & Marketing) 4

Is Himalayan Rock Salt trend really worth the Hype?

It is considered a delicacy in garnishing food due to its high food grade quality and
truly unique in natural colour variations of White, Light Pink, Red/ Dark Pink & Greyish
which contains natural minerals trace elements including Calcium, Magnesium, Potassium
and Iron etc. The purity levels can go up to 99.3% (as certified by the PCSIR), 100% natural
and can be directly crushed for human consumption unlike sea Salt and has multiple health
benefits. The negative ions of Salt have been said to improve mental health conditions like
depression, stress, and anxiety, according to open source available studies/ reports;

1. Himalayan Salt vs. Sea Salt, an expert review video by Dr. Berg Keto Consultant, USA:

Although both Himalayan salt and sea salt have trace minerals, sea salt also has micro
plastics. One study found that 90% of sea salt products had small amounts of plastics.
However, Himalayan salt has zero micro plastics. Why? Himalayan salt is sourced
from an ancient sea that existed before humans. Micro plastics can create a lot of
inflammation in the body because they act as endocrine disruptors. Micro plastics
also takes 500 years to break down.
https://youtu.be/3AkZN4FFDLE

2. Published study of Department of Biochemistry, University of Karachi, PK. (Rock Salt

crystals improve air quality by enriching it with –ve ions).
www.pjbmb.org.pk/images/PJBMBArchive/2010/PJBMB_43_2_Jun_2010/13.pdf

3. A general study published by BMC Psychiatry, UK, (Effects of +/- air ions on
psychological measures of mood and emotional state).
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3598548/#__sec9title

Ghulam Bashir (Deputy General Manager – Sales & Marketing) 5

Himalayan Rock Salt Utility:

 Edible (Table & Culinary Salt)

 Decorative/ Lamps

 Tiles/ Bricks/ Blocks

 Spa, Cosmetics, Scrubs, Bath Soaks

 Water Softening

 Pool Salt

 Animal Lick Blocks/ Nutrition Salt

 Fishery Salt

 Chemical/ Industrial Salt

 Deicing/ Ice Melting Salt

Ghulam Bashir (Deputy General Manager – Sales & Marketing) 6

Misrepresentation/ Misuse of Pink Salt by India and other
Countries Traders/ Companies:

Khewra Pink Rock Salt reserves discovered in 320 BC by Alexander the Great but
traded during the Mughal era in various markets, as far away as Central Asia so since than
Indian traders remained dominant during era of sub-continent and illegally denoted Pink
Salt as Indian brand in international market.

Since trade ties between India and Pakistan are suspended but due to growing
demand of Pink Rock Salt globally, Indian traders based at different countries and even
traders/ companies of other countries (China, European countries & Israel etc) are also
violating this unique product of Pakistan by branding its own produce. Thus, Pakistan loses
revenue due to not signifying properly in international market.

Measures:

1) In order to curb unauthorized use of Pakistan’s Geographical Indication (GI) by other

countries, Government of Pakistan in recent move decided to register Pink Rock Salt
from the Salt Range Mountains of Pakistan will be registered as GI. This will
encourage & motivate our producers to expand their business at global level.

2) Proposed that Ministry of Commerce should take-up matter for registration/

allotment of separate HS Code for Himalayan Rock Salt for export from Pakistan.

Existing HS Codes for Salt:

HS CODE Description
2501 HS Code of Salt (including Table Salt and Denatured Salt And Pure
Sodium Chloride, Whether or not in aqueous solution or containing
added anti-caking or free flowing agents sea Water.
25010020 Rock Salt
25010010 Common Salt (Iodized Salt)
25010090 Industrial Salt
2501009100 In use UK for Rock Salt
2501009100 Sea Salt

Proposed for HS Codes allocation for Himalayan Rock Salt

HS Code Description
Pink Rock Salt (Raw form)
Pink Rock Salt (crushed form) value added
Other Rock Salt (Raw form)
Other Rock Salt (Crushed form/value added)
De-icing/Ice Melting Salt
Pink Rock Salt Decorative/ Lamps/ Block/ Spa Products

Ghulam Bashir (Deputy General Manager – Sales & Marketing) 7

3) Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation (PMDC) is focused on developing the salt
value addition to further expand its local and export business. In this regard, PMDC is in
process to set-up International level crushing and packaging plant in joint venture
through International EOI. Focus will be export and promote Pink Salt as identity of
Pakistan.

4) Other than PMDC, there are a number of private mining companies involved in mining
and export of rock Salt to various destinations. It may also be noted that PMDC is neither
a regulatory body nor an authority and, therefore, has no control over the business
activities of other players in the salt business.

5) Pink Rock Salt should be promoted internationally through conferences, exhibitions

and events to present the true potential of pink rock salt and encourage/support the
local companies for export of Pakistan worldwide.

6) Since Pink Rock Salt is monopolistic produce of Pakistan and government may control
illegal use of branding so mechanism with strict check should be formulated to
control the malpractices from international traders/ businesses.

____________________________________________

Ghulam Bashir (Deputy General Manager – Sales & Marketing) 8