Khewra Salt mine World Lagest salt mine

The story of Khewra starts around 326 BC. This was during Alexander the Greats campaign through the Jhelum region. According to a legend it wasn't Alexander or his generals who found the salt. It was his armys horses. While resting in the area the horses were seen licking the rocks. Curious soldiers tasted the stones themselves. They realized they were salt. What started as an observation about thirsty horses turned into the discovery of one of the richest salt deposits on Earth.

Salt trading picked up during the Mughal era. Khewra salt made its way into markets far as Central Asia. After the Mughals declined the Sikhs took control of the region. It was during this period that the mine got its name. The real transformation came under rule. In 1872 mining engineer H. Warth was brought in to modernize the operation. He built the tunnel, improved ventilation and organized what had previously been a maze of narrow passages.

The Numbers Behind the Mountain

The scale of Khewra is hard to picture.. Here are some numbers:

• Total salt reserves: estimated at around 6.687 billion tons

• Annual production: 325,000 tons of salt

• Estimated lifetime output: around 220 million tons

• Depth: 228 meters spread across 11 levels

• Tunnel network: over 40 kilometers of tunnels

To keep the mine from collapsing miners follow a "room and pillar" method. They only extract about half the salt in any given area. The rest is left standing as pillars. It's a way of mining.. It's why the tunnels have stayed stable for over a century.

What Visitors Actually See

Khewra draws hundreds of thousands of tourists every year. Visitors ride a narrow-gauge train into the mountain. They follow the main tunnel the British engineers carved out in the 1870s.

Inside the mine feels like a cave. It's like an underground city. Some standout features include:

• Saltwater pools that shift color under lighting

• Salt-brick replicas of famous Pakistani landmarks

• A working mosque, built entirely from salt bricks

• A salt-brick post office, the only one of its kind in the world

• Low-humidity salt-laden air that many visitors find soothing to breathe

There's also a gift shop near the exit. It sells salt lamps, decorative carvings and edible pink salt.

A History

Khewras past isn't only wonder and pink light. Life for miners under administration was brutal. Workers, including women and children were reportedly locked in until quotas were met. Labor unrest was met with force. There was an incident in 1876 that left several miners dead near the entrance. Their graves are still there today.

Getting There

Khewra sits in Pind Dadan Khan Tehsil, Jhelum District. It's 160 km, from both Islamabad and Lahore. Most visitors reach it via the M-2 Motorway. The entry fee is modest. The site is well set up for day trips.

Why It's Worth Writing About

Khewra isn't a geological curiosity. It's a working mine, a piece of Mughal and colonial history, a site and a tourist destination. Few places let you walk through 2,000+ years of history. You can also pick up a salt lamp on the way.