Khewra salt mine is the second-largest salt mine in the world and is considered the world’s oldest salt mine. It is located in the north of the Jhelum city of Pind Dadan Khan in Punjab province. It is 160 kilometers south of Islamabad and 250 km from Lahore.
History of Khewra salt mine
It is said that around 326 B.C when the Alexander Greats crossed the Jhelum and Mianwali region during his Indian campaign, he Stopping his army for a rest in the area now known as Khewra, Alexander’s horse began licking the stones on the ground. He noticed that all the horses were doing so, a soldier himself tried one and found that the rocks were quite salty. This is how Himalayan rock salt deposits had been discovered. So we can say the salt was discovered by the army’s horses who were licking the stones.
During British rule, the mining engineer Dr. H Wrathin 1872 developed the main tunnel of the khewra salt mine. The commercial production of the mine began during the Mughal’s rule. After the partition of the Indian sub-continent, the Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation (PMDC) has overseen the mine.
why visit khewra salt mine ?
It was an incredible experience to visit this mine. You see salt everywhere. The world best mine found salt in three different colors white, pink, and red that is 99% pure rock salt. khewra salt mine is also famous for gypsum, limestone, potash, coal, and other minerals. Beautiful monuments are made very artistically by salt decorated with colorful lights inside them that make an amazing impact.
Full Day Guided Khewra Salt Mine & Kallar Kahar Tour
There is a Mosque, a model of Minar-e-Pakistan (Pakistan Tower), a model of Mall road of Lahore, a statue of Allama Iqbal, Shish Mahal (Palace of Mirrors), Crystal palace (sparkling like diamonds all around), a post office, a model of the Great Wall of China,75-meter tall assembly hall chamber, are a restaurant, a dispensary, Chaghi mountain, and some other colorful buildings and decoration pieces created out of salt rocks.
A fascinating pond with Christmas trees is another wonder designed in the mines. The most interesting sights in the mine are the salt bridge that stands solid without any support. There is a crystal valley that has a rock salt crystal in the roof and walls and they sparkle when light falls upon them. The view is breathtaking.
There is a number of saltwater pools in the mine which give off beautiful colors when projected with light. There’s a small shop inside the mine selling salt lamps and different types of decoration pieces. There is an old single gauge electric train that tours the visitors inside the khewra mine. This old train gives you an antiquated look.
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Structure & details about khewra salt mine
The khewra salt mine tunnel is 40 km deep and the mine comprises have 19 stories, with 11 below ground. The khewra salt mine turn out over 325,000 tons of salt each year that contains more than 82 million metric tons of reserves of rock salt. Salt is extracted by using a pillar and room technique method. Only 50% of salt that is mined is taken out, and the remaining 50% is used as support columns in the enormous mine.
Pakistan is blessed with around 10 billion tons of salt reserves having 98 percent purity. Around 70 percent of the rock salt is industrial and the remaining 30 percent of the edible grade. The most interesting thing about the Khewra salt mine is the hospital for Allergically asthmatic patients. The PMDC (Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation) has constructed a 12-bed hospital opened in 2007 Located deep underground in the mine. Patients who need treatment can spend 8-10 hours each day in the hospital for 10 days. At night patient moves to the rest house of PMDC which is near to the mine.
The inside temperature of the mine remains about 18–20 °C (64–68 °F) throughout the year. It is a must visited place in Pakistan. This site is a major tourist attraction. Around 250,000 people a year and 40,000 plus tourists visit the mine each month. It is the wonder of the world. Awesome place to visit. Do not forget to visit 2nd most holiest place for Hinus “Katas Raj Temples” nearby to Khewra salt mines.
