The Strange Beauty Of Salt Mines

Salt, an essential element for all animal life, is abundant here on Earth, but it still requires extraction from stone deposits or salty waters. The process of mining of salt can produce beautiful landscapes, including deep, stable caverns, multicolored pools of water, and geometric carvings.

Some of these locations have become tourist destinations, serving as concert halls, museums, and health spas. Collected here are images of salt mines across the world, above and below ground.