Where did the salt come from under Lake Erie?
The salt is leftover from a giant inland sea that 400 million years ago stretched from Michigan to New York. You could delve anywhere in that swath to find salt. But under Lake Erie, Cargill has to lease land from only one landowner: the state of Ohio.
How did salt get underground?
Typically, the salt exists as deposits in ancient underground seabeds, which became buried through tectonic changes over thousands of years. In solution mining, wells are erected over salt beds or domes (deposits of salt forced up out of the earth by tectonic pressure) and water is injected to dissolve the salt.
Is there salt under the Great Lakes?
From Cleveland, ships carry 1.6 million tons of salt to ports around the Great Lakes, including Duluth, Minnesota; Chicago; Milwaukee; and Canada. Cargill has two other rock salt mines, in New York and Louisiana. Morton has a mine in Fairport Harbor, also under Lake Erie.
What great lake is the deepest?
Lake Superior
- Not only is Lake Superior the largest of the Great Lakes, it also has the largest surface area of any freshwater lake in the world.
- With an average depth approaching 500 feet, Superior also is the coldest and deepest (1,332 feet) of the Great Lakes.
Why is Lake Erie water brown?
While the water may have a slight metallic bitter taste, especially when heated, the water is safe to drink, Cleveland Water said. The hypoxic Lake Erie water coming into the Cleveland Water Nottingham Water Treatment Plant is causing the yellow to light brown tint coming out of your taps, Cleveland Water explained.
How deep is the salt mine under Lake Erie?
about 1800 feet
The 12-square-mile mine lies just offshore of downtown Cleveland. Lake Erie is the shallowest of the Great Lakes with a depth of about 56 feet near Cleveland – the salt mine lies about 1800 feet under the lake. A system of conveyor belts and elevators bring the salt to the surface.
What is the meaning of the Morton Salt girl?
Since the Morton Salt Company first debuted its Salt Girl ad campaign in 1911, the saying, “When it rains, it pours”, has become a part of our lexicon. But the meaning has evolved. Instead of referring to clump-free salt, it now describes a situation when, after one negative thing happens, more bad luck follows.
What is the coldest lake on Earth?
Lake Baikal
For comparison, the largest of the Great Lakes (Lake Superior) is only 25\% as deep, with a maximum depth of 1,333ft (406m). Lake Baikal is unique in a number of other ways too. It is the world’s oldest, coldest lake, and around 80\% of its animal species are endemic (not found anywhere else).
Why are the Great Lakes not salty?
The Great Lakes are not (noticeably) salty because water flows into them as well as out of them, carrying away the low concentrations of minerals in the water. Eventually, this water, with its small load of dissolved minerals or salts, reaches the sea.
What is the world’s largest salt mine under Lake Erie?
Both Cargill and Morton have salt mines under Lake Erie. Evidently it is the Cargill mine that is the worlds largest. They mine under the lake because then they have to deal with only one land owner, Ohio State. The working face of the Morton mine is three miles under the lake and 2000′ under. It produces 1.3m tons/year.
How is salt transported to the Great Lakes?
From Cleveland, ships carry 1.6 million tons of salt to ports around the Great Lakes, including Duluth, Minnesota; Chicago; Milwaukee; and Canada. Salt is also transported by train as far as Massachusetts and by truck to southern Ohio.
Where are the salt mines in New York State?
Cargill has two other rock salt mines, in New York and Louisiana. Morton has a mine in Fairport Harbor, also under Lake Erie. How many employees work at the mine? About 220, with 160 of them below ground.