University of the Punjab

Department of Commerce
Topic:
Khewra Salt Mine

Submitted by:
Ibrar Ali

Roll no.
F14-35

Class:
B. Com 1th Semester

Subject:

Introduction to computer

Submitted to:
Mr. Karman Shukat Dar, Lecturer

Department of Commerce, Jhelum Campus

UNIVERSITY OF THE PUNJAB

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Article I. Table of Contents

Khewra Salt Mine ............................................................................................................... 7

Section 2.01 Overview ........................................................................................................................ 7

Section 2.02 TOP SALT MINE IN THE WORLD..................................................................... 8

Section 2.03 STRUCTURE OF KHEWRA SALT MINE ........................................................ 9

Section 2.04 CAPACITY OF KHEWRA SALT MINE ............................................................ 9

Section 2.05 Location ........................................................................................................................ 10

Section 2.06 HISTORICAL BACK GROUND OF KHEWRA SALT MINE .................. 11

Section 2.07 History of Khewra Salt Mines ................................................................................ 13

Section 2.08 Production .................................................................................................................... 16

Section 2.09 Flooding in 2010 ........................................................................................................ 17

Section 2.10 TURIST ATTRACTON .......................................................................................... 17

Assembly Hall ...................................................................................................................................... 18

pul-saraat 18

Indoor Brine Ponds .......................................................................................................................... 19

Sheesh Mahal ....................................................................................................................................... 19

The Great Wall of China, The Mall, Shimla Hill andMeenar -i-Pakistan ............ 19

Narrow Gauge Electric Railway ............................................................................................... 20

Salt Crystal Formations ................................................................................................................. 20

Section 2.11 Visit and enjoy a informative picnic ................................................................ 20

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 DEDICATION
I would like to dedicate this accomplishment offline to my beloved and caring parents and to my
teachers with the support of whom I am standing at this step of my life stairs.

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 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
In the name of ALLAH, the most kind and most merciful.
First of all Im grateful to ALLAH ALMIGHTY, who bestowed me with health,
abilities and guidance to complete the project in a successful manner, and without
HIS help I was unable to perform this task.

More than anybody else, I would like to acknowledge my project advisor, Mr.
Muhammad Azeem teacher of N.K.FACT for his never ending support and
untiring efforts. He was always there to guide me whenever I felt stuck off and his
encouragement always worked as morale booster for me. I have found him very
helpful while discussing the tricky issues in this dissertation work.

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Article II.

Khewra Salt Mine

Khewra city famous for having worlds second largest salt mines (Khewra Salt Mines) is

located in District Jhelum of province Punjab, Pakistan. The city is situated about

200 kilo meters (124 miles) from Islamabad and 245 kilo meters (152 miles) from the

city of Lahore. Khewra Salt Mines are located 945 feet (288 meters) above sea level. The

mountains containing Khewra Salt Mines are part of mineral-rich mountain range called

Salt Range. Total length of Salt Range is 300 kilo meters (186 miles), extending from

Beganwala near River Jhelum to Kalabagh near River Sindh. Width of Salt Range varies

between 8 kilo metres to 30 kilo meters.(1)

Section 2.01 Overview

Khewra Salt Mine is a very popular tourist attraction with nearly 250,000 visitors each

year. There are several artistic carvings of salt stones placed in different areas of Khewra

Salt Mines for amusement of tourists. There is an electric train available to take visitors

inside the mine. It is told that engine of this train belongs to 1930. Male and female

guides are available to guide tourists about the Khewra Salt Mines.There are several

small ponds of thick salty water in 7different areas of mine. When light is projected on

the liquid in these pools it is refracts and produces different colors that look very

beautiful. Most popular carvings of salt stone among tourists are a replica of Minar-e-

Pakistan made with colorful salt bricks, a model of the Great Wall of China, a statue of

national poet Allama Muhammad Iqbal, a beautiful mosque made up of colorful bricks of

salt stone, a model of Sheesh Mahal made up of pink salt bricks, and a model of Mall

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Road of Murree.There is cafeteria for visitors that meet immediate refreshment needs.

There are also two souvenir shops offering decoration pieces and lamps made up of salt

stones of Khewra Salt Mines. Inside the mine is a tunnel named crystal valley by tourists.

It is a tunnel with shining salt crystal in the roof and walls illuminated by colour

full lights. There are some rooms inside the Khewra Salt Mines that were mined during

the Mughal times.(2)

Khewra Salt mine in Pakistan is the world's second greatest source of edible salt. "

Wieliczka Salt mines" in Poland are suppose to be the world's first greatest salt

mines.Khewra Salt Mine is one the most important salt range in the world. Here it is

supposed to be twenty million and twenty lakh of tons of salt present .Khewra salt mine

range started near Jhelum River and finish into Indus River in Kalabagh. In north of the

salt mines is situated Pothowar Region in Pakistan. Though these are the barren

mountains yet with the abundance of minerals. Salt is the basic while Gypsum and coal is

also available here. (3)

Section 2.02 TOP SALT MINE IN THE WORLD

A salt mine is an operation involved in the extraction of salt from rock salt. Areas known

for their salt mines include Khewra in Pakistan, Tuzla in Bosnia, Wieliczka and Bochnia in

Poland, Hallstead and Salzka merged in Austria, Rheinber in Germany, Slavic in Romania,

Providian in Bulgaria, Avery Island in Louisiana, the witch towns of Cheshire

and Worcestershire in England. The Sift Salt Mine in Goodrich, Ontario, Canada is one of the

largest salt mines in the World. Khewra is the site of the world's largest salt

mines, including soda ash production. Located in the eastern Salt Range, South of

Islamabad. Khewra salt mines are the second largest salt mines in the world,(7)
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Section 2.03 STRUCTURE OF KHEWRA SALT MINE

Photo to the right is the main entrance. The date written on top-middle of this arched gate

is 1916-17. The Urdu sign reads 'Salt Mine Khewra' which is literal translation of English

text to the left. Until few years ago the sign in Urdu had Persian influence and it used to

say 'kaan-e-namak Khewra'. Sign of changing times! There are 19 levels (similar to

stories in a building) in the mine. Seven levels are above ground and twelve are

underground. There is a clearance of 50ft of salt/rock between each level. Annual

extraction of salt here is around 315000 tones (in 2003-04). The mine is 350m above sea

level and goes 730m deep into the mountain. The cumulative length of tunneling which is

done inside the mine is more than 40 km. inside the mine there are seven rock salt seams

with an accumulated thickness of 150 meters. In spots the rock salt is 99%pure. Some

people say salt or no salt, it is hard to find anything so pure outside the mine these days.

The average purity however is around 96%. According to PMDC website the salt

deposits here are 6.687 billion tones. It was difficult to imagine how much salt is that but

this is enough deposit for 400 years. It must also depend on how much salt is extracted

every year.(7)

Section 2.04 CAPACITY OF KHEWRA SALT MINE

Pakistan is the only country for having the worlds largest salt mines with proven

reserves of about 10 billion ton in three mines including more than 6.687 billion ton only

in the Khewra rocky salt mine, located in the area of district Jhelum. Other two salt mines

are Warcha and Kalabagh. The main habitat of salt lies there in Punjab at Khewra in

Tehsil Pind Dadan Khan, District Jhelum. The salt found here at Khewra Salt Mines is
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the best, finest and in natural state in the world. Salt was first worked out in Khewra

which is at about 175 km and the history tells that long before the Alexander the great

invaded the area, Salt was being mined at Khewra that time. At present the Khewra Salt

Mine is being managed by Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation (PMDC).

According to availability of data with PMDC, it is said that still large quantities of salt

exist in its unexplored areas of the mines. The annual production of salt at Khewra is

about 300,000 tones according to the data. (6)

Section 2.05 Location

Khewra Salt Mines is a salt mine located in Khewra, Jhelum District, Punjab in Pakistan,

about 160 kilometres (99 mi) from Islamabad and 260 kilometres (160 mi) from Lahore.

It attracts up to 40,000 visitors per year and is the second largest salt mine in the world.

Situated in the foothills of the Salt Range, the Khewra Salt Mines are the oldest in

the South Asia.(1) Khewra Salt Mines are located in District Jhelum, Punjab, about 160

kilometers from Islamabad and a short distance from Lahore. It is the second largest salt

mine in the world and situated in the foothills of the beautiful Salt Range; they are the

oldest in the sub-continent.(5)

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Section 2.06 HISTORICAL BACK GROUND OF KHEWRA SALT MINE

In Khewra, salt is found in 326 BC. They are one of the natural wonders that have been

discovered by the horses. Well joke apart but this is the fact that while Alexander The

Great was staying here with his army during his battle with Raja Pores on the bank of

River Jhelum, and horses of his army soldiers were grazing here and there on this land,

and suddenly they were found licking the stones nearby.

Khewra Salt mine is also been called as the 'Natural Museum on the Earth'. Total

length of the mine is 300 km, width is from 8 to 30 km and height is 2200ft to 4990ft.(2)

The Khewra Salt Mine is also known as Mayo Salt Mine, in honors of Lord Mayo, who

visited it as Viceroy of India. The mine is a part of a salt range that originated about 800

million years ago, when evaporation of a shallow sea followed by geological movement

formed a salt range that stretched for about 300 kilometers (185 miles). The salt reserves

at Khewra were discovered when Alexander the Great crossed

the Jhelum and Mianwali region during his Indian campaign. The mine was 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. During the Mughal era the salt was traded in various markets, as far away

as Central Asia. On the downfall of the Mughal Empire, the mine was taken over by

Sikhs. Hari Singh Nalwa, the Sikh Commander-in-Chief, shared the management of

the Salt Range with Gulab Singh, the Raja of Jammu. The former controlled the Warcha

mine, while the latter held Khewra. The salt quarried during Sikh Rule was both eaten

and used as a source of revenue] In 1872, sometime after they had taken over the Sikhs'

territory, the British developed the mine further. They found the mining to have been

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inefficient, with irregular and narrow tunnels and entrances that made the movement of

labourers difficult and dangerous. The supply of water inside the mine was poor, and

there was no storage facility for the mined salt. The only road to the mine was over

difficult, rocky terrain. To address these problems the government levelled the road, built

warehouses, provided a water supply, improved the entrances and tunnels, and introduced

a better mechanism for excavation of salt. Penalties were introduced to control salt

smuggling. While working with Geological Survey of India in the 1930s and

1940s, Birbal Sahni found evidence of angiosperms, gymnosperms and insects from

the Cambrian period inside the mine.(3) In 1849, Britishers took its charge and started

working here on scientific basis to get salt. In 1872, under the guidance of a famous

British Mining Engenieer named Dr. Warth, one of the biggest tunnel in Khewra Mine is

digged in order to get an access to the rest of the mines inside.(2)

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 Section 2.07 History of Khewra Salt Mines

Year Event

Salt was discovered by the licking of out crop salt by the horses of Alexander

326 BC The Greats army who was here to fight a battle against Raja Porus.

ASP Khan local leader of Khewra informed Akbar The Great

about existence of salt deposit in Khewra. Mining was initiated by the orders

1500 AD of King Akbar.

1809 Sikhs taken over the Khewra Salt Mines from Mughals.

1849 British ruler taken over the salt mines.

Aspiring of drinkable water discovered and conveyed to Khewra through a

1853 wooden tunnel.

1856 Motorable road was laid down between Khewra and P.D. Khan.

Dr. Warth first Chief Mining Engineer surveyed whole mines and introduced

1872 scientific mining system.He laid out main tunnel at ground level.

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 Railway Bridge (Victoria) was constructed over the river Jhelum between the

1886-87 Railway Junction Malikwal and Khewra.

1889-90 Salt production crossed 50,000 Metric Tonnes.

Hospital established to provide medical facilities to miners and workers of the

1902 Khewra Salt Mines.

1914 The production was reached 50,000 Metric Tonnes.

1918 Two steam engines were used in the mines for carriage of rock salt.

1924-25 Power House with Two Diesel Electric Generating sets, 500 HP were installed.

1932 Chain cutter machines were imported.

1933 Automatic loading plant was installed.

1971 Khewra Salt Mines were switched over to WPIDC.

PDMC (Pakistan Mining Development Corporation) taken over the mines

1974 from PIDC.

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1998 Minning tub system switched over to tractor trolley system.

2002 Khewra Salt Mines Tourist Resort established.

2003 Inauguration of Khewra Tourist Resort.

2005 Khewra Asthma Clinic was established.

2010 Renovation of Khewra Tourist Resort.

Table

Location 160km south of Islamabad

Leased area 3,398.53 acres 3,398.53 acres

Geological Horizon Pre-Cambrian

Purity of salt Average 98%

Shades of salt White, Pink and Red

Mining method Room and Pillar

Total Resources Over one Billion

Production 387,747.820 tons (2013-14)

Sales 386,255.240 tons (2013-14)

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Section 2.08 Production

Estimates of the total reserves of salt in the mines range from 82 million tons to 600

million tons. In raw form it contains negligible amounts of Calcium, Magnesium,

Potassium, Sulfates and moisture, with Iron, Zinc, Copper, Manganese, Chromium and

Lead as trace elements. Salt from Khewra, also known as Himalayan salt, is red, pink,

off-white or transparent. In the early years of British rule, the Khewra mine produced

about 28,000 to 30,000 tons per annum; it increased to about 187,400 tons per annum for

the five fiscal years ending 19467 and to 136,824 tons for the two years ending 194950

with the systematic working introduced by Dr H. Worth. The mine's output was reported

in 2003 to be 385,000 tons of salt per annum, which amounts to almost half of Pakistan's

total production of rock salt. At that rate of output, the tunnel would be expected to last

for another 350 years.(5)

According to the available data there is still enough salt to last about 400years to come in

the existing mines. These reports reveal that about 534, 512tones of fine rock Salt had

been extracted up to 1850 and till March 1923 the production obtained from Khewra Salt

Mines was 49,71,420 tones. Not only we meet our salt requirements from the Khewra

Salt Mines, but Pakistan also exports salt to India to the tune of 10 thousand to 18

thousand tons annually. It is also a source of earning foreign exchange for the

government. Khewra Salt Mines has1290 meters long tunnels. The mine is an open

challenge to an adventurous spirit. It has 17 levels and there are 50 feet of rock salt

between each level in which there are very large chambers, made when salt was

extracted. It is pertinent to mention here that Pakistan is a land of rich natural wealth
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including precious metals and fluids beneath it like iron, gold, silver, bronze, gas, gypsum

and rubies. The rich nessof our soil is unbelievable having rich treasures of nature

beneath the surface.(7)

Section 2.09 Flooding in 2010

In 2010, during torrential rain all over Pakistan, water from a nearby mullah entered the

mine, reaching a depth of two feet (60 cm) and blocking the exits, after which the mine

was closed It was subsequently reopened and remains open.

Section 2.10 TURIST ATTRACTON

Khewra Salt Mine is a major tourist attraction, with around 250,000 visitors a

year, earning it considerable revenue. Visitors are taken into the mine on a train. There

are numerous pools of salty water inside. The Badshahi Mosque was built in the mining

tunnels with multi-colored salt bricks about fifty years ago. Other artistic carvings in the

mine include a replica of Minar-e-Pakistan, a statue of Allama Iqbal, an accumulation of

crystals that form the name of Muhammad in Urdu script, a model of the Great Wall of

China and another of the Mall Road of Murree. In 2003 two phases of development of

tourist facilities and attractions were carried out, at a total cost of 9 million rupees. A

clinical ward with 20 beds was established in 2007, costing 10 million rupees, for the

treatment of asthma and other respiratory diseases using salt therapy. The "Visit Pakistan

Year 2007" event included a train safari visit of Khewra Salt Mine. In February

2011 Pakistan railways started operating special trains for tourists

from Lahore and Rawalpindi to Khewra. For this purpose the railway station of Khewra

was refund.(6)

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Pakistan Post Office, Khewra Salt Mine. Postal Code 48530: There is a fully functional

Post Office made of salt bricks inside the Mine. One can send postal mail all over the

World from here. There is a full time postal employee stationed here. Salt Crystal

Formations: Such formations are abundant in the mine and are a big tourist attraction.

Some of them seem to grow upwards from the ground while other Shang from the roof.

One such formation takes many decades to form therefore it is of utmost importance that

tourists don't touch or break them Old Mining Machinery: Though not very well kept,

one can spot gold mining machinery as well as bits and pieces of old railway lying

around here and there. It is of abandoned old rolling-stock which was in works circa

1930s.There is also a briefing room for visitors as well as a souvenir shop located here.

The mine is open 9 am to 6 pm all year round rubbished with the help of a private firm.(3)

The tourist attractions inside the mine include:

Assembly Hall

It is the name given to? A large chamber in the mine. It measures about 75m in height

and fascinates tourists because stairs go circling around the hall to the top.

pul-saraat

This is a Salt Bridge called the Pul-saraat. It has no pillars whatsoever to support it. It is

just a narrow strip of pure rock salt 20 to 25 feet in length and 5 feet thick with 80 feet

deep ponds of brine (Saltish Water) on both sides. Those who know the meanings of

realpul-saraat must be enjoying the creativity of people who thought about naming this

salt bridge as such.

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Indoor Brine Ponds

Inside the mine there are certain chambers filled with saturated brine solution. The salty

water seeps through mine walls and roof and collects into these chambers overtime.

There are several such water-filled chambers in the mine but they are very difficult to see

in the dark. Only two such ponds have been illuminated for tourism purposes. One such

pond is shown in the photo to the left.

I. Badshahi Mosque

There is a mosque built inside the main tunnel of the mine. It is called the badshahi

mas.jid. To beautify the mosque different colours of salt bricks have been used. Red,

Pink and White are the major shades of salt bricks. Between the Bricks space has been

provided for the electric bulbs to lit the mosque

Sheesh Mahal

The word Sheesh Mahal means Palace of Mirrors. There is an area called Sheesh

Mahal in the mine named such for? colorfully reflecting salt bricks. The salt here is of

light pink color and glows in many different shades under light.

The Great Wall of China, The Mall, Shimla Hill andMeenar -i-Pakistan

The salt walls of the main tunnel has carvings of some famous structures which glow

under light in beautiful shades. These wall carvings include models of the Great Wall of

China, the Mall road of Murree, Lahores Shimla hill, Minar-e-Pakistan Lahore etc. All

these structures are made of Salt that emit pink, white and red lights when lit up.

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Narrow Gauge Electric Railway

A narrow gauge electric train transports visitors from the visitors gate to a track juncture

some 500m inside the tunnel. Outside the tunnel one can also see abandoned rails and

small train wagons that were used here for salt extraction since1930s. The fare structure

for this train is expensive and kind of complicated. Fare for a ride is Rs. 250. Twelve

people of a group can ride in this fare. For any person more than a group of 12, the fare is

Rs 20 eache.g. 13 people in a group will pay Rs 270 and so on..

Pakistan Post Office, Khewra Salt Mine. Postal Code 48530

There is a fully functional Post Office made of salt bricks inside the Mine. One can send

postal mail all over the World from here.

There is a full time postal employee stationed here.

Salt Crystal Formations

Such formations are abundant in the mine and are a big tourist attraction. Some of them

seem to grow upwards from the ground while others hang from the roof. One such

formation takes many decades to form therefore it is of utmost importance that tourists

dont touch or break them.

Section 2.11 Visit and enjoy a informative picnic

20 A reception/briefing hall has been constructed to serve as reception center for tourists.

(i) Walkway

The walkway from receipt/briefing hall to the Mine Mouth has been constructed by

fixing pavers for the smooth walk of tourist.

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For the convenience of tourist, a souvenir shop has been established in the

reception/briefing hall area where tourists can find model lamps and other articles made

of salt.

(ii) Electric train

Electric train has been made available for tourists to have a joy ride Up to main juncture

inside the Mines.

(iii) Refreshment

Seating arrangements have been made in side the mine. Refreshments have been

provided inside the mine, where kiosks have been fitted, having sufficient capacity for

tourists to relax and enjoy light refreshments.

(iv) Mine guide

Trained male and female guides are available at the mine to conduct tour of visitors

inside the Mines.

(v) Mine visiting times

Mine is open for tourist from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. every day including Sunday and

gazetted holidays.(7)

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 Refrences

1. http://www.pakistantoursguide.com/khewra-salt-mines.html .
3. http://kiranpalwasha.blogspot.com/2011/03/my-visit-to-khewra-salt-mines-wonder-.
3. of.htmlhttp://en. https://faridbinmasood.wordpress.com/great-places/khewra-salt-
4. http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khewra_Salt_Mine
5. http://www.palgomel.com/khewra-salt-mines.html
6. http://www.tour-pakistan.com/Khewra-Salt-Mines.html
7. https://www.scribd.com/doc/24330434/Khewra-Salt-Mine-Presentation

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