Ocean salt harvesting involves simple yet effective methods, primarily leveraging evaporation. Two main techniques exist: boiling and solar evaporation.
Boiling Seawater
This method involves boiling seawater in a container until the water evaporates, leaving behind salt crystals. While faster than solar evaporation, it requires a heat source and consumes energy.
- Process: Collect seawater, preferably from a clean location. Boil the water in a pot or other suitable container. As the water boils, it evaporates, leaving behind increasingly concentrated saltwater. Continue boiling until only salt crystals remain. Allow to cool before collecting. Filtering the collected seawater beforehand helps reduce impurities. (Source: There are two ways to get sea salt: boil seawater over high heat to evaporate the liquid and leave the salt behind, or employ the sun for solar evaporation, which takes longer but uses no fuel or electricity.)
Solar Evaporation
This traditional method uses the sun's heat to evaporate seawater, resulting in salt crystallization. It's slower but energy-efficient.
- Process: Collect seawater and filter out impurities like sand and seaweed. Pour the filtered water into a shallow container, like a large pan or a purpose-built salt pan. Place the container in direct sunlight. The water will evaporate over time, leaving behind salt crystals. The process can take several days or weeks depending on weather conditions. (Source: Commercial sea salt is a dead simple process, unfiltered seawater is allowed to evaporate in big ponds, out in the open, with birds, and…) Harvest the salt crystals once they form a substantial layer. (Source: Sea water is let into shallow ponds, then left to evaporate (equivalent to boiled away) by the Sun. You then harvest salt from the floor.) Depending on the method, you might obtain different types of salt, like fleur de sel (flower of salt) or sel gris (grey salt). (Source: There are two types of salt formed by evaporation of seawater and harvested using traditional methods; fleur de sel (flower of salt) and sel gris (grey salt).)
Additional Tips:
- Water Source: Select a clean seawater source to minimize impurities in the final product. (Source: I collected the seawater from the Colvos Passage on the west side of Vashon Island. They do shellfish farming there and regularly test for…)
- Impurity Removal: Filtering seawater before evaporation helps remove sand and other debris. (Source: Harvesting the Salt. When you get home, let the bucket sit for about an hour. This will let any sand settle to the bottom. Bits of seaweed will float to the top…)
- Crystal Size: The rate of evaporation can affect the size and shape of the salt crystals. (Source: You can either leave the crystals in their natural shape or grind them in a mortar and pestle for a finer sea salt.)
- Safety: Always prioritize safety when boiling water, using appropriate equipment and precautions.
