Frequently asked
15+ buyer questions, FAQPage schema for AI-engine citations.
Where does your pink salt come from?
All our pink salt is mined at Khewra Salt Mine in the Punjab region of Pakistan — the second-largest salt mine in the world (after Sifto in Canada) and operationally the largest pink-salt source on Earth. Khewra has been producing salt continuously for over 800 years; modern mechanized extraction began in 1872 under British administration. Total estimated reserves are 220-600 million tonnes; current annual extraction is ~350,000 tonnes.
What is the NaCl content of your pink salt?
Standard food-grade Khewra pink salt has NaCl content of 97-98%. The remaining 2-3% is the mineral profile that gives the salt its distinctive pink color: trace iron oxide (Fe), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), potassium (K), and ~80 other trace elements at ppm levels. This mineral fingerprint is unique to Khewra and is the reason for the salt's color and flavor distinction.
What forms / grades do you ship?
Seven forms: (1) Rock chunks 5-50cm hand-mined pieces; (2) Granules 1-3mm BBQ/food-service grade; (3) Fine grain 0.4-1mm table-salt replacement; (4) Coarse 1-3mm grinder grade; (5) Blocks/slabs 20-60cm cubes for cooking blocks and salt walls; (6) Lamps globe and natural-shape lamps 2-50kg; (7) Bath salt 1-3mm spa/cosmetic grade. Mesh sizes 30/40/60/80 available on request for ground forms.
Is your pink salt FDA registered?
Yes. We hold FDA Food Facility Registration for our Hyderabad processing facility. FDA Prior Notice is filed before vessel arrival on US-bound shipments. Our food-grade product complies with FSMA requirements; we maintain HACCP, ISO 22000, and pesticide/heavy-metals testing protocols as standard. Note: pink salt does not require FDA approval per se — it is GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) — but facility registration and Prior Notice filing are both maintained.
What certifications do you provide?
Standard set: ISO 22000, HACCP, Halal (Pakistan Halal Authority + JAKIM-recognized chain), Kosher (OU and Star-K available on request), Phytosanitary, Certificate of Origin, FDA Food Facility Registration, lab COA covering NaCl%, mineral profile, heavy metals (Pb, As, Cd, Hg), microbial limits. Optional on request: USDA Organic (for select unprocessed grades), EU Organic, BRC, FSSC 22000, IFS, SQF, Halal SFDA / MUI / ESMA chains.
What is the minimum order quantity?
MOQ 1 metric ton for first-time orders. Standard FCL: 24 MT (20ft container) of bulk granules/coarse/fine; 18-22 MT for rock chunks (lower density); 16-20 MT for blocks/slabs; salt lamps are quantity-counted (typically 800-1,200 pieces per 20ft FCL depending on size mix). MOQ for retail-pack and lamps is by piece-count not weight — ask for SKU-specific MOQ.
How does Khewra pink salt compare to Polish or Iranian pink salt?
Khewra (Pakistan) is the original commercially-known 'Himalayan' pink salt — most global retail brands source here. Polish Wieliczka mine ships smaller volumes of grayer salt, marketed as 'Wieliczka rock salt'. Iranian Garmsar / Mahallat mines produce a redder salt with higher iron content. Khewra is preferred for 'Himalayan pink salt' branding because of (a) consistent rose-pink color, (b) 800-year mining history, (c) NaCl 97-98% purity, (d) the largest single-source mine globally — supply consistency is unmatched.
What are typical specifications?
NaCl ≥ 97% (food-grade), moisture ≤ 0.5%, insoluble matter ≤ 0.3%, color: rose-pink to amber, heavy metals (Pb ≤ 2 ppm, As ≤ 0.5 ppm, Cd ≤ 0.5 ppm, Hg ≤ 0.1 ppm), iron (Fe) 2-50 ppm (varies by mine seam), moisture absorption low. Microbial limits: TPC ≤ 10⁴ cfu/g, yeast & mold ≤ 100 cfu/g, E. coli absent, Salmonella absent. Lab COA covers all parameters.
What are the color grades?
Three commercial grades by color: Premium dark pink (highest mineral content, deepest rose hue — for retail-display salt grinders and gourmet finishing); Standard light pink (most common — food-service, retail BBQ blends, table salt); White / pale pink (lowest mineral profile, used for blending into other salts or pharmaceutical-grade applications). All three are food-grade; color reflects iron content variation, not quality.
Do you ship to USA?
Yes — USA is one of our largest pink salt markets. We ship via Karachi (KPT/Port Qasim) to East Coast (NY/NJ, Norfolk, Savannah, Charleston), Gulf (Houston), and West Coast (LA/LB, Oakland) ports. Transit 25-35 days. FDA Prior Notice filed pre-arrival. See our
USA importer page for full FDA/CBP detail.
Do you ship to GCC (UAE, Saudi, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain)?
Yes. Karachi-Jebel Ali ~3 days, Karachi-Jeddah ~5-7 days, Karachi-Sohar ~4-5 days. We hold ESMA conformity (UAE retail), SASO (Saudi), and BSJ (Bahrain) on request per shipment. Halal certification is structural — Pakistan's Halal-by-default supply chain is identical to fenugreek for GCC.
Do you ship to China and Indonesia?
Yes. Karachi-Tanjung Priok (Indonesia) ~14-18 days; Karachi-Shanghai/Ningbo ~22-28 days. Indonesia requires BPOM registration for retail-pack imports; we coordinate via Indonesian importer-side BPOM holder. China requires CIQ inspection at port + GACC (General Administration of Customs of China) registration; we hold standing GACC registration for salt category.
What is the shelf life of pink salt?
Indefinite shelf life when stored dry. Pink salt is hygroscopic at extreme humidity (>85% RH); we ship in moisture-barrier polypropylene woven bags with internal LDPE liner to prevent caking during sea transit. Retail packaging uses food-grade PET jars or pouches with integrated desiccant where needed. Retail shelf life claims are typically 'best before 3-5 years' for regulatory simplicity.
Can you do private label / custom retail packaging?
Yes. Bulk private label: print your brand on 25kg/50kg PP woven bags at no extra cost above 5 MT. Retail jars and pouches: 100g, 250g, 500g, 1kg, 2kg, 5kg formats — PET jar with metal lid, glass jar with cork, pouch with zip-lock, tin canister. We coordinate with your design team and print at our Hyderabad facility. Lead time 14-21 days for retail-pack production from artwork approval.
Do you ship pink salt for spa/cosmetic use?
Yes — bath salt grade (1-3mm) is a separate SKU with cosmetic-grade documentation: heavy metals tested per cosmetic standards, microbial limits per ISO 22716 (cosmetics GMP), and supplied in food-contact-grade liners. We also ship pink salt scrub-grade material, salt for halotherapy (salt-room) installations, and salt-block cooking surfaces.
How does Khewra mining work — is it environmentally sustainable?
Khewra is operated by the Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation (PMDC) using both room-and-pillar mining (mechanized) and traditional hand-mining for premium chunks. Reserves are 220-600 million tonnes; current annual extraction (~350,000 tonnes) gives 600+ year remaining mine life at current rates. The mine has been continuously operating for 800+ years without depletion — environmental impact is minimal compared to evaporation-pond salt or open-pit mining. The mine itself is a UNESCO-recognized site and tourist destination.