Most people have no idea there's a whole other world lurking beneath Whiskey Island in northeast Ohio.
About 1,800 ft. below Lake Erie just offshore of Cleveland is Cargill's Salt Mine---and it truly looks like another planet. If you've ever wondered where all the rock salt that covers Ohio's streets in the wintertime comes from, this incredible mine is the answer.
Take a look:
Whiskey Island's Salt Mine is a 12 square-mile mine beneath Lake Erie you've likely never even heard of. Full of sparkling pillars of rock salt, it's truly a whole other world.
Most people don't realize that Ohio is actually one of the top exporters of salt in the country.
Lake Erie is the shallowest Great Lake. Near the shores of Cleveland, it's about 65 ft. deep.
Beneath those 65 ft. is the salt mine-—approximately 1,800 beneath the surface.
During an average winter, the mine will produce approximately 4 million tons of rock salt.
Once the salt is drilled, blasted and scooped, it's sent to the surface for processing via a system of conveyer belts and elevators.
Giant pillars of salt are intentionally left behind to support the layers of rock on top of the salt.
Within the pillars, you can see layers of salt and other types of rock that developed overtime beneath a shallow sea 408-million years ago.
Most people have no idea this incredible system even exists right here in Ohio. Although tours are no longer offered of the mine, just knowing it's there is mind-blowing.
So this winter, whenever the roads are iced, you'll know exactly where it likely came from.
To get a closer look at the salt mine, check out the short video below:
What do you think about this salt mine? Did you know it was hiding in Ohio? Share your thoughts with us!
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